TAKING THE LATE TRAIN HOME

To recap the Sox/Yankee series thus far. Got home Tuesday night after midnite, Wednesday a little before, and last night it was well after one. And believe me, I need my beauty sleep! It was raining as I headed to the Cell last night, my enthusiasm for watching this series was fading quickly as the Bronx Bombers took the first two games. Off to a good start this season, the Sox bullpen was being exposed as suspect at best.

I decided it was time for drastic measures, as it seemed the times were indeed drastic. I called the beer man over and ordered up a frosty cold one, as I chatted with a baseball fan from North Carolina who decided to catch a ballgame after his business meeting. He was from Greensboro. I learned the local team there was called the Grasshoppers, or Hoppers, for short. The rain continued to fall onto the tarp as the opening pitch was delayed about 45 minutes.

Gavin Floyd looked great as he set the Yankees down easily in the first inning. I commented to nobody in particular, who is this guy? On the bump for the New Yorkers was tout boy Phil Hughes. As the rain continued to fall, Floyd began having trouble with the mound and the Yankees as well. The Yanks jumped out to a three to nothing lead as the heavens opened up.

The concessionaires would have a field day, the game would have a one hour rain delay. Caramel Corn Mike & his brother Scott’s crumblings mixed with rain off fans sneakers on the concourse as greenbacks were exchanged for gooey delights.

When the rain ceased Phil Hughes headed for the showers to be replaced by some bum whose name escapes me, perhaps it’s Bumlendorf, not really important to the story, if you’re interested or his mother, you can check the boxscore. Bumlendorf turned a 3-0 lead into a 6-3 deficit, with a little help from LaTroy Hawkins.

But Finicky Floyd with his obsession with a perfect mound couldn’t hold the it, Matt Thornton & Scott Linebrink helped a little in surrendering the lead, and soon the game was tied at six.

Joba Chamberlain reminded me of another cat named Chamberlain who made it look as if his opponents were nothing but little boys being toyed with as he went on to another victory. A three game broom sweep by at the hands of the Yankees and their obnoxious fans.

Not on this night, not after suffering lingering hours of frustration at the Cell. Fun at the Ole Ballpark, my eye, this was serious work, done by cheering serious fans. Bobby Jenks got Boone Logan out of a 9th inning jam and now it was our turn.

With one out, Carlos Quentin lined a hanging breaking ball into the left-centerfield gap for a two bagger. Up next was the number eight hitter in the order, probably some no-goodnick, but was Funny Man Manager Ozzie Guillen is a genius! He has the best clutch hitter in the Sox order Super Joe Crede batting eighth, just for a situation like this. Joba the Hut afraid he’d hang another yacker, fired a couple of 96 MPH seeds up there to put our hero into a hole. As luck would have it, Goliath, aka Chamberlain, decided to show some mercy by throwing another hanger that was promptly deposited to left for a game winning single. Funny Man Manager, genius, who’s laughing now?

The Birds of Baltimore invade the Cell for a four game set starting tonite. I’ll be out there and will happily provide you with a recap of the goings on at the Cell on the Southside of Chicago.