Boston Bounces Back

After a tough loss in Game Three, which featured a Tampa Bay rally, and a blown save by Uehara, the Sox eliminated the Rays late last night, and moved on to the ALCS. (I guess I’m not shaving for at least another week.) All in all, it was a pretty good showing for the Sox in the ALDS.

 

First of all, and perhaps most importantly, they got good pitching from their starters – Lester and Peavy in particular. Buckholz wasn’t up to his early season standards, and allowed his pitch count to get too high. But if he had walked Longoria, and pitched instead to the rookie, maybe (just maybe) he would have escaped without any earned runs. In other words, he really didn’t pitch too badly.  Lackey too was not up to his 2013 standards, so I guess we can say there is still room for improvement from the starters.

 

Second, the bullpen was terrific. Again, there were some hiccups in Game Three, which allowed the Rays to tie the game at 4-4, and then win it in the ninth with a rare home run off of Koji. But last night, clinging to a 2-1 lead, Breslow and Uehara were great, and the best thing about their performance was that only one night after his blown save, Koji was back to his efficient self. In three appearances, he gave up only that one hit. And how about Breslow’s appearance? Four straight Ks; not to mention a degree from Yale in biochemistry and molecular biophysics. 

 

Third, against a formidable pitching staff, the Sox hit .286 for the series, with contributions from a number of players all through the lineup. Regardless of whom they next face, the Sox will be up against another great pitching staff. But as they did through much of 2013, Boston had timely hits. They also took advantage of the Rays’ miscues, to build leads in the first two games, and then to give Peavy the support he needed last night. No one expects them to score 12 runs against any of these post-season opponents, but they remain a lineup that can do damage on any night, against any opponent, anywhere from leadoff to the number nine spot.

 

So now it’s on to the ALCS and another week of October baseball. Looking back over the past decade, I realized that Boston has gone to Game Seven in each of the last four championship series in which they have appeared. Not only that, but they have fallen behind in the last three series. It would be nice not to do that this year – not to have to face multiple elimination games, requiring everyone in the Nation to have a series of nervous breakdowns on consecutive nights. However, if that’s what it takes, so be it. This year’s crew seems to have the clubhouse attitude that the 2004 idiots had – the ability not to give up no matter the score or the inning or the adversary.

 

So to all of you readers: catch up on your sleep over the next couple days, because once the ALCS starts, these games will be running past midnight almost every night. And by the way -- Go Sox.