The Rally Monkey is no Jon Lester.

Picture courtesy of Kelly O.

Back on May 19th I was winging my way back to North Carolina after my inaugural trip to Boston and Fenway Park. When I got back to Raleigh and turned on my phone, there were roughly 137 voice mails ordering me to not turn on anything but ESPN. None of them told me the reason, but when I finally got the tv on I realized why.

Jon Lester had just no-hit the Royals. Which is why I was so jacked tonight; through 5 innings Lester was doing it again, this time against the Cleveland Indians. Unfortunately, lightning didn't strike twice and he gave up a hit to the first batter in the 6th.

Which means, in all reality, nothing. The Sox won 6-1, Lester was freaking brilliant, and this team is playing as good as I could have asked for heading into the post-season. 2 hits by Ellsbury, another HR by the bearded wonder, and a 2 hit effort by the Sox pitching staff.

There is also the SMALL possibility that the Sox can actually win the AL East if they win out and the Rays finally fold up their tents against the Tigers this weekend. Likely? No. But I watched this club come back from an 0-3 deficit to the MFY's 5 years ago so I ain't giving up until they tell me too.

Come next week, we'll most likely be in LaLa Land playing the Angels in the ALDS. And while all the talking heads are collectively flipping out about this development, I point to 2004 and 2007 for a little perspective. The team the Sox had to play in the first round in those years? The Angels. Result? Two 3 game sweeps.

Yeah, it's impressive to look at the regular season they had this year. But to paraphrase The Large Father; the Red Sox are a SCARY team to run into when it counts.

Besides, I'll take Beckett, Lester, and Daisuke any day of the week.

Twice if it's on Sunday.

Let's get it on.