PORTSMOUTH, NH - I've been up here the last couple of days on a business trip but last night afforded me a wonderful opportunity: to see my first game at Fenway Park in Boston. If I wasn't such a devoted Cubs fan, I would have become a Red Sox fan after their dramatic win last night. Wrigley Field is still my favorite ballpark I've ever visited but Fenway is a very, very close second.
When we left Portsmouth yesterday to make the hour drive to Boston I wasn't sure we had a chance to see the game. It had rained continuously here for three days. In fact, it was pouring rain until we got to Boston. The closer we got to Fenway, the more the rain tapered off. An on-time start looked more and more likely. We had no idea what we were in for once we got to the park.
Before I elaborate on last night's drama let me just say this: if you are a baseball fan you really need to see a game at Fenway if at all possible. It's worth whatever you have to spend to get there. It is a unique park and one that every fan should experience.
The Red Sox ownership has wisely decided to close off Yawkey Way prior to each game to allow a place for vendors to sell their wares prior to the game. It adds to the wonderful atmosphere of the park.
When you first walk in through the gate you're immediately confronted with the age of the park. The place looks and feels old. It's crowded. It's clear that it is showing it's age. But once you walk through the tunnel to your seats it's a whole different feeling. Looking out on the field you realize that you are about to step into a park steeped with history. The Green Monster looms larger in person than it does on television. The park is also a whole lot smaller in person than on television. The quirks of the outfield are much more obvious and far more charming.
We were fortunate that our seats were at field level just 10 rows away from the action. From our vantage point just to the first base side of home plate we got a terrific view of the pitches that you don't get watching games on television. Watching a game from the centerfield camera vantage point you really don't appreciate how hard major league pitchers throw or far a curveball actually curves. I know baseball has been rocked by steroids allegations in recent years but after seeing this game I have a whole new appreciation for anyone who can make contact with major league pitching on a regular basis. It's just not that easy.
When my friend called to say that we had tickets to the game and the opponent was going to be the Toronto Blue Jays I thought this is not an ideal matchup. I was figuring it would be an easy win for the Sox. I couldn't have been more wrong.
Jon Lester started for the Sox and immediately showed that he was going to be tough to hit. In fact, he allowed only one hit over eight innings. Maybe Lester knew he was going to have to step up and pitch a fabulous game to beat Toronto starter Roy Halladay. Halladay's complete game performance was his fourth consecutive nine-inning start. Anyone who follows baseball knows how rare one complete game is much less four in a row.
For eight innings it was a duel of two terrific starting pitchers. In the top of the ninth, the Sox brought in their stopper Jonathan Papelbon to shut down the Blue Jays. Except for a two-out double he surrendered to Scott Rolen, he was perfect striking out three. Remember what I said about how hard pitchers throw? Watching Papelbon pitch I realized that everything that has been said about how great a pitcher he is was absolutely true. He throws extremely hard and is even more formidable than he appears on television.
But it wasn't just about pitching last night. There were also a number of great defensive plays as well including Dustin Pedroia's diving stop in the top of the ninth on a Vernon Wells ground ball that would have scored Scott Rolen and given the Blue Jays the lead.
Then it was the Red Sox turn to try to put it away. The top of the order came to bat and if you tried to script a Red Sox win you couldn't have written the story any better. Coco Crisp and Dustin Pedroia were both retired quickly. Then David Ortiz who is Mr. Clutch Hitter (he's had 16 game winning hits in his career) came to bat. The crowd was expecting a big hit from Ortiz. He did crush one ball down the right field line that was only a few feet away from being a game winning home run. Still, Ortiz managed to draw a walk and that brought up Manny Ramirez. Ramirez has been on a home run chase of his own. As the banners above the Green Monster told everyone, Manny was sitting on 496 career home runs. Would Manny be the big hero? He managed to single advancing Ortiz to second and bringing up another fan favorite, first baseman Kevin Youklis. It was Youklis who would be the big hero as he also singled to drive in Ortiz and win the game for the Sox. It was an incredible finish to a fantastic game.
Last night was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Don't be surprised if these Red Sox are back in the World Series this year. Last night they showed that they have the stuff to win the tough games. I don't think anyone could have asked for a better game. Anyone who loves baseball should make the trip to Fenway. It's worth it.
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