Maxbialystock

Great throw.

When they are patient, they K.

I don't disagree with that call. Could have gone either way maybe, but he sure looked outside the basepath.

Looks better second time thru.

And Sale ain’t got it tonight.

He is definitely doing that. No hitter thru three innings.

Really going out on a limb saying you don't think the Sox can win 13 in a row after winning 9 in a row.

Lineup Betts. Beni HanRam JD Nunez Devers Leon JBJ Lin

Well done. I missed it but saw the replay.

Yup. I kind of lost track.

Hmm. Some of DD's comments sound exactly like those stats you presented maybe a month ago--saying several Sox were sure to hit better this year.

Highest WAR on the team in 2013. I'm a huge Pedey fan and know he will contribute if he can recover from the injury (injuries). Plus, as others have noted, he is at every game and knows what's going on with the 2018 version of the Sox. 18 months ago he had the 20th best WAR in MLB (and the 2d best on the Sox behind Betts. The only foreseeable dilemma is him not recovering.

Thanks for the reminder. Another long, meandering OP. If you read my in-game comments last night, I am definitely among the faint of heart. You guys have the mojo, thank goodness.

9:05 pm start time, two lefties pitching well, Sale vs. Manaea Manaea about equally tough vs. righties and lefties. Sox faced him twice last year: he went 5 and gave up 2 first time, got killed the second time. He's 1" shorter than Sale and about 65 pounds heavier. After 4 starts and 27.2 innings, he has an ERA of 1.63. 17-2 is not the impossible dream, but is nevertheless astounding. A combo of great pitching, now even better hitting--especially compared to last year--and a manager who seems really tuned into this team and vice versa. Last night I ranted and raved against Pom, who was awful in the 1st and tried to be in the 2d, but Cora himself went out to the mound briefly. Pomeranz got the 3d out with no runs scored, was terrific in the 3d, and seemed to stumble in the 4th. So Cora goes right back out there and calls for Velazquez, who then pitched 3 scoreless. Nice. These guys are in a groove. jacksonianmarch loves to remind us they are bottom feeders beating the likes of Tampa, Miami, and Baltimore. But the Sox just took 4 straight by an aggregate margin of 34-6 against the Angels (who had been very hot themselves) and now Oakland, who won 4 straight before the Sox and Pom showed up. And took 2 of 3 from the Yankees. Note to moonslav: you were/are probably more right about Pom than I. He recovered nicely last night.

You remembered.

Not me. I thought we were done after the 1st and was astounded when JBJ tied it, even more when Pom sort of settled down. Great move by Cora to bring in Velazquez at just the right time. Fell asleep right after that. 17-2 is beyond words. When you see them, however, you understand why those numbers. Just as you say. Sox are 9-0 in games won by 4 or more runs—kimmi’s criterion for a really good team.

Miracle of miracles, Pom throws a changeup in the 3d. Out of the strike zone, fouled off.

Miracle K by Pom!!! Easy inning, just 20 pitches. 65 total.

That dinger by JBJ was huge. Huge. I know, just the 2d inning. But Pom had already made this game look hopeless. I hope Cora doesn't let Pom give away the requisite 7 runs for a starter. He's got Velazquez.

Sure glad Cora was not forced to use lowdown no good Velazquez. Pom, Pom, he's our man. I know what his stats are, but he always struck me as inadequate because the throws way too many sorry fastballs and never seems to use a changeup against righty hitters.

Plus he is really lucky the score isn't 6-0. A matter of inches.

Now he's throwing fastballs right down the middle. But it worked. He gets a called third strike for out no. 3 and it only took him 45 pitches. We are seeing why I don't like Pom.

He should nibble because his strikes are really quite hittable.

Somebody explain to me please why Pom was/is considered to be a major upgrade to the rotation. He's a lefty with no changeup, a pretty darn good knuckle curve, and a very hittable fastball. Oh, and he's happy when he gets thru 5 innings.

21 pitches still no changeup. But 2 outs and just 1 run in.