Funny what pressure will do to a team.

13-3 Sox in the bottom of the 7th inning.

Papi, Lowell, Bay, Tek, Crisp, and Youk with Home Runs.

Scott Kazmir, the supposed Rays ace, doesn't last 4 innings and gives up 9 earned runs.

Wasn't this supposed to be the team the Red Sox were afraid of? The Cinderella story that was going to send the Red Sox home early in the post season?

Looks to me like they'd be better off worrying about how they are gonna make the playoffs, much less worrying about the Sox getting early off season tee times.

And after 5+ months of wondering where our Captain had gone, the past few weeks have given us glimpses of the Tek we're used to seeing. Tonight he got hit in his first a/b, and if looks could kill, Kazmir would have been at the morgue by now. Next a/b he hits an absolute BOMB and all of a sudden it's 2004 and Tek is back to being Tek.

So it looks like the premature deaths of Tek and the Red Sox were exaggerated; no freaking kidding. Everybody has an off year; Tek just picked his contract year to have his. Come October I have no doubt our Captain will be swatting rockets and leading his pitchers to victory; he hasn't proven me wrong so far, and I'm not about to start doubting him now.

I take a lot of comfort in the picture I posted; does that look like a man who's going to quit? Is he going to settle for second best? The man in that picture is looking for a face to punch, a set of gibleys to kick, and a division to win.

So screw the naysayers; I'm going with my gut and the Captain.

Sox win the AL East.