A's 5, Red Sox 4

 

Look, I'm used to seeing the Boston bullpen blow games, but not when it's Aroldis Chapman giving up the game-winning run. It's like upside-down world - birds are falling out of the sky, children jump into the ocean to dry off, cats bark and dogs meow.

Refsnyder tied the game up in the top of the ninth with an RBI single to center field and then the ultra-reliable Chapman took the mound in the bottom of the inning. But he gave up a double to start the inning (shocking!) and the runner advanced to third on a line out. The next batter hit a single, the runner scored, and the game was over, 5-4, A's. Chapman takes the loss, his third of the season, and his ERA "skyrockets" to 1.14.

Fortunately for the Sox, the Yankees lost as well, another shellacking by Detroit (11-1), so we're still deadlocked with New York in the standings. The Blue Jays lost, too, 3-2, down in Houston, so Boston and New York are tied for second, three back from Toronto, with the Yankees clinging to a .001 point advantage in the standings.

Which sets things up for this weekend's series against the Yanks in Fenway. This is where the Red Sox have swooned in so many seasons before. I've been watching this team since the mid-1970s, and so many years we were doing well only to see everything unravel in September, culminating in an embarrassment by the Yankees. 

Not this year, not this team, not this series. Here's where we make our stand, our backs to the Green Monster, looking our enemy right square in the eye. Giolito will take the mound tomorrow (we're off today to travel back from the West Coast), followed by Bello and then Crochet. We're starting our best, we have home-field advantage, and New York are a bunch of pussies. 

Let's claim second place, let's knock New York out of the playoffs, and let's play some winning fucking baseball. Who's with me? Let's go!