Home run flare and pitching despair

The Red Sox had an interesting weekend after getting a win on Friday, they tried, unsuccessfully, to play a double-header on Saturday and then actually played a double-header on Sunday. In that stretch they went 2-2 and gave up something like 5 thousand hits.

On Sunday, game one looked bleak, even after Manny's solo shot (above) put the Sox on the board. An improved outing by Josh Beckett appeared to be all for not after giving up a 2 run shot to Kevin Mench in the 6th, after he already went over 100 pitches (nice work Francoma), giving Texas the 4-2 lead.

Of course UB stayed with the game, as the beer was cold and his new HD-DVR from Comcast was faster and more impressive than ever before. As the Sox entered the bottom of the 9th all UB could think of was if only they could give Big Papi or Manny a chance to come to the plate, since something magical almost always happens on when they wear those dumb red jerseys during weekend day games...So with two on and two out Ortiz comes to the plate and, after staying alive with a foul the pitch before, produces this:

"How many times can you go to the well?" That may have been the dumbest game winning home run call of all time. Anyway, the three run homer (5-4 Red Sox win) was Ortiz's 6th walk off homer, 5th with the Red Sox, and 1st since September 6th, 2005 against the Angels. While the homer was the best offensive play of the game, the best defensive play of the game came from ballgirl/Kelly Barons:

Kelly is a home grown celebrity at Fenway Park, as UB has seen her photo and little stories about her featured on Boston Dirt Dogs as well as Bar Stool Sports to name a few. UB had no idea how popular Kelly was until he did a Google Search and over 300-thousand hits.

It's easy to see why Kelly is such a hit with Sox fans and non-Sox fans a-like, but who knew she was also the co-host of NESN's Bruins All-Access. Or that there is a Bruins All-Access for that matter. UB has to believe it is only a matter of time before camera men at NESN are seen wearing Team Kelly or Team Hazel (NESN anchor Hazel Mae) shirts...

Kelly apparently gets as many autograph requests as Doug Flutie:

The fun of the game one win...

...was burst like a bubble in game 2 as the Sox were eaten alive early.

From the Globe: Pauley got the nod in Game 2 after Matt Clement was given more time to rest his cramping right biceps. The young righty had been skipped in the rotation for Jon Lester after limiting the Yankees two runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 2-1 loss last Tuesday in New York.

Pauley was tagged for 6 runs on 12 hits (who gives up 12 hits?) in 5 innings. The Sox got it to 6-4 at one point but another crappy performance from Julian Tavarez, Rudy Seanez and Keith Foulke allowed the Rangers to score 7 more runs in the 13-6 loss.

Monday, Pauley was whacked back to the minors...It was fun while it lasted.