Thank You Atlanta Bullpen

Schilling vs. Smoltz. Would it be a great one, or another disappointing Beckett vs. Mussina crapfest?

David Ortiz hit a solo homerun on the first pitch he saw. That is a very, very good sign. I thought he would get a day off yesterday, but it's a good thing he didn't.

Gonzalez slipped and fell and STILL threw out the runner, on his knees! This is why everyone needs to be onboard the Gonz Train like me.

The Braves grabbed the lead later, but they didn't have it for long, because Manny Ramirez broke out of his 0-for-18 slump with a homerun the very next inning! That's the Ortiz and Ramirez stuff I know and love.

TROT NIXON made an AWESOME diving catch to completely rob Thorman of his first major league hit. If that wasn't a web gem, I don't know what is. It was beautiful.

So Seanez came in to replace Lopez who replaced Delcarmen. Two men on. First pitch. 3-run homerun. I have so many, many problems with what happened in this inning. First of all, Delcarmen got 2 outs then allowed a single, so Francona took him out. I don't know why, because he was doing pretty good. So then he puts in Lopez, who walks the next guy. Instead of keeping him in a bit (and not wasting the bullpen, it was only the 7th inning), he put in Seanez. The worst pitcher that we have. And he immediately gave up a homerun to put the Sox behind.

I am so fed up with the bullpen, I cannot begin to describe it. SOMETHING has to be done, and soon, because if we have to put up with this for the rest of the season, we are not going to the playoffs. If Atlanta's bullpen wasn't so bad as well, we probably would have lost.

Back to the game. Nixon and Varitek were walked, then Coco Crisp RBI-singled Nixon to make it a one-run game. Lowell hit a double to score Varitek and Crisp and then it was time to party. We were back on top, and I was screaming and jumping and everything was great. Cora was walked, and then to make it even better, Youkilis hit a 3-run homerun. Seanez was breathing a huge sigh of relief because he got saved by the incredible Red Sox offense, and he somehow got the win.

Timlin came in to pitch the 8th and gave up a run. He's probably not 100% yet, so when it was 9-6 and Atlanta had 2 men on with just one out, I was nervous. He got one out, then let another one score. Two outs, 9-7, Papelbon in. Phew. First pitch out. I LOVE PAPELBON.

Crisp came through AGAIN and RBI-singled the same man as before, Trot Nixon. 10-7.

So after all the anger and rage I had towards the bullpen, it all turned out well because the Red Sox offense is the best in the world. I have to tell you, getting behind in the 7th and coming back in the 8th makes for an incredibly exciting game, but it's so stressful! I have to reiterate: I love this team.

What a game. Good thing the Braves bullpen is worse than Boston's!