In one sense, we all dodged a bullet last night. If Roger Clemens had thrown a no-hitter, you wouldn't be reading these words right now: rather, a six-paragraph string of bad words. It was that close.

But it's not like there's much of a silver lining after the Sox dropped their second straight in the Bronx. Roger took a no-hitter into the sixth (thank you, Papi, thank you, thank you), which is bad. Manny Ramirez is out for a week or so, which is really bad. And the Yankees, instead of blasting the Red Sox last night, punished Josh Beckett with countless little hits and bloopers and bleeders that added up to a thoroughly rotten night.

Beckett really struggled in the second. Melky Cabrera singled in a run, then Josh's wild pitch put runners at second and third: a perfect 2-RBI opportunity for Johnny (Insert String of Bad Words Here) Damon, who flipped a single into left for the 3-0 lead.

Fortunately, Ortiz spoiled Roger's date with destiny, hitting a towering home run in the sixth. Unfortunately, Alex Rodriguez hit a solo shot of his own to make it 4-1 (A-Rod? Hitting meaningful home runs? Are those horsemen we see off in the distance?). Fortunately, Youkilis hit a 2-run shot off Kyle Farnsworth to cut the lead to one. Unfortunately, Mariano Rivera looked like the Mariano Rivera of 2003, not of 2004, and finished the Sox off.

So no time to dwell on it. They get right back to work this afternoon; Curt Schilling will see if he's got another gut-check performance in him to stop this disturbing trend and leave NY seven games up. Or if all hell will break loose.

Actual headline on Boston.com today: "Drew still doesn't know what to do". O RLY?

Image of the rhinestone-studded, Roger-autographed haute-couture Yankee gear comes from the Debbie Clemens Collection. Yours for only $75 and a good portion of your dignity.