believe! ... 6 down ... 5 to go

first team to win 11 games wins the world series

october baseball is supposed to be about pitching and defense ... and timely hitting ... game 1 of this alcs was won with pitching and defense ... and now there will be a game 7 on sunday night ... because the boston red sox pitched better, played better defense and had more timely hits than the tampa bay rays in game 6 ... and for the second time in this alcs ... they beat the rays "big game" james sheilds ... aka "big lame" james sheilds ... in last night's post i included a picture of boston's 3 outfielders standing together during a 7th inning pitching change in game 5 ... their look was pretty grim ... at that moment in time they knew their postseason future looked pretty bleak ... tonight i offer up this picture of tampa bay's 3 outfielders ... coward carl crawford, bj upton and ben zobrist ... gathered during a 7th inning pitching change in game 6 ... oh, how things can change in 24 hours

game 6 <> american league championship series (alcs)
boston red sox 4 ... tampa bay rays 2
winning pitcher <> josh beckett (1-0) ... losing pitcher <> james shields (0-2)

#1 star of the game <> relief pitchers hideki okajima, justin masterson and jonathan papelbon
4 innings pitched <> 0 hits <> 0 runs allowed <> 1 walk <> 3 strikeouts

#2 star of the game <> starting pitcher josh beckett
5 innings pitched <> 4 hits <> 2 runs allowed <> 1 walk <> 3 strikeouts <> 78 pitches #3 star of the game <> catcher and team captain jason varitek
4 at bats <> 1 run scored <> 1 hit <> 1 run batted in <> 1 home runhonorable mention #1 <> third baseman kevin youkilis
5 at bats <> 1 run scored <> 1 hit <> 2 runs batted in <> 1 home run honorable mention #2 <> center fielder coco crisp
5 at bats <> 1 run scored <> 3 hits <> 1 walk