Sox v. Sox Game 3: Palehose Victorious!

The White Sox held off the sweep yesterday. It was a picture-perfect late summer day in Boston, but the Red Sox managed only 2 runs despite notching 8 hits, 5 walks, and 5 steals (and one call of defensive indifference). We rose to our feet with two out in the bottom of the ninth when David Ortiz strode to the plate as the tying run, but the Large Father (as he’s been occasionally called by his closer) drew an anticlimactic walk. Then Dustin Pedroia, who was 8-for-8 with five runs scored in the previous two games, stepped in—batting cleanup. The Fenway Faithful roared their approval, greeting the second baseman with a lusty chant of “EM VEE PEE!” But alas, Dustin popped weakly to left.

So in this round, at least, Alejandro was completely right, and I was completely wrong. In the game where they staked an early lead—Jim Thome hit a two-run homer off of Wakefield in the first yesterday—the White Sox won. And contrary to my dismal expectation heading into the weekend, the Red Sox bullpen only gave up one run over three games. I tip my hat to you, Leal.

The Chicaco Sox are now a half-game over the Twins, and the Red Sox are now five and a half back from the unstoppbable Rays. The Palehose are two behind the Red Sox in the loss column, and the Red Sox are 2.5 games ahead of theh Twins in the wild card. So, after this big series in the Fens, everything is basically as it was before.

At least both Sox can breathe a bit easier now; the ChiSox are now facing off against one of the year’s great disappointments, the Cleveland Indians, while the BoSox are taking on that perennial bottom-feeder, the Baltimore Orioles.