7:05PM
Pre-game coverage:

A year ago, I spent the deciding game of the Sox-Yanks ALCS in a downtown Boston bar, riding the emotional rollercoaster with a few dozen stressed-out Sox fans. Yeah, um, that didn't work out too well, so this year I'm hanging at home with Aim, on the couch with Nina and the cats, struggling through what in all likelihood will be another all-out nail-biter. Then maybe a finger-eater. Followed by an arm-ripper-offer.

So I'll be here, blogging away, 'cuz I need something to do during commercials besides lose my f'in mind. Actually, I may still go nuts, but at least you'll be witness to it. That should be mildly amusing for ya.

Is it 8:30 yet?


7:40
more pre-game:

In an interview on NESN, Schilling just called out an 'unnamed reporter' for calling the Red Sox "frauds" in an article a couple months ago. So they cut over to Tom Caron talking to the guilty Dan Shaugnessy, who starts off by saying that Curt should "have the courage to call him by name." Um, Curt just didn't want your name to leave his lips, ya fool. He proceeds to defend himself by saying he stands by his words because he preceeded it with "If they continue to play .500 ball with this payroll and this talent, they'll be...". Yeah, go ahead and stand by that, Dan. Just don't stand near Schilling anytime soon.


7:57
still more pre-game:

Did Tom Caron really just say that Bucky Dent is throwing out the first pitch? That must be a joke. If not, then again, the Yanks go with the classy moves. So at what point do you think they're going to drop Babe Ruth's rotted corpse from a blimp straight down into center field?


8:06
the Cards tie it up:

With one monster swing of the bat, Edmonds and his Cardinals force a game seven against Houston. And the drama is just starting. Does this leave Fox with time to show another Star Wars-themed video? Oh, we can dream. (I'll confess, I did chuckle a little at Johnny Damon as Chewbacca.)

Bring on the first pitch. I'm itchin'.


8:15
First official Aaron Boone sighting, and the game hasn't started yet. Eat it, Fox.


8:20
How do you think Fox films these little player promos, y'know the ones where they are supposed to stare at the camera and look menacing for about 2 seconds? Can you imagine the director saying "No, Mariano, a little less bug-eyed would be good."


8:21
Bill Simmons has already run the Dr. House jokes into the ground. Can't go there. Oh, but look! Over on the O.C., one phone call will change everything. Ah, but will this call risk a patient's life?!


8:29
the first pitch
Johnny at the plate, and it's a ball. It's ON...


8:39
top of the first
and Dale Sveum has already cost us a run. Whoa! Ok, Ortiz's two run shot takes the pain away, but still... could be 3-zip instead of just 2-zip. We're gonna need every run in this one.


8:50
end of the first
For the love of pete, did McCarver just make a "that pitch was Lowe" joke? Die. Sheffield strikes out looking to end the inning, and shakes his head at a great pitch. Go sit down, mr. "walking disaster".


8:51
Wow, Inconsiderate Cell Phone Man sure is getting a lot of commercial work lately.


9:01
top of the second
And there's already action in the Yanks bullpen. Booya. Let's hit Brown up for a couple more before they pull him. Two on, full count to the batter. Come on Orlando... nope, it's a walk, and Mr. Punch is outta the game.

I think the dugout wall is looking at you funny, Kevin. Go n' get it!


9:11
They bring in Vasquez and...
GRAND SLAM JOHNNY DAMON!!!! Pega Luna, Johnny!

Amie and I just had a scream fest and scared the be-johnny-jesus out of our poor sleeping Neeners.

Unbelievable. But y'know, I'm still just as nervous as I was at the start of this game. There can be no such thing as confidence when you're a Sox fan. Chris, don't worry, even if we go up 12-zip, I will not be calling and saying "It's looking good." That's a promise.


9:18
Did Joe Buck just say "the new york fans are shellshocked" and then cut to the New Order song? Not quite as strange as hearing Depeche Mode's "Dreaming of Me" at a Fenway game, but pretty damn close.


9:42
bottom of the third
Manny kicks a Jeter hit and blows a possible play at the plate. 6 to 1. That's the kind of fielding you just can't afford in a playoff game, much less the biggest game of your life. Even more nervous now, and A-Fraud is up at the plate.


9:45
whew. Lowe almost blows a big play himself as he enters panic mode and barely throws A-Rod out at first. But we're outta the inning with just the one run.


9:46
I think the guy in the Best Buy commericial was one of the students at Sunnydale High. Y'know, the kid who outed himself to Xander? Nevermind.


9:52
top of the fourth
Cabrera gets walked, nobody out. A good start. Damon at the plate. AND JOHNNY CRANKS ANOTHER ONE! Unfrozen Caveman is ON FIRE. Literally melting. That was was hit even further than the last. It's 8 to 1. I'm in shock.


10:00
Another Yankees pitcher gets pulled. Keep 'em coming.


10:01
McCarver just said something about walks being like the riptides underneath the water during a hurricane? The man is clearly on drugs.


10:20
top of the fifth
Bellhorn is trying very hard to make us forget his double, um, home run yesterday. A couple more big strikeouts with men on, and it just might happen.


10:30
top of the sixth
Remember, we scored 8 runs on Saturday, too. But the Yanks scored 19. We're never, ever safe.


10:42
bottom of the sixth
Derek Lowe is in total control, with two quick ground outs for Jeter and A-Rod, and he just made Sheffield look like (even more of) a fool with a strikeout to end the inning. We're heading into the seventh, just nine defensive outs away. Still nervous, though. Gotta be.


10:47
top of the seventh
Yet another Yankees pitching change. I can't for the life of me figure out what Francona is thinking about, having Pedro warming in the bullpen. Why on earth would you bring Petey in here? As Matt just said on the IM, all it's going to do is rile up the crowd. My only guess is that Pedro asked for this, because he loves the spotlight, loves being the center of the angry fans' attention. And if that's the case, if this wasn't Tito's idea, then making a huge mistake, no matter what the outcome. We've got Embree, Timlin, even Wake ready to go. Matt just said "looks like he's coming in. i'm getting sick to my stomach." Right there with ya.


11:02
pedro is in the game
Does Terry Francona WANT to lose his job?! This is one of the stupidest management decisions I have ever seen. It's now 8 to 3 and Amie is about to start crying.


11:15
top of the eighth
BOOYA BELLHORN! Just what the doctor ordered after that hellish last inning. Whew. What kind of bizarro world are we living in where he's crankin' homers but Manny's popping for easy outs? Oh, and Bellhorn, I'll never forget yesterday. Never ever.


11:25
bottom of the eighth
Pedro is a memory, Timlin's in, and we need just six outs. My brain is starting to lock up. Whoa! What a stretch-n-grab by Menky! No way in hell Millar pulls that one outta the dirt. Love it.


11:30
end of the eighth
Three more defensive outs, kids. Must... resist... hope...


11:42
top of the ninth
Cabrera comes through with a sacrifice and gives us our biggest lead of the whole damn series. Still... resisting... hope...


11:46
middle of the ninth
I haven't been able to breathe deeply since Sunday night, and all I want is to get my heartrate back to normal. Three. More. Freakin'. Outs. We're so conditioned, all of us sad Red Sox fans, to look for the anvil above our heads. Even now, I'm thinking the Yanks are going to come up with 7 and take us to extra innings. Pathetic, huh?


11:54
bottom of the ninth
Two more outs.


11:55
bottom of the ninth
One more out!


11:57
bottom of the ninth
Timlin's out, and Embree's on the way in. I'm reaching some kind of anxious peak. But, again, ixnay on the opehay. I'm too used to being set up like this. They're not gonna get me!


12:03
WE DID IT!
Unbe-freakin-lievable! World Series here we come!

What is this feeling I have? I can't quite identify it... it might just be long-awaited RELIEF! The biggest comeback in baseball history, and the Yanks with the must unbelievable choke, all rolled up into one. Beautiful. Justice at last.

We opened the door and our Allston neigborhood is full of shouts and screams and celebratory fireworks. Time to join the masses and share the joy. Outside we go...

History makers. League Champions. To the World Series. Those two words. World. Series.

Oh, and hey Chris... "It's lookin' good!"


1:12 AM
A postscript...

We're back after a crazy walk through Allston Village, high-fiving strangers, constant car horns, police on every corner. The crowd was really well behaved, a complete contrast to what's apparantly happening in Kenmore right now. A few violent morons throwing trashcans at McDonalds, lighting random stuff on fire, smashing car windows... people using this incredible night as an excuse to get stoopid. The cops are moving in, and hopefully things will break up sometime soon.

This is just a preview, though. If the unthinkable (the thing which I will not name) happens, the city may very well burn. Or just flat-out fall into the ocean. One of those 'be careful what you wish for' situations.

We've got an insane couple of weeks ahead of us, Boston. Are ya ready?