Deja duel: Sox win carbon copy of last night's game

Sox 2, Toronto 1
WP: Papelbon (2-0)
LP: Downes (0-1)
SV: None
HRs: None

SUMMARY:
The Red Sox beat the Blue Jays tonight in a game that was eerily similar to last night's 1-0 victory: both starters pitched very well, the game was decided by one run, and the winning run scored on a single to center with two outs in the 9th when Vernon Wells couldn't nail the runner at the plate.

Cue the Rod Serling voice over.

SUPERSTAR: Jason Varitek 1-4, GW RBI
Captain Clutch comes through again as it was his single that scored Manny from second base with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to win the game.

THE BIGGEST LOSER: Wells 0-3, BB, 1-2 throwing runners out at home
For the second straight night the game came down to Wells' ability to nail a runner at the plate, and even though he had done just that one play before, he couldn't repeat the feat and save the game for the Jays.

RECAP:
Talk about living on the edge.

After snapping a five-game losing streak last night with a 1-0 victory courtesy of a Kevin Youkilis walk-off single in the 9th inning, Boston decided that recipe for success was so tasty they'd try to mix the same ingredients again tonight.

And the result was another incredibly scintillating, sometimes exasperating, but ultimately rewarding one run win, Boston's 8th in its final at bat already this season, the most in the major leagues.

The table was set for another fantastic finale when both starting pitchers, Dustin McGowan and Daisuke Matsuzaka, pitched six innings of shutout ball, allowing a combined three hits.

It was the fourth consecutive game that a Boston starter had pitched into the seventh inning and allowed 2 hits and less than 2 runs, following Clay Buchholz on Saturday, Josh Beckett on Sunday and Jon Lester on Monday, and I don't know if that's some kind of record, but I do know that's damn impressive work from your starting staff.

If only the offense could've rewarded those efforts with some friggin run support.

But unfortunately for the 4th straight game the Boston starter's effort was matched by his opponent, from Edwin Jackson to James Shields to Roy Halladay, and McGowan (7.1IP, 4H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K, HR), who had been rocked by the Rays in his previous start, joined the club last night.

The only hit the sputtering Sox offense could muster off the strapping righty was a 2nd inning single by Manny Ramirez, while Matsuzaka (7IP, 2H, 0ER, 2BB, 4K), making his first start since being scratched by the flu big last week, limited the Jays to just a single and a double in his seven strong innings.

Boston finally broke through in the bottom of the 7th inning when David Ortiz, still nursing a sore knee, slammed a 2-0 McGowan offering high and not very deep into the 2nd row of seats in the right field stands for a monumental home run: the shot marked Boston's first extra base hit since Manny's 5th inning double in St Pete on Friday night, a span of 39 innings.

But the elation that came with that shot was short-lived for the Faithful, as once again the Boston bullpen could not protect a hard-fought lead.

Francona decided to replace Dice-K, who was making his first start in 12 days and had thrown 111 pitches, with Manny Delcarmen to being the 8th.

That move immediately backfired as Delcarmen, who has allowed at least one baserunner in 11 of his 14 appearances this season, allowed a leadoff single to Adam Lind on an 0-1 pitch to open the frame, prompting a quick return to the mound by Tito, who yanked his miffed reliever.

On came Oakjima, who has had his struggles also, and he immediately surrendered a double to the immortal Greg Zaun to set up runners at 2nd & 3rd with no outs.

So much for hoping for consecutive 1-0 victories. Now we were just hoping the damage would be limited to one or two runs.

And those hopes were rewarded when Brandon Moss, starting in right for gimpy JD Drew, made an excellent sliding catch of an Alex Rios liner that turned out to be a sac fly that tied the game and not a single or double that put Toronto ahead.

Oki buckled down after that play, striking out Eckstein and Rolen to the delight of the crowd, and now it was time for the late game heroics to kick in again.

Boston nearly scored in the bottom of the 8th when Coco Crisp lined a one-out double to right center, but after Lugo walked Dustin Pedroia flied out and Crisp was stranded at third when Youk grounded out, ending the inning and dampening the spirits of the Nation.

Temporarily.

Papelbon came out for the 9th and the lousy relief work must have rubbed off on him because he gave up leadoff single to Matt Stairs to open the inning, but after he was replaced by pinch runner John McDonald, Boston got a big break that set the stage for the bottom of the 9th dramatics.

After running the count to 1-2 on Vernon Wells, Paps threw to first and caught McDonald leaning, picking off the pinch runner to the delight of the Faithful and shock of the entire Toronto dugout.

Spurred by that move, Papelbon got Wells to ground out and Lyle Overbay followed suit, and now it was time to press replay on the tape from last night's 9th.

Just like last night Papi (2-4, R, BI) got the rally started, this time with a leadoff single hit through the teeth of the shift down the right field line. He appeared to re-tweak his knee on the play, so as soon as Manny drew a walk off reliever Scott Downs Tito replaced him with pinch runner Jed Lowrie.

Turned out that was a good move because after Mike Lowell, who had double earlier for his first hit since April 6th, struck out looking at a fastball down the plate, Moss ripped a single past the mound and into right center, setting up a potential game winning play at the plate as Lowrie barrelled around third.

Unlike last night, though, Wells didn't bobble this attempt, and instead he threw a seed to home, and that throw combined with an excellent block of the plate by catcher Rod Barajas combined to nail the stunned Lowrie, much to the dismay of the already celebrating Sox, who though the game was over.

Instead they'd have to wait another minute.

In a twist of fate that seemed to be penned by George Will, or maybe Stephen King, Jason Varitek stood in against Downs and had a chance to deliver the real game-winning blow, and wouldn't you know he did just that, ripping a single to the left side of the mound that Wells gathered and tossed plateward once again.

This time Manny, who should have been at third but was too busy celebrating the earlier play at second, eluded the tag at home, and finally the Sox had the win, another thrilling walk-off that defied explanation and exceeded expectation for everyone who came in thinking "there's no way the same thing can happen again".

Turns out there was a way.

Shall we try for three in a row tomorrow night?

RECORD: 17-12
AL EAST: Up 1 gm
STREAK: W2
LAST 10: 5-5
UP NEXT: Thu vs. TOR 705 Burnett vs. Wakefield