Slim
| Game 45: May 25, 2009 | |||
 Red Sox | 6 | W: Brad Penny (5-1) H: Ramon Ramirez (7) H: Hideki Okajima (7) S: Jonathan Papelbon (12) | 27-18, 2 game winning streak |
| Twins | 5 | L: Francisco Liriano (2-6) | 22-24, 1 game losing streak |
| Highlights: Apparently Penny was vomiting between innings. Bulimia is not the answer, Brad! | |||
Brad Penny’s regurgitation wasn’t about his body image but a sinus infection that impacted his stomach. I had the impression that Penny was something of a softie because of his frequent visits to the disability list, but beneath his squishy midsection are some steely guts.
For some reason NESN played a remake of “Making Our Dreams Come True” by Those Darn Accordions. Either they didn’t realize “Laverne and Shirley” was set in Milwaukee rather than Minneapolis or they were paying homage to the Border Battle that wrapped up Sunday evening.
It was adorable seeing the heated rivalry between the cheeseheads and the, um, lakeheads. A few folks got into a dispute about whose green bean casserole was better. The battle was hard-fought. Famous people from Wisconsin: Orson Wells, Georgia O’Keefe, Les Paul, Liberace, Thorstein Veblen. Minnesota: Terry Gilliam, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, Judy Garland, Charles and William Mayo. Sorry, Wisconsin, but Minnesota is superior because “Mystery Science Theater 3000” originated within its borders.
When Red Sox fans got rowdy in the Metrodome they were soundly tsk-tsked and if a Minnesotan really wanted to make a point the dreaded finger waggle was used. And they use their index fingers, unlike other places.
To prove how hardy they are, the replacement ballpark, Target Field, will not have a roof. Are they trying to prove to their neighbors to the north that baseball is a tougher sport than hockey? Or that the Twins are more rugged than the Vikings? Are they intentionally replacing the adventurous white roof of the Metrodome with snowflakes?
Jonathan Papelbon has had his adventures on the mound of late. That Omir Santos handled his heat was troubling, but that can be chalked up to luck. Joe Mauer’s two-run pinch hit homer shouldn’t cause concern because Mauer is one of the best hitters in the league. But it will and incalculable words will be written about it.
Countless comments will also be written about David Ortiz dropping to sixth in the lineup for tonight’s game, but let us give kudos to Terry Francona for finally doing so and also for letting Papi ride pine against a southpaw.
I didn’t know Francona threw a left-handed knuckleball until last night. I did a search and found Alex Speier’s article about it. He already rated high on the cool and quirky quotient and this sends his score off the charts.
Another knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, picked up in the fifth inning after Francisco Liriano allowed five earned runs despite striking out seven. Dickey surrendered a solo shot to Jeff Bailey in the eighth inning that proved to be the margin of victory.
My friend was watching the Minnesota broadcast told me that an announcer made a quip about the home plate umpire’s big plate with Justin Morneau to end the eighth and the subsequent make-up strikeout given to Kevin Youkilis to kick-off the ninth: “Someone’s got a grill going and Jerry Lane is invited.”
Imagine how quick those innings will fly by in April in the new open stadium.
