When you play the Astros, you just have to go out and get it done. It's like riding a 1/9 favorite in a horse race. Run your race and you can't get beat. And no need to do any dancing afterwards, just go the winner's circle, smile for the camera, and start getting ready for the next race. We did it in game one tonight, a pretty pressure-free 7-2 win in which we jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first.

HHolz had 10 Ks, Papi hit his first dong and is now hitting .550, and Carp had some more hits and is at .500. Bard pitched a scoreless ninth, and they even kept his old number warm for him.

The Astros hadn't been to Fenway since 2003. I think they might be the team I've seen in person the least in my life. Besides that exhibition game in Houston in 2011, and maybe once at Shea in the early 80s, the only time I've seen them is Father's Day of '03, a 14-inning game. I was sure to get a ticket for this series, but I did it so I could see the new uniforms. And to see them as an A.L. team for the first time. Anyway, I take it back. I think I've seen the Rockies only once. But I've never seen an Astros non-exhibition game in the "this blog's existence" era.