Manny!

God Morgon! Sounds like another electric playoff game, with Manny coming through in the ninth. I can't wait to read Gordon Edes' gamer, which I suppose he's probably still working to file back in Boston.

Some random, if not jumbled, thoughts for now:

Jack Curry already filed his account in the New York Times. It seems the foul ball that the 17-year-old kid, Danny Vinik, nabbed in the ninth proved a real difference maker. He also noted the kid had more class than certain little New Yorker back in 1996.

Curry writes:

Vinik was not overzealous like Jeffrey Maier, a 12-year-old who reached out and pulled Derek Jeter’s flyball over the right-field fence for a tainted homer during the 1996 post-season. All Vinik, a tall, thin 17-year old, did was win a jump ball of sorts over Mathis.

If nothing else, walking Ortiz to get to Manny (which, if you're Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, was of the right thing to do) serves as another example of just how devastating this historic duo has been over the years, even with Manny experiencing an off-year.

And, of course, to make things better: The Yankees Lose! The Yankees Lose! Bugs were swarming Jaba Chamberlain in the eight inning. At least, that seems to be the excuse offered on the part of this AP story. Kepner focused in on the nats for his story too, but a loss is a loss, so far as I'm concerned, and blaming it on mosquitoes seems plain silly. I still don't count New York out of that series, but it's nice to know it can't end in New York.

At the end of this Boston AP story, I couldn't help but notice Manny actually gave the reporter comments. I wonder if he spoke with the entire media? If so, that's the first I remember him talking all year.

I found Dice-K's performance unfortunate, if not troubling. The sixty pitches through two innings must have been excruciating to watch. But it was his first start in post season, and it's remarkable how well the Sox bullpen held the line.

It looks like there's a possibility of my catching game 3 out here in Sweden. It starts at 3 p.m. ET, which is 9 here. Sarah, ever so conscious of the fact it's October, has already scouted out two sports bars for me.