Red Sox 19 Rangers 17

No, the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers did not play football yesterday although at times the Sox could have used the help of the New England Patriots' special teams.

The Red Sox got off to a 10-0 lead in the 1st inning. "Big Papi" David Ortiz hit two three run homeruns. By the 3rd, they were up 12-2. Knuckleballer Charlie Zink was making his major league debut with what appeared to be a very comfortable lead.

But the Rangers can hit. They scored 8 runs in the 5th capped by a three run homerun by Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler. The Sox now only led 12-10.

Big Papi nearly hit his third homerun of the game but the umpires ruled fan interference and Ortiz was awarded second base. No trouble. Kevin Youkilis hit a two run homerun to make it 14-10.

Only the Rangers had other plans as they scored five runs in the top of the 6th to take a 15-14 lead. They then added a run in the 7th on a double by Marlon Byrd who had first career five hit game.

The Sox added a run of their own in the 7th to cut the Rangers lead to 16-15. If the Sox had lost this game after leading 10-0 that would have been bad. But Youkilis came to the rescue by hitting a three run homerun in the bottom of the 8th. It was his second of the game and it gave the Sox a 19-16 lead.

Youkilis almost went from hero to goat as he committed an error at third base which would eventually allow another Rangers run to score. Youk had just moved from first base to third when Mike Lowell had to leave the game with strained oblique muscle. The normally flawless defender also made an error at first earlier in the evening. But with two homeruns and five RBIs it was enough to give the Sox a 19-17 victory.

I bet you anything that tonight's game between the Sox and Rangers will be 1-0 or 2-1. That's why I love baseball. Every game is a different story.