Story of Game 161

Well a mixed day at the ballpark - bad result, amazing experience in the dugout seats on the 1b side at Fenway.

Wakefield was never really in the game - he pitched poorly enough to give up 7 runs... but pitched well enough to be allowed to give up 7 runs.

RJ wasn't at his best either - he had control issues (or was squeezed - one thing about the park, there is never a k-zone, or a repeat of ball / strike calls), was hit hard by Manny, hit consistantly by Graffanino, but stayed in there to get the ball to Gordon and Mo. From a Sox perspective the annoying thing was our sudden loss of patience with him - he had thrown 85 pitches through 4 innings, but 11 pitches later was out of the 6th. I had thought / hoped that he would be gone after 5, allowing the Sox to get into the Yanks weak bullpen, ahead of the twin headed monster.

Heading into today I am relatively confident - I really can't believe that the Sox can't beat a Yankees team that has no real interest in the result. While it might be sweet for the Yankees to push us into a one game play-off, all it really does is push Clement out a day in the ALDS - and the Sox may yet lose to whoever that first round opponent is anyway.

FIngers crossed that we know all the play-off matchups in a few hours time!