A vicious power display and stellar bullpen performance turned a 7-2 deficit into a 14-9 win. Could this finally be it? The streak we have been waiting for? So many times this season we have felt like the boys of summer were on the verge of laying a twelve-out-of-thirteen assault on any and all opponents, but it has not happened. The past two games have shown the return of the “hey it’s only April” Red Sox who started the season 15-6.

Thanks to a combined 1-7 from the Balco brothers, the Sox gained a full game to pull within 3 and-a-half of the Yankees who went down 6-3 in LA. Bonds was 0-3 with two walks, one intentional, and looked decidedly un-Bonds-like in the field. He was unable to get to a couple of balls that looked catchable and misplayed Millar’s go-ahead homer.

The pitching concern du-jour is Wakefield. 4 innings (remember the oft-heard phrase, “this guy eats up innings?) and seven earned runs, including first-pitch bombs from Grissom in consecutive at-bats. Two wild pitches and a passed ball added to the early mess. Wakefield has given up 29 hits and 17 earned runs in his last three starts, all losses. Tomorrow we get Pedro. Question: if Martinez gets the intentional walk sign, does he use 4 pitches or just 1?