2013 Junior League Championship: Detroit @ Boston Game 6

You know, I spent a summer in Boston studying Journalism.  I could be considered a semi-pro since I’ve won awards from the Columbia School and worked as a production assistant on a local weekly (don’t get too excited, among my duties were picking up the ad copy, maintaining the archive and back issues, and newsstand sales).

I brought my own Olivetti multi-font correcting type-writer to class and drove everyone nuts with the constant clatter of the cooling fan while they toiled at their noiseless Remingtons.  “Wave of the future”, said I.

Heh.

In truth I spent almost all of my time playing Dungeons and Dragons, being stalked by an out of control LARP Whovian I made the mistake of being nice to, and watching Art Films at Hole-In-The-Wall cinemas.

Oh, and I watched a couple of ball games.

What impresses you most about Fenway is how small it is (some would say intimate, but let’s call a spade (&spade;) a card symbol that looks like a shovel if you turn it upside down).  Thus the ‘Green Monster’.  The other side is a street and without the height it’s just too damn easy to knock one out of the park.  The only intimidation is in your mind as a batter and as a fielder you get used to playing it like a jai-lai backstop.

The Great God Citgo looms over all and even by drunken triangulation with the Pru(dential Tower) gives you a rough idea if you’re puking above or below Kenmore Square or are even on the right side of the Charles.

Thanks for holding my hair.

Now you may think the Sox are limping into this, but nothing could be further from the truth.  Other than the Game 1 bobble (1 – 0 Detroit) they’ve won 2 of 3 away and are the highest scoring team left in the hunt.  All the Sox victories are 1 run squeakers which gives the Tigers some hope, but Detroit will have to win 2 straight on the road in this quirky band box.

At Comerica the Sox started with 3 in the 2nd.  A Solo Shot, an error, a Double, an RBI Double, and an RBI Single.  They added on in the 3rd, a Double and a Wild Pitch.  Game Over Dude.  In the 5th the Tigers clawed back one on a Single, a Sacrifice, and an RBI Single.  They got back another in the 6th with a Leadoff Walk, a Single, and an RBI Single, and finally added another in the 7th on a Single, a Single, and a Sacrifice.  Boston 4 – 3, lead 3 – 2 in the Series.

Tonight the Tigers start Max Scherzer (21 – 3, 2.90 ERA R).  He looks like a killer but in 7 innings pitched in the Junior League Championship he’s allowed 2 hits for 1 run and an ERA of 1.29 no decision.  Overall post-season he’s 2 wins, 8 hits, 4 runs and an ERA of 2.25.  Boston counters with Clay Buchholz (12 – 1, 1.74 ERA R) who has no decisions at all post-season in 16 and 2 3rds innings with 15 hits and 8 runs and an ERA of 6.17.

On paper, no contest at all.  If you are a Sox fan I suggest you light some petroleum as an offering the The Great God.