Got one. Beckett was Beckett, and that was really the key. But the runs were fun. Really fun. Gotta come right back at 'em tomorrow.

The most exciting part of the game was when Coco explained the taco giveaway to Royce Clayton, who promptly came up with the theory of going to every Taco Bell in the world and act like you hadn't gotten your taco yet.

I'm thinking about the Colorado games, and the three options we have. I figure we do one in each game. Youk sits, and Ellsbury bats leadoff with Dustin second. Lowell sits, with Ellsbury leadoff, Dustin second, and Youk fifth. Ortiz sits, with Ellsbury first, Dustin second, Lowell fourth, Youk fifth. And each time, you've got an awesome bat off the bench.

Winning game two would be big, as we'd avoid them going home with momentum, like Cleveland did. But we're already adhering to my dad's theory, circa '86. I forgot to mention this in the ALCS--his theory, when having home field advantage in a seven-game series, is to win one of the first two home games, one of the three road games, and then you get to come home for the final two. The Sox barely got part two done against the Indians, and then closed out the deal at home. (Of course, I reminded my dad of his 20-year old teachings, and he said, "Eh, I was just blowin' smoke out my ass." But I really think he has a point. So, anything beyond winning the one early home game and one middle road game is gravy. But this series might not even come back to Boston the way we're playing right now.

Listening to Bronson Arroyo wrap up the game. Says any team can come back from a big loss, but if the Rox lose tomorrow, they're in trouble. So funny--and great--how all these ex-Sox are still hangin' around, paying attention to the team.

Bronson's got the Vedder '94 coat on. Speaking of that, I also forgot to say--in ALCS game seven, I went to Fenway with my Ortiz 3/4-sleeve shirt, and I was "92in' it," which is my term for tying another shirt around your waste (in this case a sweat-jacket). I kept thinking, Well, it's warm enough to not need the jacket, so I won't make the call to the 'pen yet, I'll save it, because if I go to it too early, and then I get cold, I have nowhere to go from there. As the game went on, it got a tiny bit chilly, but I refused to remove that jacket from the tied-around-waste position, but now for different reasons. I never did put it on until I left the park at 1 AM. (I also refused to move over one seat toward the end of the game, after the guy and his young kid next to me left--probably the only ones in the park to leave that game early. We'd be standing, I'd move over a little, but whenever we sat back down, I went right back to that seat, right next to the guy on the other side of me. He was huge, and I would've loved having some room, but I had to stay in that exact seat.) It worked. You're welcome. One final Soup-Stish for ya: That Ortiz shirt--on the day of game 3, I went to put it on, but thought, No, I may need it on the weekend when I'm at the game, because it's got longer sleeves, and it might be cold, and if I wear it now, who knows if I'll get it washed by then. Did the same thing on the day of game 4. Game 5, I looked in my drawer, saw that Ortiz shirt once again right on top, and I said Screw it. It's going on right now. Worked. And my girlfriend ended up doing a wash between then and game seven, so I got to wear it that night anyway. Again, you're welcome. I don't believe in silly curses, only perfectly normal, real superstitions!

Contest scores after one game:

Inn./Contestants/Runs

5/AJM & Laureen / 7
1/Peter & Ryan / 3
4/savethejellys & Rebecca / 2
2/Matty & Quinn / 1
3/Kara & Pweezil / 0
6/Soxy Lady & Allen / 0
7/Novy & Dan / 0
8/Jay & Michael Leggett / 0
9 & beyond/my mom / 0

Up 1-0. In the World Series! Sweeeeeeeet.

Click here and here for my two posts from after game one of the 2004 World Series, for some flashback fun.