The “Now we’ll find out how good the Mets really are” live blog!

Just made it in time for the National Anthem…missed the introducing of the ’86 team (but I have it dvr’d).  Marty Barrett is standing next to Mark Loretta and Willie Harris has his arm around Johnny Pesky.  I honestly have chills.

Came home to find that Peter Gammons had a brain aneurysm operated on today.  Back in 1977, my mother had the same exact thing happen.  Thankfully, she is fine today, but it was a long road back.  My prayers are with Peter tonight.  I’m suddenly saddened that I’m not able to go to the Hot Stove/Cool Music concert on July 12th this  year.

I had a lousy day…hearing the news about Peter doesn’t make it any better. (I took this picture of Peter at the Hot Stove/Cool  Music concert at Fenway last summer!)

7:11 – Jon Lester gets Reyes out.  Keep it up, Jon.

7:12 – Six pitches, two outs.

7:14 – Carlos Betran walks.  That’s all right.  Just get out of the inning, Jon.

I honestly had one of those days at work that left me crying on the ride home.  It’s funny how once you get home and find out what’s going on in the world, how small your problems seem.  Okay, I’m going to try to get out of this funk and get into live blogging.

7:16 – Woo-hoo!  Beltran picked off at first!!!!!!  Way to go Jon!!!

7:19 – The Santana infield is in there tonight.  That’s a very good thing.

7:20 – I’m embarrassed to admit I don’t know much about Soler.  What I do know is he’s thrown three straight balls to Kevin Youkilis.

7:21 – YOUUUUK!  (Or, as my niece Madison teases, "BOOOK")  Right off the Green Monster and on to second base!!  Remy tells me that Youk has hit in 10 out of his last 11 games.  That’s what I like to hear!

7:22 – For those who wondered, Don Orsillo tells me that during BP when Pedro came out there were A LOT of cheers.  Up yours, Steve Silva and Mike Celizic.

7:23 – NESN just showed footage of Pedro coming on to the field today.  I honestly can’t believe people thought he’d get booed.  Can we now say that Steve Silva (and his site) is a has-been?

7:25 – With one out, Papi has a 3-1 count and NESN using this time to replay Papi’s walk-off hit from yesterday.  Papi then pops out to Lastings Milledge.  (Is that just the best name in baseball???  It’s a soap opera name!)

7:28 – Youk is looking pretty bored on second…bring him home, Manny!

7:29 – Full count…come on Manny – cheer me up.

7:30 – A walk is nice.  Not cheering me up, nice, but nice.

7:31 – Oh for the love of….Trot, just hit the dam ball.

7:31b – Well, technically you DID hit it.  Straighten it out next time, okay?

7:32 – He just hit Trot.  His first hit batter of the season.  Loads the bases with two outs.  How many pitches has this kid thrown?  Feels like sixty.

7:33 – Bases loaded, two outs and the Captain up.  Now’s a good time to break out of your ‘struggles’ Tek.

7:34 – Ball 3.  3-1 count.  This could get good.

7:35 – But of COURSE he takes a called strike.  Man, I hate that.

7:35b – TEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Two run single with two outs!  THAT’S what we want to see!!!!!

7:39 – Soler gets out of the inning.  2-0 Sox.

7:40 – Someone just told me Billy Buckner was at Fenway tonight.  I’m going to have to check out the dvr and see him.  Apparently, he got a nice ovation tonight.  That makes me VERY happy!

7:41 – Is this live?  They are showing Pedro outside the dugout, waving his cap to the fans and the fans going absolutely wild!  (I guess it is live.  They showed a Pedro montage on the scoreboard between innings.  Very cool…VERY cool.)

7:42 – Meanwhile, Delgado hits a homerun.  2-1 Sox.  MLBlogs own David Wright is up.  I like David, he seems like a good kid, but I hope he goes down like a dog.

7:43 – Oh good God, Wade Boggs is in the booth with Remy and Donnie O.  Please make him stop.

7:44 – Cute little David Wright just struck out.  Good times.

7:45 – Wade Boggs doesn’t have the manliest voice.

7:46 – Jon Lester strikes out the 374 year old man.  Otherwise known as Julio Franco.  Okay, Wade, really, you can shut up now.

7:47 – Nady is out – inning is over.  2-1 Sox.  Jon Lester looks pretty darn good right now.

7:48 – Tedy Bruschi is on tv right now doing a commercial for the Mass General and Stroke awareness.  I love Tedy Bruschi like I’ve never loved a football player.  He’s the first football player who everyone I know, including men, love.  Don’t mess with Tedy.

7:51 – They showed the Pedro ovation again.  Jerry and Don are loving it.  So am I.

7:52  – Our man AGon!!!!!!!!  Hits one off the scoreboard, lands on second with one out and Kevin Youkilis up at bat.

7:55 – Low Rider just drove in another run!  Like to see the boys hitting this kid so early! 3-1 Sox!

7:57 – Big Papi with a 2-2 count that should be 2-3…Papi got a gift there.

7:58 – Soler walks Papi on his (roughly) 60th pitch.  Yes, folks, he has 61 pitches in the second inning.

7:58b – And Manny ends the inning.  After 2, the score is 3-1 Sox! 

7:59 – Johnny Damon just got thrown out at first, but he’s still on the base.  Ah, Major League umpiring.  🙂

8:00 – I used to like Al Leiter until he became a Yankees "Yes" man.  Ugh.

8:03 – Mr. Lester has two outs.

8:04 – Mets go down 1-2-3!

8:08 – Tina Cervasio is growing on me.  Man, did I just write that?

8:08b – Jason just tried his best to add another run.  Nice try, Tek!  Two outs.

8:09 – Mr Double hits a single.  Amazing how Mike Lowell hasn’t had any trouble transitioning from the National League to the American League, isn’t it?

8:11 – After three, the Sox are up 3-1.  The Mets don’t look so scary just yet.

8:12 – The Bruins fired Mike Sullivan.  I thank God all the time the the Red Sox owners aren’t like the Bruins owners.  I hate them, I really do.  They got rid of the good players, they won’t PAY for good players, and they make the coaches the scapegoats.  Ugh.

8:14 – Paul LoDuca hits the ball just over Mark Loretta.  Ugh, again.

8:14b – Aflac Trivia Question – Who was the 1986 World Series Most Valuable Player?  My father’s answer:  "The Mets chose Bill Buckner".  I’m going with Ray Knight.  This is something I wouldn’t forget.

8:18 – Ron Darling and Jerry Remy are going to switch booths tomorrow night.  I guess I’m now REALLY glad I’ll be AT the game.

8:20 – Mr. Lester is having a bad fourth inning.  Two on, no outs.

8:22 – Grrr…Lester is messing with the Santana infield.  They only got one.  Men at the corners with one out and little David Wright up.

8:24 – Jon Lester can’t find the plate.  I need a cold towel.  Bases loaded.

8:26 – Striking out the 783 year old man would be nice.

8:28 – Holy cow I think he’s going to walk in a run.

8:29 – And he does.  Hate it when I’m right.

8:32 – Come on, Jon. Get out of the inning. 

8:33 – WAY TO GO, Jon!!!!!!!!!  3-2 Sox!

8:37 – Youk tries to hit the wall again – instead, Beltran does – with the ball in his glove.

8:38 – Lastings blew that, baby!  Loretta on second with two down.

8:39 – The Mets are afraid of Big Papi.  Love it.

8:41 – Holy cow – Lastings Milledge just turned out number three into a two-run double!

8:43 – End of fourth, Sox up 5-2.

8:48 – I’m pretty sure you don’t want to put a guy on base for free, Jon.

8:51 – Well, one out is something.

8:55 – MANNY!!!!!!!!  How  many times do I have to tell you people to NOT disrespect the Ramirez???  How  many????  Out at  home!  Hope Reyes is okay.

8:58 – Come on, Jon.  Don’t lose him.  One more out.  His 105th pitch is a strike…full count to Delgado.

8:59 – He lost Delgado.  This kid is killing  me.

9:04 – STRUCK OUT DAVID WRIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9:08 – MIKE LOWELL homers off the Coke bottles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  6-2 Sox!!!!!  I’m a little exclamation point happy right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9:10 – Coco gets his first hit tonight!  This is a fun game so far.  🙂

9:12 – ALEX GONZALEZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Two-run homerun onto the Mass Pike!  8-2 Sox!!!!!

9:16 – Jeez, it’s only two outs?

9:18 – Nice inning, boys.  8-2, Sox.

9:21 – Julian Tavarez is on the mound.  A six-run lead is safe, right?

9:24 – Don Orsillo just told us how many run Tavarez has given up in the last five innings he’s pitched.  I’m not repeating it for fear I will start to cry.

9:24b – He hit him?  Thank goodness there is one out.

9:25 – Nice pitch,  Julian.  How about another?

9:26 – That works too.  Two outs, one on.  I’m watching this game with my dad…he keeps turning on the Yankees game and then switching it off, saying, "I’d rather watch the Sox", but we are now watching the Yanks again.  🙂

9:27 – Two strikes…come on Julian!

9:28 – They’re showing Jon Lester in the dugout next to Brad Mills.  Lester looks about 12.

9:29 – That would be out number three.  And Atlanta just scored…3-1 with two on, two out and Mike Myers coming in.  (They play the theme from "Halloween" at Yankee Stadium when Myers comes in…just like they used to at Fenway.  Poor Mike…no one has any originality.)

9:36 – Slight pause whilst I eat a peanut butter sandwich for dinner.  🙂

9:38 – ARod’s average is in the .270s????????

9:39 – And Trot’s average is in the .320s…how do you like THEM apples?

9:41 – End of 6, Sox lead 8-2.

9:43 – Michael  Kay says "Bernie Williams is on deck" like it’s a surprise.

9:45 – Julian Tavarez strikes out the first batter of the seventh.  While Manny and Pedro mess with each other.  Ah, memories…

9:46 – That’s two.

9:47 – And that’s one.  It’s okay, Julian…one run on a Beltran homer.  Get the next guy out and you’re good.

9:49 – My boyfriend to take the place of Bronson (NEVER!) Craig Hansen is up in the bullpen…Coco makes a dam fine catch to end the inning!  Let’s see what the Braves are doing…

9:50 – Man on second with no one out…sweeeet.

9:51 – Hey,  nice catch Melky.  What, no curtain call?

9:52 – 8-3 in the bottom of the seventh – in case you were wondering.

9:53 – Nice little infield base hit by Coco with one out.

9:54 – AGon has two hits tonight.  That’s showing them how it’s done, AGon!  (Well, he’s still at bat right  NOW…)

9:55 – Don’t know how, but the Braves scored again.  4-1 in the ninth with 1 out and a man on second – with Edgaria up at bat!

9:58 – Farnsworth just gave up an rbi double to Chipper Jones.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Posada told him what was coming just to p1ss off Farnsworth.  They showed  Jorge roll his eyes and walk away from Farnsworth just before that pitch.  Dude, listen to your dam… catcher.  Ah, the Yankee fans booing Farnsworth – that booing is becoming a regular thing toward the Yankees, eh?

10:00 – Hey, my boy Craig  Hansen has two outs in the eighth!

10:02 – Hey, my boy Craig Hansen  just gave up a home run to Xavier Nady with two outs in the eighth!

10:03 – 8-4 middle of the 8th.  We need some Neil Diamond mojo:

Where it began, I can’t begin to know when
But then I know it’s growing strong
Wasn’t the spring,
And spring became the summer
Who’d believe you’d come along

Hands, touching hands, reaching out
Touching me, touching you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seem so good
I’ve been inclined to believe it never would

And now I, I look at the night,
And it don’t seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two,
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulder
How can I hurt when holding you

One, touching one, reaching out
Touching me, touching you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seem so good

I’ve been inclined to believe it never would

Sweet Caroline, good times never seem so good

10:06 – Bottom of the ninth coming up in the Bronx, Braves up 5-1.

10:07 – Okay, fellas, I’d really like a few more runs for the home team and we aren’t going to get them if you all strike out like Youk just did.

10:12 – Back to back hits for Papi and Manny with two outs and Gabe Kapler comes in to pinch run for Manny!

10:14 – Idiot Met fan costs the Sox a run – but Papi scores and Trot is on second.  Oh, now I feel bad – the Met fan is a KID.  He isn’t the idiot.  The adults with him are.

10:15 – I’m pretty sure my dad thinks Jason Varitek’s only purpose in life is to make HIM crazy.

10:17 – We have a final in the Braves/Yanks game.  In spite of ninth inning ‘heroics’ by Melky Cabrera, the Braves win 5-2!  Is this a good time to mention the Sox score in the top of the ninth?

10:18 – Mike Timlin is in for he ninth.  My little heart goes pitter patter.

10:20 – Mike Timlin has one out in the ninth.

10:22 – Mike Timlin has two outs in the ninth.

10:23 – Mike Timlin has three outs.  The Red Sox just won ten in a row (9-4 tonight!) and Jon Lester has a 3-0 record.  Oh yes…and the Red Sox have a three and a half game lead in the American League East.

I must say, out of the three games against the Mets this week, this was the one I thought the Mets might take.  Glad to see I was wrong.  I expect big things from the Sox for the rest of the series!

Thanks for stopping by, folks, have a great night!

Oh yes, lest I forget:

I’m gonna tell you a story
I’m gonna tell you about my town
I’m gonna tell you a big bad story, baby
Aww, it’s all about my town

Yeah, down by the river
Down by the banks of the river Charles (aw, that’s what’s happenin’ baby)
That’s where you’ll find me
Along with lovers, fuggers, and thieves (aw, but they’re cool people)
Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you’re my home (oh, you’re the Number One place)
Frustrated women (I mean they’re frustrated)
Have to be in by twelve o’clock (oh, that’s a shame)
But I’m wishin’ and a-hopin, oh
That just once those doors weren’t locked (I like to save time for
my baby to walk around)
Well I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you’re my home (oh, yeah)

Because I love that dirty water
Oh, oh, Boston, you’re my home (oh, yeah)

Well, I love that dirty water (I love it, baby)
I love that dirty water (I love Baw-stun)
I love that dirty water (Have you heard about the Strangler?)
I love that dirty water (I’m the man, I’m the man)
I love that dirty water (Owww!)
I love that dirty water (Come on, come on)