I went to bed Friday night thinking that Tampa would have a chance to tie us on Saturday. Their blown game made it a 2-game lead instead of 1, and then today, they lose* and we win. THREE GAME LEAD! Most breathing room we've had since July 13th.

My main man Middlebrooks was back in the bigs, and he went 2 for 4. Ellsbury was 4 for 5. We went up 4-0 and Doobie was rolling (on a day when I got stuck in all kinds of traffic in Newport thanks to the reggae fest--peee-U, I think my contact lenses got high or something), but suddenly he went bunk, and Farrell ripped the ball out of his hands. It was 4-2 with two on when Sony Workman came in and got out, RBI single, out, out to end the jam. That's as close as the Royals would get. Middle beat out a two-out hit and Jacoby scored him on a double in the 6th to make it 5-3, and that was your final.

The condom contest is Sunday, then it's a day off and we go to Toronto for three.

The O's fell to 5.5 out, and the Yankees got routed by Detroit to fall 11 back.


*but they turned a pretty sweet hidden ball trick