The Rays lost again today! Only 2 games behind as of right now.

And I just read the Wakefield is pitching his 500th game for the Red Sox tonight.

So who else saw that awful yet amazing Ray/Jay game?

Rays enter the 9th trailing 3-0 and then score 3 runs to tie the game. Flash forward to the 13th inning and they get another run for a 4-3 lead. Bottom of the 13th, bases loaded, 2 outs for Zaun. He swings at the first pitch and launches it over the RF wall. Thank you walk-off grand slam!

2 games back (and the Yanks are now tied with the Jays)!!!

Didn't see the Rays/Jays game but it sounds pretty amazing.

The Sox watched it.

Hi all. Didn't see the Rays/Jays game, but I saw the replay of the grand slam while I was watching Dbacks/Dodgers on FOX. So great to see the Rays lose!

I love Gregg Zaun.

But only for today.

I was doing the Schrödinger thing and staying away from watching the game and hoping that it would collapse into the "Rays lose" state without me observing.

And yes, ecl, any game that ends in the 13th with a grand slam is pretty amazing.

Better yet, their bullpens each had to go five innings, so tomorrow's game will be even more entertaining.

Any game that ends with a grand slam, period, is pretty amazing in my book!

ecl - I agree. Walkoff grand slams are pretty amazing.

Okay, c'mon Wakey Shake and Bakey!

Had to finish reheating dinner. All set with food. Watching W. Sox vs LA Angels on tv, tied now.

Congratulations to Timmeh on his 500th start (and 350th with Boston!).

Nice 1-2-3 inning, Wake!

Nine knuckleballs, three outs. Nice work, Timmeh.

Jay Bay!

BEAKER!!!!

JAYBAY!

Karen, I'm just now eating dinner too. Was S-T-A-R-V-E-D!

How are things down by you? Battening down the hatches for Ike?

Mikey!

I forgot how much I like Mikey's bat.

Mikey is just awesome. (Not nearly so totally awesome as Pedroia, but awesome nonetheless!)

I've missed Mikey oh so much. I couldn't watch the game yesterday so it's good to finally see him back.

JED!!

LowRBI!!!

JED!

And Jed sends his longlost big brother across the plate.

Jed drives in his LLOB!

Woohoo!!

So Mac--you like that nickname for Jed?

Aww damn Mikey...

Dammit.

D'oh, DeMarlo!

Damn. That was a pretty bad baserunning move.

lone - Yeah, pretty much.

NOT cool, Wakey.

Well that sucked...

Aw dammit.

Dangit. Come on Wakey--and you too, Cash.

Why isn't Wakey throwing a curveball or two?

Aw, c'mon guys, get it together! :::frowns:::

C'mon Wake! GET THE OUT!

I think Tito might need a drink soon.

DAMNIT!

Shit.

damnit.

This is like a bad dream... :::rubs eyes:::

Well, I'm off. I'd rather watch the rest of the game, but I have to go to a friend's birthday party. Bye all.

GO SOX.

Let's not get carried away just yet. We still have our hitting vs. their pitching.

It's still early--Wake's still just settling down.

AHHH stop it Wakey. Get the damn out!

Make this better soon.

UGHHHH

Aw shit, Wake.

:::sigh:::

Wake--please get it together.

Hi All,

I spent the day skimming the walls of my dining room.

Wake is killing me in the 2nd--walking in a run? All this on two outs! grrrrrrrrrrrr...

Ahh make it stop. Somebody just get the out for gods sake!

Is there too much wind right now? (I can't see the game, so I don't know what's going on.)

OK, that is quite enough of that.

The game on tv here is more exciting. Every time one pulls ahead they tie again.

Dammit, Wake. JUST GET THE OUT.

(Okay, I'm really should be leaving now. Again, bye all.)

OK. I'm on board with the bad dream theory.

Another run walked in?

Epic suck.

NO! :::holds head:::

This does not look like Wakey.

God does Wake suck at the Ballpark in Arlington

WTF?

I wanna cry, this is so bad.

Make it stop. Please.

SHIT SHIT SHIT.

I can't believe all of these runs are coming with two outs. At least it's still early?

This cannot be possible.

This is a nightmare.

Okay Wakey, just get this last out.

This.Is.Insane...

Karen, what are you watching on TV? Maybe it's on here and I can watch it instead. My head hurts from this mess.

What the hell is going on?

Oh, that look on Wake's face.

Love him, but what a horrible inning.

So much for a special 500th game...all this with two outs.

1.2 innings. That is unbelievable.

Poor Wakey.

Poor Smith coming into this. Hit the Road Jack? Oh man, that is mean. It's bad though when you get pulled in the 2nd inning.

Ecl, I'm watching W. Sox vs Angels. on my Chicago network. There was a brief scuffle between Swisher and another Sox player in the dugout. That was more exciting.

I noticed that too, Karen, Hit the Road Jack. How tacky.

Took a pick off to end it.

Well bats, do your thing.

NICE pickoff.

Nice pickoff!

Thank you, Chris Smith.

Nice move Smith! If you can't get the batter out, then go for the a guy on base.

I hope this doesn't turn out to be similar to the 19-17 game last month. I don't think I could take another game like that.

Finally. Seven frames for six or more runs. Not good, but, hey, 19-17, right?

It's not something we want to put up with, but it looks like that's what we're going to need to win. . . .

spit-clap-clap...Let's go, Papi!!!

Papi!!

Papi!!!!!

Go, Papi! Go, YOOOOOOOOOOOUK!

See, Papi was listening to me. :::grins:::

These announcers are obsessed with Youk lookalikes.

ecl, you know I love the guy, but that does NOT seem like something to aspire to.

ecl - They seriously are. It makes me miss Don and Remy a lot.

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUK!!

I'd try for a Youk-like goatee, but I can't even pull off a Lowell-like look. . . .

YOOOOUUUK!

YOOOOOOOUK!!!

YOUKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!

YOUKKKKKK Welcome back!!!

THERE ya go!!!

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUK!

Watching Ike's track. As happy as I am that it isn't coming here, I feel so bad for the gulf, they don't need this. I have friends in the Bahamas and our church works with a group in Haiti, they have already had devastation.
Woohoo, YOUK!!

Shit thank you Youk!

fc -- HA! You know that's right. Poor Youk.

So Karen, is it a pretty sure thing that Ike is heading to the Gulf? Earlier today they were still thinking it could turn north before reaching Florida...

And yeah, I know the islands are having a rough time. :::sad:::

They are thinking gulf almost definitely. Yeah you never know with nature. If it did hit here it would hit Wednesday, my b-day, so hopefully no.

Aw, crap. We didn't need that.

::sigh::

Oh man. And not another stadium with fireworks, so lame.

Oh Shit!

Ughh this game is stressing me out! Well more than games usually do.

Late post: Fireworks are so...minor league.

Is fireworks a Central thing? Most of the clubs I know that do it seem to be in the Central divisions (both NL and AL).

I thought fireworks were a thing with ball clubs that normally don't do well, to cheer on their players.
Tropicana has fireworks outside, concerts after games, and rollerblading in the parking lot. And still not many people go to games.

I was thinking about Wake's awful outing, and realized he simply wanted to be added to the "one terrible start club."

Dice-K's was his first start after the DL. Beckett's was right before his DL stint. Lester had one a few weeks back. And now this is Wakey's.

At least the Rays also lost today.

Jessi, and at least we've still got a long way to go in this one. We could still gain on the Rays...

Angels had pulled ahead in the 9th, now they are tied in the 10th. It has been like this the whole game.

I think Wake already qualified for that club earlier in the season. He's just been so good since, and memories are short.

Oh I know, but I'm convinced I jinxed Wakey earlier by thinking "Oh good, two quick outs, this has been quick." So I do not want to risk jinxing anything else.

(I am very superstitious haha)

Look on the bright side peeps. Tampa lost today too. So that's good

Here come the fireworks...

Aw, fuck.

CRAP!

I...think it's a good thing that Tampa lost today, considering this mess.

Shit.

Piney: Yes, it's great that the Rays lost, but we need to keep faith that we're going to turn this one around!

Aaaaand...it wouldn't be an out-of-town broadcast if the announcers didn't go on and on about Youk's manner of holding the bat.

Ecl, I know. I am so looking forward to Nesn.
And the game I am watching is still tied in the 11th.

"Unusual" quirks of Sox players as discussed by announcers:

-Youk's grip on bat
-Pedie's grit and height
-Oki turns his head down while pitching
-Wakefield throws something called a knuckleball (complete with several minutes of discussing this pitch)

Have I missed anything?

Ellsbury's sleeve, Jessi?

Hmm yea, Ells sleeve is definitely a quirk. Though I don't know if announcers always mention it.

Jessi, you mean to tell me that announcers as a rule have never heard of a knuckleball? Gee, I had heard of it long before I knew of Wake, even if I had never actually seen one.

Hmm--gotta run for now. I'll be back later (hopefully, it'll be a redux of Wednesday's game!).

Nahh ecl, just that everytime Wake pitches, the announcers feel the need to describe it for several minutes.

They've got nothing else better to do, Jessi. Calling the game would be too much of a challenge or something.

Gee, I'm snarky tonight.

Ugh.

I muted the game after they started discussing the knuckleball.

Ugh, moaning not helping this pain.

This is ugly.

I hope Coco's going to be okay. That looked really painful, and he looked like he was limping around out there.

I think our players need some Wheaties, red bull, anything to make this better.

Ugh I'm trying to have faith that they'll come back but I don't know anymore. This is a suckfest.

Well, I'm watching a tied game in the 12th inning on tv. Almost as exciting.

This is looking horrendous.

Also, YAY BLUE JAYS. At least that game can make me happy tonight.

If we can hit the hell out of anyone, it's Texas' pitching, but...I want my mommy.

I'm gonna start watching the Yank game too - Ponson's pitching so I hope that cheers me up!

Would there be a better pitcher than this? I was never a Timlin fan.

Just checking in for a quick minute from work to say....

WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE????? 13 TO 4?!?!?!?!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

I now return you to your normal gameday chatting.

(sorry for the all caps, but panic can set in)

Still tied. I feel for these people.

Ah ha ha, Bethie, you beat me to it. I'm in the middle of writing you an e-mail updating you on the game...

I don't think Tito wanted to destroy his bullpen so he's letting Smith and Timlin eat up innings.

I'm using the last bit of my quota time to see the score right now. I'm wishing I had saved it for something else. :(

Total suckage right now.

Pauley!

Another bright point.

That was a nice K by Pauley.

I don't know much about Pauley, but based on his ERA I'm scared.

Note to announcers: That is Alex Cora, not his brother Joey.

Pauley reminds me of a Dr. Seuss character.

I hate Frank Catalanotto.

Pauley. STOP IT.

No, that part was good. Keep doing that. Strikeouts are good.

I can't believe it the season's over. We lost to Texas.

One more just like that, Pauley.

Looks like it's officially garbage time now.

Aw, ecl, that's a little harsh.

I saw this in a game here last week - it was like spring training. Only the score was the other was around.

Hmmm....Boston.com tells me that we are clearing off the bench now. Might as well give everyone a chance to play.

Ah well, I have to work til 1 AM. Got plenty to do. Maybe we will get them tomorrow.

Bye bye all!

This is bad, and the game on tv is in the 14th inning, soon to be 15th.

I'm just happy it finally stopped raining here.

Next up is the winds overnight that they say will be going through here.

The game on my tv is in the 4th qtr :D

It's POURING here and the game on my TV really, really sucks.

Hopefully the Pats will be better than this tomorrow.

Ian, so the storm is coming through there now?

Sorry, didn't mean to be harsh. Bethie is right, may as well give everyone a chance to play.

We had rain off and on early this morning and then it poured when I was driving back from my parent's lakehouse. and was pouring til about 15-20 mins ago.

The game on my tv sucks too. Mostly because i didn't see the carnage but rather listened to it since my cable was out til about 45 minutes ago.

of course i'm taping the game and didn't realize that the computer tv was working. I am an idiot.

This is ridiculous.

I am so happy we are throwing BP at them.

The rain part of the storm is done. The eye or what is now the center of the low pressure is over us now. And as it pulls out, the winds will start up again and go through the early part of tomorrow.

Naaah, Ian, you're not an idiot. It's disorienting when there's heavy weather.

we were under a tornado watch for an hour where i live. what a joy that is. it was like being back in florida.

The game I'm watching started at 6:05pm, and they will be lucky if they finish in the next hour. In the 15th, tied since the 8th.
We will probably get more rain from Ike. We have had enough, there are towns near me still flooded from Fay, then bands of Gustav. Today was the first sunny day in weeks, and probably the last.

Ian, believe it or not, even waaaay out here in Western NC we had a stiff breeze out of the northwest while the storm was moving up the NC coast.

I think the Pats game will be much better than this.

It is so weird to not see Brady on the IR.

The storm hit me really hard this morning but it stopped around 1 so it wasn't too bad.

Okay well there's no coming back now from 11 runs. But at least the Rays lost today...

In the idiot sweepstakes: I sat through at least an hour of this pouring rain before I realized it was pouring in through my open windows.

looks like Ike is just going to brush The Keys.

http://tinyurl.com/62freu

Karen, someone in the game you're watching is bound to crack eventually and allow someone to win!

that's not so bad fc unless it was your car windows.

:::smiles at Coco:::

Ian, I don't like the end point of that projected storm track. Ugh.

How can a caught ball make ANYONE that happy at a game like this? (On NESN they showed a little sox-fan kid who caught a ball.)

12-run rally, anyone?

9 more to go fellas. you can do it.

Yes, something.

Nobody jinx this please!

If nothing else, we're putting a little extra wear and tear on their bullpen.

W. Sox, Ozzie was balancing a ball on his head. I think he has lost it now. After 15 innings, I don't blame him.

Ozzie is great fun. I hope that makes highlights somewhere.

thank you casey for not trying to go to second base

Yes.
And White Sox just won with a home run.

Now Ozzie can stop balancing balls on his head.

Positives:
- Youk, Mikey, and (now) Casey all look good
- We did not kill the good guys in the bullpen
- We did use up some of the Ranger bullpen
- Rays lost
- We're going down fighting!

Yes.

Sad, but at least we fought.

Aww, Bay...I would have liked to have shaved that lead a little more.

Well, we did put up quite a fight there. Nice try.

What time is tomorrow's game?

- We're going down fighting!

I wouldn't have expected anything less!

Oh, and the Twinkies lost too so we didn't lose ground for the wild card.

Ok, off to watching weather. See you all tomorrow.

3:05 Eastern, Jessi.

3:05 PM ET

Yea at least we go into tomorrow with some positive force. Four runs in the 9th - not too bad.

See you all tomorrow. Off to write e-mails and eat ice cream.

At least 8-15 is a lot less embarassing than 4-15. And the Rays lost and we have a solid lead in the wild card so it's all good.

Thanks guys!