Game 96: Turn It Back Around

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 10, Chicago White Sox 3

In 2004, the year I started this blog, there was a turning point game; a game where the Red Sox said, "eff this, we're too talented to hand over the season like a bunch of wussies." That game, which has gone down in history as The Fight Game, was the Gettysburg or the Stalingrad of the 2004 campaign and after that things slowly started to build until - with a few bumps in the road - the Red Sox won the World Series. Every year since Robin and I have looked for the turning point game and, regardless of our poor track record, I think I'm ready to name tonight's game, this year's prime contender. Here's why:

The First Inning Sets the Stage: Josh Beckett pitches an iffy first inning, but the Sox come roaring out the gate against Contreras, who's had much more success against Boston ever since leaving New York for Chicago. With two out and two men on, J.D. Drew mashes a high fly ball that lands on top of the Green Monster and bounces back on to the field. Everyone at home can see Drew's hit a home run; hell, everyone in the Park can see Drew's hit a home run...except for umpire Tim McLelland, who's under the impression that a skyward bounce is somehow indicative of a ball that's bounced off a vertical surface. I'm guessing McLelland, or the other three umpires, who back him up after a conference, didn't do too well in high school physics. Drew snags a double while Big Papi scores, but Manny, home run trot on the mind, gets thrown out at home to end the inning. Terry Francona gets heated enough to earn an ejection.

Chicago Opens the Wound: after a perfect second, Beckett opens the third by surrendering two singles and a home run to Jim Thome. The home run lands far enough back in the bleachers that the umpires are able to figure out the right call with relative ease, leaving me fan to groan at our collective misfortune. 'The way this [expletive] team's been hitting, we're not gonna score any [expletive] runs. We're gonna lose because of those [expletive] umps!' I'm sure you were saying similar things to your own TV sets or radios, possibly sprinkled with more profanity. A psychic pall descends.

The Sox Get Their Chance: Two and a half more innings pass and the only excitement comes from Julio Lugo stealing second in the bottom of the third. Not good at all. Then, in the bottom of the fifth something weird happens: after Tek walks, Eric Hinske pulls a David Ortiz and tries to bunt away from the shift, down the third base line. He knocks it foul. Now, I guess either the White Sox didn't think he'd try again, because the shift doesn't move, giving Hinske the opportunity to try again. He punches it down the left field line and puts runners on first and second. Julio Lugo (the mighty Julio Lugo) tries a sacrifice and ends up with a bunt single as Contreras fouls up the throw to first base. Bases loaded and Coco Crisp comes up, ready for action.

Turning Point Part 1: Crisp's triple down into the right field corner accomplished two very necessary things; things so vitally important I have to put them in list form:

1. It shifted the momentum of the game back towards the Red Sox. Before that hit, we were looking at a bases loaded, nobody out, we're probably going to score two runs at best before we end the inning situation. After that hit, tension dissipated from the shoulders, fingers unclenched and moods became much lighter because we'd all started hearing the dulcet tones of our favorite song, "This Game is Now in Hand."
2. It restored confidence. Suddenly, this wasn't the slumping team that couldn't drive in runs; this was the surging team that could knock 'em in when things really mattered.

Turning Point Part 2: Beckett went six innings in this game and struck out a season high ten batters. Contreras, for reasons unknown, went seven and a third. To finish his night, he loaded the bases with Drew, Lowell and pinch hitting Kevin Youkilis, then put the final nails in the coffin by serving up a grand slam to the overjoyed Julio Lugo, whose stock in Boston is rising as fast as his batting average.

Tonight Drew, Crisp and Lugo played starring roles in ending a three game skid and improving upon a post-All-Star break record that's been just plain ugly. That the Red Sox did so after a terrible call and a poorly-placed pitch summoned fears of yet another loss is impressive enough; that Drew, Crisp and Lugo, three guys with plenty to prove in this second half, proved the value of their bats by leading the charge makes this game the possible mid-point to fall glory.