Hendu's Return...Sort of.

Roughly 15 minutes removed from a full-on mule-kick to the stomach, what these eyes witnessed for the last 3 and half hours might be something I will look back at as 1: The day a season was ended or the day 2. The day a season was reborn. That all depends on who you're rooting for.

Back in 1986 I remember a game where Angels fans had their hearts ripped from within on October 12th. Game Five of the A.L.C.S. Mike Witt was masterful for 8 innings with a 5-2 lead. With an out, Don Baylor would hit a 2 run homer. Gene Mauch would then proceed to make a pitching change. A move I didn't agree with. A reliever was brought in who proceeded to bean a Red Sox player. I believe it was Rich Gedman. That brought us to Donnie Moore.

Another out produced and Dave Henderson came to the plate. 2 quick strikes and security prepares for an assumed post-game World Series celebration. It was not to be as Donnie Moore wasted a forkball and Hendu homered to left. The Angels lost in 11 innings 7-6. Heartbreak. That's what I felt on this night.

A 4-2 lead at the Ballpark in Arlington tonight against the Red Sox looked like a sure thing, right? We have seen how the relief has performed for the Rangers all season. We're speaking about the Rangers in August for just the second time in ten years. Didn't we just sweep the Nation one month ago? Kevin Youklis suspended and no Josh Beckett this series. This should be a slam dunk, right? Wrong!

Kevin Millwood, even when he has a lead cannot catch a break. Clay Bucholz had good stuff before the 7th inning arrived. Boston showed some incredible resiliency this night.

It all began with a simple double by David Ortiz. Big Papi had homered earlier off a reliever. The next batter would reach base on a grounder that pulled Hank Blalock off the bag. 40,000 fans began to breathe shallowly. Franky Francisco closed out the 9th in Cleveland yesterday. A Bosox whiffed for out number one. I had a weird feeling. When I saw the pitch count reach 23, I began to worry.

Dustin Pedroia smashed a double off the left field wall. David Murphy overthrows the cutoff, Michael Young nails a runner at the plate in a bang-bang play. 2 outs. Had Omar Vizquel made a better throw, or if Ian Kinsler was healthy, game over. No excuses, a playoff team must nail down the 27th out. 4-3 Texas.

Victor Martinez earned his trade label in his 9th inning at bat. A 1-2 count with a crowd in a frenzy. Smelling first place in the wild card on a night the Rays and Angels both lost. Martinez fouled off pitch after pitch after pitch after pitch. A 2-2 fastball was ripped down the right field line for a bases clearing double. J.D. Drew would drive a Franky pitch out of the park and the Red Sox had an unbelievable 6-run 9th and an 8-4 victory.

Friends Dan and Margaret were with me. Both were Red Sox fans, I told them my story about that day in Anaheim 10-12-86. That's what it felt like to experience a loss after being so close to victory. Boston has been my pick to go all the way since April. I give kudos this night.

August is a time of the month where some clubs go the youth route. It's also a month where if you're in a pennant race it's like seeing your lover daily. Some days you have a smile as wide as Texas. Other days your heart is ripped into pieces small enough they belong on a Ritz cracker. A 50 day sprint to the finish line.

The Texas Rangers have shown resiliency all season after tough losses. CJ in Seattle and Oakland with blown saves. Franky tonight and back in June with an Oakland walk-off blast. I wonder if this team will bounce back? Last month's sweep seemed way too easy against the Red Sox Nation. It commenced a huge losing slump for the Nation. I wonder if tonight's win jump starts a winning streak for the Beantown Bangers? We shall see.

Tomorrow's another day. These two teams lock it up again. I hope this time the team with the lead doesn't just give it away.

Time for a walk!

Over and out in Big D

Mr Will