Sports Redux: Dealing With Loss

When the 2010 Boston Red Sox are finally buried for good (and you might have noticed a backhoe or two headed towards Kenmore Square this morning, possibly with a shock of curly red hair flopping out from under a hard hat), May 17th is going to shine out as a key day in their march towards the grave.

It was a night that could have been - should have been - all about redemption for Tim Wakefield, who came in to take his new role as Designated Mop-Up Guy When Daisuke Implodes On The Mound. He'll certainly get more chances, but last night was Exhibit A for anyone who wonders why the Sox keep trotting Dice out to the mound. Before every Yankee fan had made it into the park, it was 5-0, NYY, on a barrage of hits and walks and fly balls sailing past outfielders. Then before long it was 6-1, on another bad outfield play. Has everyone made their round of Run Prevention jokes? OK, we're ready to move on.

Daisuke finally got the mercy hook, "I can’t even find the words," he told the media, and we can hum along with that tune. Enter Wakefield, and enter the Sox' offense, which started pounding Phil Hughes and a parade of Yankee relievers (including Chan Ho Park, whose stomach seems to go all a-quiver when the Sox come around). HR - Ortiz. HR - Drew. HR - Victor. HR - Youk. HR - Victor again. 9-7 Boston lead. "How can you lose a game in which you hit five home runs?" asks Dan Shaughnessy. Which brings us to Act Three.

Daniel Bard picked things up in the eighth, and struck out two and walked one for a harmless inning. That was good. Youk struck out in the ninth with a chance to drive in insurance runs. That was bad. Then Papelbon came in. And put the kids to bed now, because this gets ugly: Brett Gardner doubled, then Alex Rodriguez (yes, we know) hit a game-tying home run deep into the bullpen. Great. Papelbon hit Francisco Cervelli, then served up an almost preordained walk-off shot to Marcus Thames. 11-9, Yankees.

Want postgame quotes? (Why?) Papelbon: "Poorly executed pitches on my behalf." Victor Martinez, distancing himself from Daisuke: "At the end, he’s the one who has the last word. I just put down suggestions and he can say yes or no." Admiral Josh Painter: "This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it." Terry Francona: "This had a chance to be a great win." Instead of another broken heart.

And speaking of broken hearts....did Cupid have a role in the Celtics' upset of Cleveland? The internet is abuzz this morning with rumors that the Cavs family was fractured for the series when Delonte West had an affair with LeBron's mom. Cavs blogs don't want to talk about it, though it would explain why LeBron seemed to give up hope a couple times in the series. Especially since Delonte's romantic M.O. has been all over the Internet for years. There's a Popeye's three miles down Euclid Avenue from the Cavs' arena; we're just sayin'.

Game Two tonight against Orlando. We'll admit Rasheed Wallace has been playing better of late, but he'd better be good for 18/10 tonight to make up for his taste in haberdashery.