Bellhorn Redux
There were two defining moments in the 2004 world series – Bellhorn’s home run in Game One, and Suppan’s base running error in Game Three. Bellhorn closed the door on Game One, after the game had swung back and forth through eight innings. Suppan ended the Cardinals last best chance, but more on that in a later posting.
Steve Tyler set the tone for Game One. The Sox, whose singers consistently outperformed the opposition throughout the post-season, whose post-game music is head and shoulders better than anyone else’s, eschewed the bland and inoffensive performances favored by most franchises, and picked this aging rocker to open the series. Tyler’s anthem was raggedy and frequently off-key, but unquestionably spirited. At the end, despite its musical shortcomings, it got the job done.
Same for the Sox. Big first inning, highlighted by Ortiz fifth homer of the post-season. By the end of three, the Sox were up five runs. But Wake couldn’t hold the lead. And after committing only one error in the entire ALCS, the Sox committed four on this night. The low point, of course, was Manny’s eighth inning; two silly errors on two consecutive at-bats, and the game was tied 9-9. Throughout Sox nation, fans saw the curse lurking in Fenway. The Ghost of whatever; shades of 86. And then, in the bottom of the eighth, batting ninth, the league’s strikeout leader homers for the third time in three straight games. A two-run game winner off the Pesky pole. An exact replay of his home run in the Game Seven ALCS, off the right field foul pole in Yankee stadium. That homer had quieted all the Yankee fans, after Pedro’s weird relief appearance. This one started the Sox on their inexorable quest for their first Series triumph in generations. Honorable mention to Foulke, who got Rolen to pop out, and Edmonds to strike out, both with bases loaded in the eighth; and then kept the door closed in the ninth. Five outs, no earned runs. And totally unfazed by Manny’s two errors.
Little did we know that the Cardinals would never threaten again. That in the remaining three games, no Sox starter would allow an earned run. All we then knew was that Bellhorn, the unlikeliest hero, had again stepped up to the plate. No mixed metaphors here.
Steve Tyler set the tone for Game One. The Sox, whose singers consistently outperformed the opposition throughout the post-season, whose post-game music is head and shoulders better than anyone else’s, eschewed the bland and inoffensive performances favored by most franchises, and picked this aging rocker to open the series. Tyler’s anthem was raggedy and frequently off-key, but unquestionably spirited. At the end, despite its musical shortcomings, it got the job done.
Same for the Sox. Big first inning, highlighted by Ortiz fifth homer of the post-season. By the end of three, the Sox were up five runs. But Wake couldn’t hold the lead. And after committing only one error in the entire ALCS, the Sox committed four on this night. The low point, of course, was Manny’s eighth inning; two silly errors on two consecutive at-bats, and the game was tied 9-9. Throughout Sox nation, fans saw the curse lurking in Fenway. The Ghost of whatever; shades of 86. And then, in the bottom of the eighth, batting ninth, the league’s strikeout leader homers for the third time in three straight games. A two-run game winner off the Pesky pole. An exact replay of his home run in the Game Seven ALCS, off the right field foul pole in Yankee stadium. That homer had quieted all the Yankee fans, after Pedro’s weird relief appearance. This one started the Sox on their inexorable quest for their first Series triumph in generations. Honorable mention to Foulke, who got Rolen to pop out, and Edmonds to strike out, both with bases loaded in the eighth; and then kept the door closed in the ninth. Five outs, no earned runs. And totally unfazed by Manny’s two errors.
Little did we know that the Cardinals would never threaten again. That in the remaining three games, no Sox starter would allow an earned run. All we then knew was that Bellhorn, the unlikeliest hero, had again stepped up to the plate. No mixed metaphors here.
posted by pops | 1:40 PM
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