A couple of weeks ago, at the end of the regular baseball season, I was pretty pessimistic about the Red Sox’s chance of making the playoffs. Well, they somehow managed to make it to the Wild Card game against the Yankees.
I figured they had no chance of advancing because of losing most past winner take all one game tries against the Yankees. Well, surprise, they won 6-2, advancing to the Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays
I expected the FRS to lose to the Rays in the 5 game series, possibly in a sweep of the first three. They lost the first game 5-0, but the offense came alive in game two and they won by eight runs, 14-6. They also won the first game in Boston on a walk-off home run in the 13th inning. In game four they got a walk-off 9th inning sacrifice fly to win the series three games to one. Well, now they were on to League Championship series against the Houston Astros.
Now I’m starting think they got their mojo back. But, they lose game one. It was a close game and this is a seven game series, so it is not a big deal. In the second game the Red Sox hit a Grand Slam in the first two innings and coasted to a 9-5 win. Game three saw another Red Sox grand slam and by the 3rd inning they were up 9-0 and won the game going away 12-3.
Now I know they got their mojo back. Game four they they get two runs in the first inning to answer the Astros one. I tell my wife around inning 4, that the Red Sox are going to lose the game. The score stays 2-1 all the way until the eighth when the Astros tie the game 2-2. Any hopes I have of a walk-off win are dashed as the wheels come off and Houston scores 7 runs.
Well, Chris Sale, Mr. Pitching Ace is on the mound for game five maybe we can win this one. I said maybe because he hasn’t really been that sharp since coming back. He does pitch pretty well until the 5th inning when he gives up 3 more runs. By the end of the top of the inning the score is Astros 6 and the Red Sox don’t even have a hit yet.
After this loss, the series goes back to Houston. Unless they find a magic lamp with a genie in it or make a deal with the devil tomorrow, why bother getting on the plane. They have reverted back to pre-playoff level lassitude and will be coming right back to Boston on a plane after Friday’s Game Six.