Sleepwalking...Until The Ninth

The Red Sox pulled off a simply miraculous win at Fenway on Mother's Day today, when the Baltimore Orioles bullpen imploded in the ninth after starter Jeremy Guthrie pitched 8 1/3 innings of terrific baseball.

The Sox were down 5-0 and seemingly done for the afternoon. Coco Crisp hit a popup on the infield that catcher Ramon Hernandez dropped for an error. Then Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo inexplicably took out Guthrie, who only threw 85 pitches, for Danys Baez. Guthrie had the Sox' number all day, allowing only 3 hits. He certainly didn't look tired. I thought Perlozzo did the Sox a favor, and they sure paid him back for it.

David Ortiz doubled, scoring Crisp, and Wily Mo Pena singled, and then closer Chris Ray came in. He walked J.D. Drew and Kevin Youkilis to force in a run, and Jason Varitek doubled in two to make it 5-4. Eric Hinske was intentionally walked. Alex Cora then hit a grounder to Brian Roberts, who threw home for the force, but the replay looked like Youkilis was safe.

But on a 3-2 pitch, Julio Lugo grounded to Kevin Millar deep in the hole at first, and threw perfectly to Ray covering, but the pitcher dropped the ball, and two runs scored, giving the Red Sox a thrilling, come-from-behind win, and a series win over the tough Orioles. I was with my family watching the comeback, and they thought I was nuts when I was rather wildly celebrating the win.

I guess since they ain't Sox fans, they didn't understand!!

Josh Beckett did not get his 8th straight win, and looked shaky in this outing. He left after four innings, allowing two runs. He suffered an avulsion on his right middle finger, as some skin tore away from it on a pitch to Kevin Millar in the fourth. The Red Sox said after the game that it was NOT a blister, and that he may make his next start, which is Friday night at Fenway Park against Atlanta. I certainly hope he is able to make it, as that will be my first game at Fenway this season.