Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 5 - Red Sox

Red Sox 8, Baltimore Orioles 7
Record: 4-1

Second time in five games that my spontaneous outbursts have chased my wife from the room in disgust. This time, I yelled "NO!" as Geronimo Gil's drive to the gap in left-centerfield with two outs in the bottom of the ninth threatened to tie a game that the Sox had led 8-1. Manny Ramirez got the ball in quickly to Nomar Garciaparra, whose perfect relay throw reached Jason Varitek just in time to cut Deivi Cruz down at the plate to end the game. Four runs on six hits for the Woe's in the 9th against Ramiro Mendoza, pitching while sick in a cold Baltimore rain. I've seen better managing efforts, to understate the issue.

The Sox pounded Oriole starter Sidney Ponson, plating five in the 3rd by stringing together a bunch of hits. This lineup will be fun to watch this season, and based upon early returns, they'll need to be, because the bullpen - for the third time in five games - has not distinguished itself. I still believe in what they're trying to do, but dammit, they need to get outs to make this work.

Pedro goes tomorrow - hoping to make it back from suburban paradise, er, IKEA, in time to see the game.