Father Fahrenheit floated his flag high at the Fenway park tonight as the Bal'mer Birds finally flew past the Francona-men. In the great stand, ink symbols abound, as the girls bared skin from cleavage to coin-slot, and many gentlemen peeled off clothing 'til only short pants and sandals remained. Ice creams became soup on their journey from hand to mouth, while Okajima melted on the hillock. When the last spent patron exited the gate out into the Commonwealth capital's cowpath cauldron, the scoreboard read: Orioles 10 runs and the locals just six.

Beckett was a toasty Texan to-night, the sun still smiling when six o'clock rang. Double doubles in the second frame put the Maryland nine ahead by four to one. Two roll-outs by Red Sox brought home runners to close the deficit to a measly run in the third, and when centre-fielder Crisp ran down a long ball straight away, it seemed the tide had turned toward the distinguished men in Red.

As it turns out, it had, as the sixth brought a hit parade to Boston-town. Drew lit a match to the noise keg with a two-ribbie dong over the bull pens. The Amazing Manny followed suit, reaching the chairs atop The Wall, and putting him above the ol' Oriole, the flip-flopper Murray, on the all-time chart of homers.

The lead held 'til Okajima trudged through the door and into the fire. His symptoms were too many to describe, and his volleys were launched to the out-field when they weren't drifting wide of the strike zone. Two men were allowed first for free, and two more earned their way on, and the teams were nodded at six scores apiece. All New England cooed for his extinction, but "Tito" hung on to Hideki one batsmen too long. Former hometown hero Millar put one far enough out on the grass for his runner to come in from third base with the backbreaker.

The "other" Manny relieved too late, and the ash-wielders of this town would not plate anymore. Young Hansen let the Birds do as they wished with the pellet in the last inning, taking any remaining hope away from the roasting rooters. Markakis and Huff batted a lucky seven hits between them in this session, and Sarfate, one of a half-dozen mounders used by the Orange Birds, got credit for the victory. The Bostons stayed atop the eastern list by one game, as the Tampas were turned back in Los Angeles by the Angels.