Live Thoughts From Game 7

Momentum is on our side my friends. Let's go.

8:09 PM C'mon Coco...Two nights in a row starting with attempting to bunt for a hit? You're better than that...

8:11 PM See Coco? Why can't you be more like Pedroia and hit a homer? Wow. It's like you can't pitch inside to the dude. Dustin Pedroia. The shortest man to ever win the MVP. Yeah, I'm calling it. You just don't deny 5'5" guys who hit the crap out of the ball.

8:13 PM My neighbors are smoking weed again. They haven't gone a day without blazing since the beginning of the school year. I wonder if they go to class high. Anyways, it kind of takes away from the game. Just a little bit.

8:15 PM Can't blame Garza for walking Ortiz. Why would you want to pitch to the man who almost singlehandedly (with some help from J.D. Drew) carried the Sox back into this series? The only thing more demoralizing than a clutch Ortiz hit is any hit by Jason Varitek.

8:16 PM Juuuuuuuust a bit inside.

8:17 PM David Ortiz almost got picked off of first base on a fly ball. I think my blood pressure is starting to rise.

8:19 PM Drew goes down swinging. Still, a 1-0 lead before the Rays bat is a success for the Sox in my book.

8:23 PM Crap. Chip Caray just gave us the broadcasters' curse by saying that Lester has never lost back-to-back starts. We've overcome curses before, though, so for now I'll just have to keep rubbing my Pedro autograph on the back of a restaurant business card for good luck. Lester looks good so far. Stuff seems pretty crisp. Perfect game for .1 innings. I think I just jinxed him.

8:27 PM Everytime BJ Upton makes contact with the ball, I think my heart stops. He's looking like Manny right now.

8:31 PM Nasty breaking ball for the K on Pena. I'm liking our chances.

8:36 PM Tough pitch there Bay. Get 'em next time. On a side note, does anyone else think that Jason Bay has an uncanny resemblance to Brian Scalabrine?

8:37 PM Nice play by Bartlett to take away the single up the middle. He makes Julio Lugo look like, well, Julio Lugo.

8:41 PM Does anyone else think that blue cowbells are kind of stupid?

8:42 PM Bad Varitek strikes again. At least he got 10 pitches out of Garza before watching a perfectly hittable pitch go right by. It's a shame the trade deadline passed months ago or we might have been able to get a bucket of baseballs and some bats for what's left of his corpse. The only difference between Tek and a brick wall behind the plate is that Varitek can throw the ball back to the mound. Other than that, they're pretty much the same thing both behind the plate and at bat.

8:46 PM Thank you ump for keeping Lester's perfect game intact. That cutter was definitely questionable. Ground out for Longoria.

8:49 PM Blows away Crawford and coaxes a harmless grounder to third. 1-2-3 innings make me happy.

8:53 PM I feel strangely uncomfortable having Alex Cora playing in Game 7 of the ALCS when we have Jed Lowrie, hero of the ALDS. Sure Chip Caray approves, saying he's a guy who can hit fastballs well, but I need the intangibles that having a guy named Jed in the line-up provides. This is such a white team. Two Jasons, Dustin, J.D., Mark. Wow. And with that, Cora flies out.

8:55 PM All these inside pitches to Coco...It's like the Devil Rays want to provoke a savage attack. Hang tough Coco.

8:57 PM Coco fans. At least he didn't try to take Garza down with him.

8:59 PM Garza hits Pedroia. Maybe he is trying to promote a savage attack. Though a 5'5" player is a whole lot less intimidating.

9:01 PM Pedroia steals second with a little help from Garza. Nothing like a pitch in the dirt to promote advancing baserunners.

9:03 PM Ortiz strikes out. I really think my blood pressure is starting to rise. Hopefully I'll still be alive by the time my roommate gets back so he can call 911.

9:09 PM Lester is dealing. Navarro goes down swinging on a nasty fastball. My neighbors next door are screaming.

9:10 PM Did I mention Lester has been good so far? Baldelli goes down swinging. Even though he struggled mightily last time, this is the guy I want on the mound in a Game 7.

9:11 PM Harmless pop-up for Bartlett. Lester is perfect through 3. Blogcaster's curse? I think not.

9:16 PM Youk grounds out to Longoria, who does his trademark "I'm going to throw it while I'm on the run since it looks cool instead of taking my time to steady myself" throw. Remember what happened last time you did that Evan? Don't be that guy.

9:17 PM Weak pop-up by Drew. Garza seems to be settling in and I'm pretty glad we got a run off of him early. He's got the stuff, mental composure, and facial hair right now to be the next Josh Beckett.

9:19 PM Garza makes me look smart and fans Bay. 6 strikeouts in 4 innings. Yikes. Looks like we're in for a pitching duel my friends.

9:23 PM Dang it. Iwamura breaks up the perfect game and no-hitter with a single to left. Sorry Lester. I'll settle for a shutout.

9:26 PM Lester now has 5 K's in 4 innings. Take that Garza! Now that Upton is retired I think I can start breathing again.

9:28 PM Pedroia almost hit Iwamura in the head on that throw. I'm so glad it didn't get away. I should really measure my blood pressure...

9:32 PM Crap crap crap. If I were Alfred, I'd be saying something very different right now. Longoria with the double to right scores Pena. Heck of a throw, but there was nothing that could be done there. There goes the shutout. Once again, my apologies Lester.

9:34 PM Youk tries a sliding catch on a foul pop-up. He nearly makes it but almost sprains his ankle in the process. Youk, I know you're a gamer and "dirtdog", but please, don't screw your team over on a play like that. We all know Jed Lowrie and Jacoby Ellsbury aren't good enough protection for Big Papi.

9:36 PM Lester bounces back and strikes Crawford out to end the inning. Even though he struggled a bit that inning, he's matching Garza pitch for pitch and I'm liking our chances.

9:40 PM Kotsay pops up. I don't know why, but I kind of wish we'd started Sean Casey instead.

9:41 PM Tek with a hot shot to first. Good: if Pena hadn't been there, that probably would have been a double. He was overplaying the foul line and Tek was kind of unlucky. Bad: Tek still only has one hit in this series.

9:42 PM Cora strikes out looking at the same pitch Tek did a little while back. Why they're leaving their bats on their shoulders on pitches down the middle instead of protecting the plate bewilders me.

9:43 PM That E-Trade commercial with the baby and the clown never ceases to amuse me. "I really underestimated the creepiness." Ah, good stuff.

9:47 PM Aybar narrowly misses a homer to left with a double off the outfield wall. I don't feel my pulse.

9:50 PM Navarro singles to short. Really? A catcher? At least Aybar didn't advance. Lester needs an out, any kind of out, badly.

9:52 PM My heart stopped again after Baldelli nearly hit that one out. Thank goodness for foul poles. On the plus side, the count is 0-2.

9:53 PM Baldelli singles to left and the Rays take the lead. Of all the people in the Rays dugout, Joe Madden is showing the least emotion. It's like he's Zen master Phil Jackson. Or my brother.

9:54 PM Keep the composure Jon, keep the composure.

9:55 PM Why is there a person in the crowd wearing a Redskins jersey? I demand an explanation.

9:56 PM Lester finally gets an out and strikes Bartlett out. A double play right about now would be nice. Actually, a batter or two ago would've been even better.

9:57 PM Iwamura grounds out weakly to the mound as I breathe a sigh of relief. I don't know why, but he reminds me of Ichiro, for reasons other than the fact that he's Japanese.

9:59 PM Upton makes contact. Time slows. It looks like a line drive headed for the outfield. I die a little inside. Then I see Cora make the catch. This game is giving me diabetes. How? I don't know. But it is.

10:05 PM Coco nearly beats out an infield single on a grounder that takes a really high hop to the mound. I was hoping Garza would hit Coco in the head and the ball would go flying into the stands for another base. Would Coco have gotten a concussion? Maybe. But it's Game 7 of the ALCS. Either do whatever it takes to win (legally, of course) or go home.

10:08 PM Garza has thrown 88 pitches to this point. Work the count boys, work it. Get him over 100 so you don't have to see him for another inning.

10:12 PM Pedroia's battle with Garza finally ends as he draws the walk. How demoralizing. Get 'em Ortiz. On a side note, does anyone else find it annoying how Buck Martinez is pronouncing Ortiz's name? "Orrrrrrtiz." Everyone else in the broadcast booth can pronounce his name fine. Why can't you?

10:15 PM Orrrrrrtiz works the count full, too. I kind of wish he'd hit a weak grounder down the third base line against the shift.

10:16 PM Papi strikes out. Alfred called it right down to the exact pitch. Pedroia is caught stealing in a strike 'em out throw 'em out double play. Never had a chance.

10:21 PM Pena pops out. Longoria flies out. According to Alfred, "Lester looks pissed." Very astute observation. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Alfred Wu, legendary sports analyst. Give this man a job at ESPN.

10:22 PM Crawford with a deep fly ball to center. Any other part of the ball park and it's gone. Pissed indeed. 1-2-3 inning though, so I can't really complain.

10:24 PM That Travelers commercial with the old dude carrying the huge red umbrella wandering the earth helping out young children in dire need creeps me out for some reason.

10:25 PM Youk pops out to shortstop. Garza still has good stuff. And a one hitter (crosses fingers for a blogcaster curse).

10:27 PM Garza walks Drew. Chip Caray thinks he's afraid of him. Judging by how badly he missed on all 4 pitches, me too.

10:30 PM The curse worked! Bay singles to left and now we have 2 men on with 1 out. Let's go!

10:32 PM Kotsay flies to right, but Drew tags up and goes to third. Figures that Varitek's the one who comes up to bat. I don't feel so good...Blood...pressure...blurble...

10:35 PM Surprise, surprise. Tek strikes out on a terrible pitch. I'm still sticking with my brick wall statement except I think the brick wall would have a higher on-base percentage than Varitek. It's also much more intimidating.

10:38 PM After a brief hiatus, the neighbors have started smoking weed again. I wonder why.

10:41 PM Lester still pitching? Bad idea. Aybar absolutely crushes it and gives the Rays a 3-1 lead. Somewhere, Alfred's head is exploding.

10:43 PM Chip Caray brings up the consecutive starts thing again while Navarro flies out to right. I swear, this guy must really hate the Red Sox.

10:45 PM Lester fans Baldelli. Alfred: "This game hurts my soul."

10:47 PM Bartlett flies out to center. Coco briefly loses sight of the ball, but recovers in time to make the catch. Blood pressure...

10:51 PM Garza to start the 8th? Gutsy call Madden. Hopefully it backfires.

10:52 PM Bartlett boots the ball! Deja vu all over again. Cora gets on base and I say aloud "Why can't Varitek do that?"

10: 53 PM Madden pulls Garza now. Even though he pitches for the Rays, I can't help but give the guy props. He was lights out. 1 run on 2 hits over 7+ innings in Game 7? You can't ask for much more than that. Here's our chance.

10:57 PM Apparently one of my neighbors is a Rays fan. There is a loud cowbell going off all of a sudden next door. Where did he get a cowbell at this hour? I have no idea. But it's annoying the heck out of me.

10:58 PM Crisp singles to right! No other man I'd want up at the plate in this situation than Pedroia. Make us proud Dustin.

11:01 PM And Pedroia lets us down with a fly ball to left. He just got under it. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.

11:06 PM Alfred: "I'M SO TENSE RIGHT NOW."

11:09 PM Orrrrrrtiz nearly kills the rally with a grounder to second. Coco is out at second and Ortiz narrowly misses grounding into a double play. For some strange reason Coco decided to try to take out the shortstop with his slide instead of going for the bag where he easily would've been safe. Ugh. It's only Game 7 guys.

11:11 PM Buck Martinez reminds me of Tim McCarver. That is not a good thing. The John Madden of Baseball. I remember John Madden saying about Peyton Manning, and this is no joke, "I like Peyton Manning. He's successful because he does a lot of things well. He also does a lot of other things well, and that's why I think he's such a great quarterback." How insightful.

11:15 PM Youk walks. I was hoping they'd give him a chance to swing the bat because Price is nasty against lefties. Good luck J.D.

11:20 PM J.D. strikes out. I want a replay of that checked swing. Excuse me while I go bash my head in against the wall.

11:23 PM My head hurts. I do not want to see Price in the 9th inning. I see the replay, and it's questionable at best. I wish the home plate ump would've at least gone to the third base ump for an appeal. No further comment.

11:24 PM Okajima gets Iwamura on a grounder to Pedroia. Try saying that five times fast.

11:27 PM Pena strikes out looking. Bay, Kotsay, and Varitek are due up for us. I smell a pinch hitter.

11:31 PM Alfred's leaking emotion right now. "It hurts real bad right now." Reminds me of an angst-ridden teenager. Oh wait...

11:33 PM I like that third-base ump. I really like that third-base ump. Bay walks and is bailed out on a checked-swing call.

11:35 PM Oh wow. There's a fire going on right outside my window and I didn't even notice until now. A couple cars are on fire. Sox are more important though.

11:36 PM Kotsay goes down looking. Horrible bunt attempt, foul ball, two balls, and a called strike. At least protect the plate!

11:37 PM Chip Caray comments that Varitek has grounded into 16 (18?) double plays. He also says that Tek is slower from the right side. This guy must have a vendetta against the Red Sox. At least he's batting from his stronger side this time.

11:39 PM Tek fans. Again. Ladies and gentlemen, the hopes and dreams of the 2008 Boston Red Sox season now rests on the shoulders of Jed Lowrie. I think I'm not as scared of that fire going on outside than I am at the prospects of the 2008 postseason lying in the hands of a man named Jed.

11:40 PM Lowrie grounds out to second and it's over. T.O.D. is 11:40 PM ET. Rays are going to the World Series. And that cowbell next door is going off like crazy. On a positive note, the fire outside my window has now been put out. At least the firefighters didn't have to witness this. There are a bunch of cop cars everywhere. Could it be foul play? Meanwhile, Alfred utters things that cannot be printed on this blog and cries in the corner of his room while drinking an unknown substance.

Congratulations Tampa Bay. All those years of getting number 1 picks has finally paid off. Good luck.

Stay tuned for a follow-up rant by Alfred in the coming days once he pulls himself together and manages to stop his hands from shaking enough to type coherent sentences.