Empyreal Environs

Game 8: April 12, 2006
Blue Jays (4-4), 8
Red Sox (6-2), 4
W: Gustavo Chacin (2-0)
L: David Wells (0-1)

They say good and bad things come in threes. Last night’s game seemed to prove that theorem. The bad things in threes: the three homers hit by the Blue Jays (Alex Rios, Bengie Molina, and Vernon Wells, all off of David Wells), Kevin Youkilis’s three strikeouts and three left on base, Manny Ramirez’s unproductive three at bats, and Wells’s weight in hundreds of pounds. The good things in threes: roundtrippers by Red Sox (Dustan Mohr, David Ortiz, and Wily Mo Peña), Lenny DiNardo’s three innings of work, and Coco Crisp’s three year extension.

Serendipitously I got to go to last night’s game thanks to David Laurila, who does the majority of interviews at the Royal Rooters message board and has a book entitled Interviews from Red Sox Nation, a collection of the best pieces, coming out shortly. When the game itself isn’t interesting, it is guaranteed to be a better if you attend with an interesting person.

In person, the park looks sensational. It doesn’t look like Fenway used to; it looks better. Although I like the cornice of the old park, I think the new yet old seeming style the ownership group is trying to impart is class without clutter. The next thing they should do is recreate the clock that used to stand above the bleachers.

Since I knew I was going to tonight’s game well in advance, I’m better prepared to capture the sights and sounds. Expect a more detailed rundown for the rubber game of the series.

Things you wouldn’t have experienced if you weren’t there:

• At one point during a lull in the action, fans in the bleachers above Section 40 where I was sitting started chanting “You suck! (clap, clap) You suck! (clap, clap)” to the gathered Toronto outfielders. Wells took a bow in response.
• The inane conversation of the two season ticket holders behind us who, as David told me, always leave early. Even in Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS. Just as there are Fenway Ambassadors, there should be Fenway Enforcers. Those unworthy of season tickets will have them revoked.
• Wally has had a makeover. It seems everyone is doing botox these days.