Don't listen to the so-called experts. Kids LOVE pitchers' duels. Go up to any schoolboy and mention some of the great mound rivalries of the past - Koufax/Marichal, Gibson/Seaver, Palmer/Hunter - and, well, you'll probably get a blank look. But maybe you'll find a kid who knows what you're talking about, and chances are that kid appreciated the gem last night at Fenway.

For the Sox, Jon Lester was throwing strikes (yay) and inducing groundouts, throwing a very economical 97 pitches over eight innings. For Toronto, Roy Halladay wasn't completely overpowering, but he did strike out six and allow just three hits through eight innings. Lester didn't make it to the ninth; Papelbon came on instead, and was bailed out by a sweet defensive play from Dustin Pedroia. Halladay DID come out for the ninth, and got two quick outs.

Then the Red Sox offense, so weak these last few days, got into action. Ortiz walked, Manny singled him to second. No pinch-runner came on for Papi, which is weird because his knee is screwed up and, as far as we know, Ellsbury was available. No matter, though, since Youkilis singled into center field. Vernon Wells muffed the pickup, and any human being on earth could have scored from second then. Even Papi. Game over.

Tough luck for Halladay, who's already thrown four complete games this season and has lost two of them. Baltimore, meanwhile, cooled off the Rays, so it's the Sox and O's in a virtual tie for first. Buckle up; it's going to be a bumpy summer.

Our panic buttons are handy. The reeling Celtics will try to get back their swagger at the Garden tonight. Fortunately, nobody was suspended for the little contretemps in Game Four, nor was Paul Pierce suspended for the gesture that nobody in the league office can identify but was worth a $25K fine all the same. Bill Simmons led a merry four-hour chat, much of which was about the C's. His verdict: the whole season's unraveled in two games, and thinks Ray Allen's defense, Sam Cassell's selfishness, and Doc's Docness are to blame for the struggles. Dan Shaughnessy also checks in on the series, and offers some insights that would be valuable to anyone who just arrived today from Uzbekistan, and also makes the same Zaza Pachulia joke the rest of us played out four years ago.

Elsewhere in the NBA playoffs, the Suns and the Mavericks were sent home last night. Both coaches (Mike D'Antoni in Phoenix and Avery Johnson in Dallas) are expected to be on the unemployment line within a few days. Pittsburgh, Detroit and Dallas all took commanding 3-0 leads in their hockey playoff series.

Image from Charles Krupa/Associated Press