Yet another late comeback propels Sox past Rangers

Sox 6, Texas 5
WP: Wakefield (2-0)
LP: Wilson (0-1)
SV: Papelbon (7)
HRs: BOS-None; TEX-Kinsler (1), Bradley (1)

SUMMARY:
They did it again! They did it again! The comeback kings did it again!

Trailing 5-0 after six innings and without ejected slugger Manny Ramirez, Boston rallied for a pair of runs in the 7th, then plated four in the 8th with the game-winner coming on a bases loaded walk as the Sox took their third straight game from the stunned Rangers.

And I missed it because my son had a game. *@!%!$#*&&@!!??%$!!!

Superstar: Dustin Pedroia 1-1, R, BI, PH 2B
After sitting on the bench for most of the day, the little big men came off the pine to provide the most clutch hit of the game, a 2-out double to deep center that tied the game and gave the Sox the opportunity to win it minutes later.

The Biggest Loser: C.J. Wilson 0IP, 2H, 2ER, 3BB, 0K
Look at that line score and nothing even needs be said. Just let it be noted that not only did this stiff not record an out in the 8th, but he walked three consecutive batters (1 intentionally) after surrendering RBI hits to the first two batters he faced.

Ah, those Texas relievers. They're as reliable as an oilman's ego.

RECAP:
I'm beginning to run out of ways to describe these comebacks by Boston.

Especially when I don't see them live for myself.

The Red Sox staged yet another late come-from-behind victory this afternoon against the Texas Rangers at Fenway, and if they keep this up they won't even have to play the first 6 innings of the game anymore. The can just roll out there for the 7th, see how many runs the opponents scored while they were lounging in the clubhouse, and then go out and score at least one more than that.

I mean this team is the living embodiment of the age old baseball adages 'it ain't over til it's over' and 'play til the final out'; following the immortal words of the late Jim Valvano, they don't ever give up.

Which is more than I can say for some of their fans.

After witnessing the Sox fall behind early by a score of 2-0 thanks to a rocky start by Tim Wakefield (IP, 7H, 5ER, 0BB, 5K, 2HR), who allowed a homer to leadoff the game to Ian Kinsler and another run in the second on two singles and a groundout, I figured it was just a matter of time before the Boston batters erased that lead against fading Texas ace Kevin Millwood.

Except Millwood (6IP, 10H, 2ER, 2BB, 7K) decided to pitch like it was 2005 again, holding the Sox scoreless for six innings while "scattering" 10 hits.

That's because Boston couldn't scratch out a run despite having runners on base in every inning from the second to the sixth, including the bases loaded in both the fifth and six innings.

One reason the Sox couldn't capitalize on one of those opportunities is because the blazing hot bat of Manny Ramirez was absent from the later innings after he got ejected for arguing a called strike three against him in the second.

That left greenhorn Joe Thurston, who was signed in the off season and called up Wednesday when Alex Cora went on the DL, to bat with the sacks full in the 5th, where he promptly grounded out on one pitch, leaving every single member of the Nation groaning "if only Manny had been batting there..."

Turned out all that moaning and groaning would be all for naught.

But not before Texas made a comeback that much harder.

Wakefield had finally settled down and kept the game close, but in the 6th he ran into trouble when Michael Young and Josh Hamilton singled with one out, and then Milton 'memba me? Bradley crushed the first pitch from Wake over the Monster for a gigantic 3-run bomb that pushed the Texas lead to 5-0.

At that point even the most diehard fan thinking there's no way Boston could come back from that deficit, not without Manny and just 3 innings left.

Especially after Boston left the bases loaded again in the bottom of the 6th, and even though Wake needed just 14 pitches to get through the 7th, things looked bleak for the team at that point.

And it was at that point I had to leave for a makeup game for my son's Little League.

Now I had given thought to DVRing the rest of the game, but I quickly thought to myself "5 runs, 3 innings, no Manny, team looks unable to score a run today...NAH!"

Another terrific decision by yours truly.

When I got back I checked the Internet and saw what happened and I had the combination euphoric/sick-to-my-stomach feeling you get when something great happens to your team, but you were stupid/busy/lazy and missed it.

Evidently the rally began about four minutes after I left the house as super sub Jed Lowrie (2-5, 2R, BI) doubled off Millwood to lead off the 7th and David Ortiz singled him in to break the shutout and give the Sox fans hope.

Or so I would imagine.

After Thurston was hit by a pitch by reliever Wes Middleton and Youk grounded into a double play, JD Drew singled in Ortiz to make it 5-2 and set the stage for the final comeback in the next inning.

To make a long story short (since I didn't actually see it), Ellsbury started the winning rally with a 2-out single, and when Lowrie doubled him in to make it 5-3, Ron Washington brought in CJ Wilson, which marked the beginning of the end for Texas.

What happened next seems like something I would have seen at the LL field. Wilson allowed an RBI single to Ortiz, an RBI double by pinch hitter Dustin Pedroia that tied the game, and after intentionally walking Kevin Youkilis, Wilson walked Drew and Sean Casey, the last one "driving" in the winning run and sent Fenway into a frenzy.

Or so I would imagine.

And now the Sox can complete the sweep with a Marathon Monday win against ex-Sox starter Kason Gabbard.

Maybe they should spot him a 5-run lead, just for shits & giggles.

RECORD: 13-7
STREAK: W4
LAST 10: 8-2
AL EAST: Up 1 1/2 gms
UP NEXT: Mon vs. TEX 11AM Gabbard vs. Buchholz