The excitement was back tonight, and it almost went all our way. But not quite. For what seemed like a week, the Sox and O's were both ahead by a single run. The O's held on for a 1-0 win, around the time the Sox were going to the 9th. Lester and three relievers combined to give up no earned runs. It was 2-1 and I asked the Sox for just one insurance run. I got it, as Loney led off with a dong. Turns out I should have asked for more. Bailey came in for the bottom of the 9th, and we were all ready to celebrate the O's tying the Yanks for the division lead with one game left. But Bailey shat all over our faces. Single on the first pitch, dong to the second batter. Tie fucking game.

The Yanks then loaded the bases with one out, and Bailey was replaced by Melancon to face Teixeira, who had ended three previous innings, twice on double plays with a man on third. Again, he failed, hitting a weak fly to shallow center. Cano grounded out, and it was headed to extras. So despite blowing it, we still had a chance. We got some guys on, maybe could have scored, didn't. At one point in some high-numbered inning, A-Rod hit a two-out fly ball to deep left-center that would have easily scored the winning run. But Ellsbury ran it down at the wall, ending the inning, and, I imagine, sending the Orioles into a state of euphoria wherever they were.

In the 12th, Miller had two outs, nobody on, and an 0-2 count on the villain from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Francisco Cervelli, who hadn't seen action in quite some time. The waste pitch went to the backstop on the fly. Okay, Cervelli doesn't know what to think now. Blow him away and let's move on. But no. Three balls later, he was on first. Miller walked the next man on four. Ibanez, whose dong tied the game, then hit a seeing eye single in the great Yankee tradition (They outhit us by a lot tonight on paper, but in reality most of the hits were Jeterian--they scored their only run before the ninth on Iglesias' error, which I later was shocked to find out wasn't there, because it was incredibly scored a hit. The run was unearned due to an earlier error, though.) which scored the run, and game was over. 12-inning 4-3 loss.

So the lead is still one. We've got one more chance to spoil tomorrow night in game 162, provided the O's win their game. Then it would be a one-game playoff for the division. We'll see what happens. Still itchin' for Yankee misery.

I just noticed the A's beat Texas. Crazy. So they play one game to see who's in the ALDS, and who has to play a one-gamer to get there. And look at that--it's an afternoon game! 3:35, that's one to watch.