Yesterday, we asked the musical question, "How Many Red Sox All-Stars Does It Take To Win a One-Run Game?" Turns out the answer is three, plus a couple of Japanese guys. The Sox shook off the stink of their road trip and beat the Twins 1-0 last night in a pretty exciting pitchers' duel.

Daisuke Matsuzaka and Minnesota's Scott Baker traded zeroes for seven innings. Each got in trouble (though a hat tip to Dice for only walking three, which we think beats his previous season low by eight) a few times, but got out of it. The Twins loaded the bases in the first, but Dice got Delmon Young to ground out. The Sox loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but New England noted that Crisp and Varitek were due up, and rose as one to go in the kitchen and make a sandwich.

In the eighth, Minnesota put two on with one out. Matsuzaka left to a loud ovation, and Okajima came in, walked a guy to load the bases, then got Craig Monroe to pop out to first and Delmon Young (again!) to ground out. In the bottom of the inning, the Sox finally bid farewell to Baker, greeting reliever Brian Bass with a Pedroia double and a convinving Manny RBI single. Papelbon didn't waste much time dispatching the Twins in the 9th, and suddenly, the Sox have a one-game winning streak and are within four of the Rays.

Elsewhere in baseball, forget about the ALCS rematch with Cleveland. The Indians threw in the towel yesterday (they ARE 14 games back) and traded reigning Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers for a handful of prospects. Now it remains to be seen whether or not a big fat guy can make it in Milwaukee.

Sometimes you forget about guys who don't make a lot of noise and just play well, quietly and consistently. They fall through the cracks. So we're glad that one of the quietest, most reliable guys we've seen in recent years got his due, as Ben Coates was named to the Patriots Hall of Fame. Coates was so automatic that Drew Bledroe used to call him when he needed anything - furniture, cars, trees - moved six yards.