MANNY Powers Red Sox Comeback Victory

Manny Ramirez has been putting up All Star numbers for the Boston Red Sox so far this season, and his two run monster bomb shot completed a Red Sox comeback and powered the New England team to a 6-4 victory over the at home Cleveland Indians. It was 4-1 Cleveland after 5 innings as Sox starter Jon Lester was not sharp, not sharp at all, at least after the first three spotless innings. He ended up going only 4 1/3 frames, throwing a whopping 97 pitches in that short span. Why so many? Walks, number one. He allowed 4 free passes while giving up 4 earned runs and 5 hits. Do the math and you get a typically mediocre Lester performance. NOT ACCEPTABLE! But the bullpen shined. Yes, OUR BULLPEN. Julian Tavarez, who has been mostly great this year, was the prime savior, holding the fort for 2 2/3 innings. Winner Mike Timlin has seemed to find the cure to what ailed him. He went 1 clean inning, the 8th, and Paps scalped the Indians in the 9th, striking out 2. Youkilis chimed in with 3 hits, but it was Manny who delivered the deciding blow. Big Papi was in the lineup after his one day off, and he collected two hits, base hits that brought resounding cheers from the Boston dugout. We do not have to wonder about Papi. All it was was a slow start. When he gets going, and we might have seen the beginning of that last night, and if Manny and Youk remain white hot, watch out American League. Especially when Bartolo Colon, who is traveling with the team and using the excercise bike until his oblique muscle recedes into the background, is ready to toe the mound. And don't worry - I KNOW
we have Clay Buchholz, but I think with a veteran 5th starter ready to go, Clay would be better off in Pawtucket, honing his already impressive skills.

Tonight in Cleveland, it will be ANOTHER veteran, Timmy Wakefield and his sparkling 3.27 ERA, ready to face Paul Byrd, who has had a rough 0-2 start with a bloated ERA of 11 plus. It would be nice to get out of Ohio with a second victory, for then our team goes to New York City and the House That Ruth Built. Wednesday and Thursday games will then follow. And I would be remiss NOT to wish you a happy "Income Tax Day." It's April 15th already! I swear the days are blurring by in animated comic book fashion style. I hope you didn't wait for the last minute to file, if you have to file in the first place, that is. No refund for me, however. Oh well, you know what they say-"life, death and taxes are the only sure things in life." That's NOT the way I look at it, however. I try to help people, to at least bring a smile to someone's face each and every day. And most of the time, I do just that. And it makes me feel so good.

Please, if you have the time, click on the title of this post for the Boston Globe's full coverage of last night's game. I will just link the title with the main Sox Globe home page and you can pick and choose where you want to go from there. There is always a ton of stuff, article after article and photo montages galore. So enjoy! I thank you for stopping by yet again, GO SOX, and as always, BE WELL. FOREVER.