Houston beat Chicago today. The American League Championship Series match up is set. We know who we’ll be playing, we just don’t know when yet.
The last time the Red Sox went to the ALCS they faced the Astros. That was 2018. It took five games to beat them. Then it took five games to beat the Dodgers for the World Series. I could handle seeing an outcome like that again.
Now they just need to announce the date and time for game one.
I think the chances of the Red Sox advancing out of the ALCS are about the same, zero, as the chance they had of advancing out of the ALDS, but obviously I have no idea what I’m talking about. Clearly.
Bring on the Astros or the White Sox. I’m ready for game one!
Holy shit, the Red Sox just won game four with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth, 6-5!
I was sure the Rays were going to utterly murderize us. I thought we’d be out in three and, can you believe it, they won it in four!
The Sox have moved on to the the AL Championship series. They will play the winner of the Houston/Chicago series (Houston is up two games to one).
How awesome is this?
The top of the eighth inning just started. The Red Sox have a 5-3 lead but the Rays have a runner on second with nobody out.
Am I panicking?
Hell yes, I’m panicking!
Panic!
Hold that lead!
Addendum: I haven’t even had time to click the publish button and it’s 5-4 with a runner on second and still no outs.
Shitshitshitshitshit
Heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the Red Sox are up 5-1. All five runs came in the bottom of the third. That was fun to listen to.
Now we are getting to the nervous point. Tampa Bay just scored for the first time in the top of the fifth. I am afraid of overconfidence. It was during the 2004 World Series run, when they broke the 86 year slump, that everyone in my family (I think, at least) started using the phrase “cautiously optimistic” all of the time, which probably annoyed the crap out of everyone.
It’s important though. Over confidence leads to the ball going through Bill Buckner’s legs. Cautious optimism leads to coming back from a three games to none deficit to beat the Yankees.
Cautious optimism, folks. Let’s hold that lead and put the best team in the AL away tonight.
Given the epic screwiness that was game three, I figured I’d share MLB’s highlight video.
So the Sox won, but there is controversy… or not. I’m not sure. Traditionally the heartbreaking call goes against us, so I’m not sure what to do.
Top of the 13th, runner on first, bomb hit to right hits the wall on the fly, bounces off, hits the ground, hits the right fielder and lands in the bullpen. That’s clearly a ground rule double. Hitting the fielder is the only thing unusual, but it hit the ground. Had it gone off the wall then off the player then out it would have been a home run, I think, but hitting the ground makes it two bases. Period.
I don’t think that’s the question though. The question is where to place the runner who was on first. At the time the ball left the field, I believe the runner had already reached second base. So does he get two bases from there, or two bases from where he started.
If you had asked me this out of context I would have said he ends up on third. Two bases from the start of the play, but I would have asked if the umpires had any discretion in the matter. If they did then he scores. Fortunately for the Red Sox (or not, as it turned out) the umpires do not have any discretion on the call. Two bases from the start of the play. The runner on first advances to third. Period. End of discussion.
Tampa would have taken a 5-4 lead, the inning still would have ended when the next batter fanned, and the Red Sox would still have had a runner on base when Vasquez hit the walk off home run in the bottom of the 13th. The Sox would have won 6-5, but the runner was placed on third instead of being allowed to score, so the Sox won 6-4.
Either way, holy shit what a game!
The Red Sox blew their two run lead in the top of the eighth inning. It was just a matter of time before our shaky bullpen returned to form.
Here’s hoping the offense comes through big in the bottom of the eighth.
We are at the mid point of game three, heading into the top of the fifth. The Red Sox are holding a 3-2 lead over the Rays.
Am I feeling confident?
Aw, hells no!
It’s nice to have the lead though. I’m taking the good where I can get it. How about we tack on a few insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth. What do you say?
Addendum: I wrote the above while waiting for the chicken to finish cooking. I was proof reading when the oven timer went off. In the time it took me to dish out dinner and get back to my phone the Sox scored again. They did in fact tack on insurance in the fifth.
Game three of the ALDS between the Red Sox and the Rays is underway at Fenway Park. Eovaldi gave up a two run home run in the top of the first and then Schwarber lead off the bottom of the first with a home run. Is this a sign? Are we in for another wild one today? 2-1 Rays in the top of the second.
Inside the Red Head's Head 