Papi in Headline? For a Good Thing?

What is this, 2004?

Beckett couldn't get it done after getting staked to a four run lead, but Papi and the bats make up for an off-night by everyone's favorite goatee by scoring 10 runs to beat the Jays 10-9. Ortiz homered and scored three runs, including the go-ahead in the eighth, and Hideki (Okiedokie, Okajima!) pitched a perfect inning to grab the win. Texas lost to the Joe Mauer Show leaving the Sox and Rangers tied for the Wild Card lead.

Bos (67-51) 0 4 0 2 1 0 0 3 0      10 12 0
Tor (55-62) 0 1 1 1 2 2 0 2 0      9 13 2

Beckett 5.1IP 9H 7ER 4K
Delcarmen .2IP 0H 0ER 2K
Okajima! (W) 1.0IP 0H 0ER
Bard .2IP 2H 2ER 1K
Papelbon (SV) 1.1IP 2H 0ER

Stuff you need to know:
David Ortiz (18) and JBay (26) both homered. AGonzo drove in a run (yeah, it was a sacrifice, but still...) Jacoby stole his 53rd base of the season, one 0ff the Sox' single-season record. Pedey didn't play because he came home to be with his wife who gave birth to the couple's first child, Dylan (Where's the dedication???)

Globe game report.
Herald game report.

3 Strikes:

• Mazz says that these close ones are what separates the good teams from the playoff teams.

Maybe so, but I'd still like to see them crush a team like the Jays.

• No surprise, but the world of sports journalism is changing.
  

And by changing, I mean, it's not a great time to want to be a sports journalist. Or to want to be anything, really. (Link courtesy of twitter @GrantWahl)

• Great to see that Eastern Bank has donated $10,000 to cover travel/lodging expenses for the Peabody Western Little League team that made the LL World Series.

You know what else would be great? To show the world there are some athletes in MA.

Tonight:

Bos
Buccholz (1-3, 4.45ERA)

at

Tor
Halladay (2.65, 13-5)

Game Time 7:07pm

Get ready for a long night...