Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Game 94: My Favorite Game of the Year (so far)!

Final Score: Boston Red Sox 18, Minnesota Twins 5

Before I light this Roman candle, I would just like to say that I LOVE a good pitching duel. I think it’s fantastic when two world class athletes go head to head and embarrass the opposing hitters for 9 innings. Even better than the duel, is a near perfect performance for the home team. Jon Lester’s no-hitter this year was a dramatic moment I will treasure for years to come.

BUT COME ON! Nothing is more fun than an old school ass whooping. Sometimes you got to take the other team behind the tool shed and let them have it with a hickory switch. It really makes me happy to see some double digit separation in scores, football sized run totals, and several players looking to get their 3rd or 4th hit of the day. Just happy times all around.

This game was just what the doctor ordered. After an extended slump, the Sox had the chance to finish a sweep of the Twins and go on a bit of a tare…. And they did it with authority.

Every Sox starter got a hit (23 hits total), every Sox starter got a run and only Brandon Moss failed to record an RBI. This was a box score that gets you in a frisky mood. The big players were Jacoby (4 for 6), Youk (3 for 5, 4 RBI) and Manny (3 for 5, 3 RBI). Even Tek (who has been a void at the plate) got 2 hits today… and when Cash replaced him in the 8th, Cash hit one into the parking lot. Yeah… it was crazy.

Sure the pitching wasn’t that great (Beckett got knocked around a bit and couldn’t get an out in the 6th) but it really didn’t matter after the Sox got a 7 run 7th inning. It was smack-down-tastic!

So we got the sweep, a game closer to the Rays and a day off on Thursday to prepare for a three game series with Baltimore before the All-Star break. What’s not to love?