Two things I’ve learned about playing Texas: it always rains, and they hit the crap out of the baseball.
Yesterday’s rain delay approached the 5-hour mark, and it was one of those days I’m glad I didn’t have tickets. Red Sox brass decided free hot dogs would make the wait worthwhile. After drinking watered-down keg beer for four hours, a few free hot dogs is just what the doctor ordered. I’m guessing there are more than a few shaky hands reaching for the bottle of Maalox today.
And yes, there was finally a game last night. Jon Lester made his first, much-anticipated start for the Red Sox. The box score doesn’t look great with Lester going just four-and-a-third, but he did look better than the numbers show. A high pitch count early and a lot of walks shortened his outing, but it was easy to see why people think this kid has major league stuff.
The Sox had plenty of baserunners – 9 hits and 3 walks in the first 6 innings – but couldn’t get the big hit when they needed it. Manny cut the deficit to a run with his 450th long-ball in the eighth, but that was as close as they would get. Foulke came in to pitch the 9th, gave up his obligatory homerun after walking the first man he faced, and that was that.
Today, Mother Nature willing, the Sox play two. Beckett faces Millwodd in the high noon game, and Pauley versus way-back Wasdin in the second game. Taking two would sure be nice.
Please keep Red and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
