Unbelievable!!!!!! Last night I found myself looking at the calender, I kept thinking it was the year 2007. The year of anticipation, when a pitcher from Japan was coming to America for his Major League debut. I was at Fenway that frigid opening day when the crowd went wild when Daisuke Matsuzakawas introduced. He of the gyro ball that had teams bidding millions just to talk to the free agent from Japan. I remember the flood of Japanese journalists covering the event. There isn’t a Red Sox fan anywhere that hasn’t spoken, written, and conducted polls on the demise of the beleaguered hurler. I, being an extremist, wanted to see him abolished to some deserted island for all eternity. A lifelong timeout as such. Just as we are all about to give up, Daisuke proves all of us wrong by hurling a second straight gem.
On a night the bullpen desperately needed a night off, Daisuke tossed eight innings of one hit shutout ball. Not a single reliever had to even warm up until the ninth inning. Daisuke performance was nothing short of spectacular. His nine strikeouts was a season high and he never had an inning where he appeared to be in trouble. The Sox are no longer cellar dwellers after last nights 5-0 blanking of the Los Angeles Angels. If you look at the standings this morning, the Sox are tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for third place, 1/2 game behind the Tampa Bay Rays. Daisuke’s last two starts consist of 15 shutout innings, while allowing 2 hits. Simply amazing! We are fortunate that the Red Sox management staff are more level headed then we emotional fans. Otherwise, we would have Tim Wakefield or anyone else on the mound besides Matsuzaka.
Daisuke was last night hero, but we also watched Jacoby Ellsbury rap two hits, steal two bases and score two runs. Everything we expect from our speedy lead off hitter. Carl Crawford also recorded two hits, driving in one and scoring another, this time batting eighth in the order. Kevin Youkilis showed no ill effect of a bruised shin as he drilled a two run homer to increase the Sox less to 4-0 at the time. As for Jed Lowrie, he banged out two more hits and scored a run. In other words, nothing new from the red hot shortstop.
Daniel Bard closed out the game as Daisuke was all smiles in the dugout. Just for good measure, Dustin Pedroia ended the game in spectacular fashion, making a diving grab up the middle and throwing Vernon Wells out at first. Something we witness nightly from our MVP.
Tonight we watched the Boston Bruins win a thrilling double overtime game against their arch rivals, The Montreal Canadians. The Bruins now hold a 3-2 series lead. Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics hold a commanding 3-0 series lead against those Yankees in shorts, New York Knicks. All is well in Beantown.
You won’t hear me complaining anytime soon if it feels like 2007 again, I kinda liked how that season ended. Don’t you?
Happy Easter to all, don’t eat too much candy watching todays game.
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