Sports Redux: Something Happens And We're Head Over Heels

Runs = wins. It's not a 100% certainty, but since the Sox learned last week to their sorrow that "no runs = no wins", it was worth a try.

And back at friendly Fenway, with the Tigers in town - they lead the AL Central, to be sure, but kind of mostly because somebody has to - they scored early and often enough. We'll take it. They got out to a quick 2-0 lead on a Dustin Pedroia home run, then watched as a parade of Detroit doubles and some sketchy outfielding (watching J.D. Drew lunge for a single and then have to chase down a triple, for instance) turned it into a 5-5 tie. So no win for SP Brad Penny.

Nick Green, who hit his sixth homer earlier (Bay also went deep), sacrificed in Drew in the bottom of the 7th. Detroit threatened in the 8th, putting men on second and third with one out. Ramon Ramirez struck out Adam Everett, Jonathan Papelbon came in and induced a threat-ending popup. Papelbon then 1-2-3'ed Detroit in the ninth to save the 6-5 win. "We desperately needed to find a way to win a game," said Terry Francona, who has to be happy today. After the road trip, he said, "I felt good about coming home...then I got to a red light with my window down."

The Tigers are back for another go-round at Fenway tonight, and the Sox will send Junichi Tazawa to the mound for his first MLB start. He's 0-1, which can happen when a guy makes his debut in the 14th inning of a tense scoreless game between two bitter rivals in enemy territory. He's got nowhere to go but up.

Some good news came for the battered Sox staff: Tim Wakefield threw a simulated game (they should sell mock tickets to those), said he feels structurally fine, just a little weak, and claims he's ready to pitch as soon as they need him. Jed Lowrie's getting electrical work done on his aching arm; Francona, ever the sympathetic manager, said of the procedure: "This will teach Jed not to get injured, because it’s not a fun one."

Two of the principal players in Game Seven in 2003 were in the news yesterday. Pedro Martinez is going to make his Phillies debut tomorrow, while old villain Aaron Boone has recovered enough from heart surgery to play some minor league ball in Texas. Nobody knows what Grady Little is up to.

Screenshot from the awesome literal version of the awesome Tears For Fears song.