The Sweep

The final game of the series was yet another memorable one filled with unique and distinct experiences for Ben and I. Prior to the game we did a little early afternoon sightseeing heading to the Freedom Trail and walked all over Boston. We ended the adventure at the delectable Italian bakery Mike's Pastry. Ben had the traditional Boston Cream Pie and I had a Chocolate Tiramisu cake. Neither one of us could eat more than half, so the rest went back to the room for a late night snack!

We headed off to the game where we got there for batting practice and were right down by the Red Sox dugout. One of the local reporters caught our eye and came over and introduced himself to Ben and I. It was cool but I was not sure why he was drawn to us? We were standing down there because Dan Shaughnessy had asked me to be down there to get the book signed and that he was set to do some television about an hour before game time. On cue, he arrived down on the field and immediately came over and signed the books. I ended up getting an extra copy and having him sign one for Dick Wagner. We then headed up to the seats which by now were beginning to feel like an old neighborhood you get used to living in with all the same neighbors you like! We ended up sitting next to the same 50th anniversary celebrating couple from the night before. Nice people! Just prior to the game beginning we decided we better not break tradition and get down to the concessions and turn on the wallet faucet and purchase our Monster Dog, drink and bag of peanuts. We brought the food back to the seats and finished the MD's right before the Anthem, which oddly enough was sung by the Texas A&M men's choir. I guess Boston needed some Texas flair? They were very good. One of the first pitches was thrown out by the conductor of the Boston Pops, I forget his name but he did pretty well for a musician. Another pitch was thrown out by Jim Nantz from CBS. I am not sure of the connection there but hey, nobody asked me. I immediately thought of his book that I had read over the past year about his father and his fatal battle with Alzheimer's disease. I told Ben about the book.

Onto the game. The pitching match proved to be a good one Brad Penny vs. CC Sabathia. Power on power. Both were throwing in the mid to high 90's. The hits were scattered. Ben and I decided we needed a potty break about the third inning (bottom to be exact) just about the time that Big Papi was scheduled to leadoff. Yep, you guessed it, he homered as I stood there in front of the toilet and I will leave the rest out of this conversation. The crowd roared and I poured so to speak. Anyhow, we got back to the seats and the score remained 1-0 until the seventh inning when Mann Del Carmen came onto pitch. He ended up giving up three runs and the lead was gone. But then the rains came and it seemed to change the entire tide of the game. It's also when Ben and I had yet another unique Fenway-Red Sox-Yankee thrill. For you see when rains come, people leave, not Ben and I mind you but other less hearty souls. So we left the comforts of our "neighborhood" and headed for the shores of the lower deck. The rain was coming harder and with our hoods up and drawn tight we slithered through the crowd and as if on cue we slipped into a pair of seats at the very moment of their vacation. They were even dry for us, how respectful of the former occupants. It was now the bottom of the eighth inning and those remaining were the dyed in the wool Red Sox fans, behaving as if the rains were nurturing the frenzy. There were chants to Sabathia of "fatty" and "Youk" to the hometown Kevin Youkilis. The rally started Green the SS hit a leadoff single, Pedroia followed with a walk, Drew singled to load the basis. Then it was the Youk's turn and he hit a single to right to load the bases. Jason Bay had another hit to start the scoring the tying run. Mike Lowell then hit a fly ball to center that scored the winning run.

We then got to see yet another Johnathon Papelbon save opportunity and he delivered. He faced Jeter to start the inning and Green at SS made a great play up the middle for the first out. Damon flew out for the second out to LF and the final out came on a line shot off the bat of Teixera to the Youk. Game over and the sweep was complete. It was a great ride for Ben and I. I really believe we shared, laughed and had a good time. We will do this or something like again!