Signs

Games 51 & 52 - Red Sox

Red Sox 8, Blue Jays 6
Red Sox 3, Detroit Tigers 2
Record: 32-20

I don't know where to begin the recitation of the Rod Sterling flavor that imbued my evening, so let's lead off with the thunderstorm.

The Sox trailed the Tigers, 2-1, entering the bottom of the 9th. I'd half-watched most of the game, distracted by assorted domestic duties (not the least of which was trying to make the perfect martini), but settled in on my couch with The Da Vinci Code in one hand and the aforementioned libation in the other. And yes, I realize that I might be the last sentient being on the planet to have read the book.

I was 40 pages from completing the book at the moment the Sox were 1 out from losing. The thunder rumbled distantly as Todd Jones retired Manny on a groundout. Jason Varitek popped meekly to 3rd when the rains began to fall, softly at first and then insistently against the windows in my living room. The DirectTV satellite struggled valiantly against the storm, but gave up the ghost just as Mike Lowell walked to the plate.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light was my first reaction, but the pull of the story's completion and the exaperation with the Sox' inability to solve Kenny Rogers compelled me to mute the television, turn on some live music and wait out the storm.

45 minutes, a martini and a beer later, I closed the book, done with the penultimate chapter in Dan Brown's best-selling story. At roughly that same moment, the TV flickered back on, showing fishing highlights on Fox Sports. Figuring the Sox had lost, I flipped a new page, but changed the channel to ESPNews just in case.

With the TV still muted, I thought for a moment that I saw a victory-signifying triangle next to the Sox' listing on the ESPNews ticker. As the line was obscured by the subtitles, I quickly turned to the mothership, hoping that ESPN could salve my curiousity. Alas, the Heat/Pistons postgame was in full bloom. Like Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu, I sought the answer to my own personal riddle, flipping from ESPN to Fox to NESN in desparate pursuit of resolution.

Finally, Neil Everett's dulcet tones revealed the inspirational truth - Mike Lowell singled with 2 outs to keep the game going and Kevin Youkilis hit a 2-out bomb to left to give the Sox a 3-2 lead. Jonathan Papelbon throttled the Motor City Kitties in the bottom of the 9th to conclude the Sox quest.

While that was happening, I finished the book and the multiple drinks in the midst of a relatively epic light show, courtesy of the season's first really good thunderstorm. Signs, signs, everywhere signs - I can't help but think that this is a good, good omen for the Olde Towne Team. Or, at least, it makes for a good booze-addled blog theme.