Up all Night

So, when did you turn off the game last night?

I admit. I stopped paying attention to the game after the grand slam. I had it on, but it was definitely in the background. I checked back in the bottom of the ninth, just to see. Two guys on base, and none out. So, I thought to myself, maybe they can make it respectable. Let’s see.

Glad I did.

Now, I wasn’t watching the game. I was following along with MLB Gameday. Don’t know if you do that much. If you have, you know that it takes a while for them to give the results of a hit. A little message shows up saying “in play, out(s)” or “in play, run(s)” or something like that. So, it can be especially stressful waiting for it to tell you what happened. Last night, there were a lot of “in play, run(s)” during that last inning. Runs? How many runs? Was it a single? Double? Game winning home run? Tell me!!

But, of course, it all turned out fantastically. I’d like to say that it shows something about the character of the team. But, I don’t really know what it has to do with it. I guess that they didn’t give up. But, that would imply that other teams do give up. Did the Mariners give up? Did David Ortiz give up? Did Nava get his hit because he was having fun? I’m not sure I can say that. I can say that they strung together a string of at-bats that were exactly what they needed. In a way, it was nice that there weren’t any huge hits. It wasn’t a grand slam to end it like in another big comeback against the Mariners. (eerily similar comeback, actually) It makes it easier to think the next time, that all you need is a hit. Nobody has to try and do too much. It is possible to just go out and do what you can, and the results will take care of themselves.

The most important part about the result is that it meant a full game swing in the standings. When the bottom of the ninth started, you were looking for the Sox to be tied for first with the Rays. After it ended, the Sox had a one game lead. As much as people said that the Sox might end up looking back at the play at the plate the other night, they’ll definitely do it to last night’s game as well. Maybe the two cancel each other out a bit.

While you’d prefer not to have to win a game in walk-off fashion, you’ll take it. As long as the wins keep piling up, it’s all that matters.

One hit at a time.