Another season of Sundays at my favorite New England sports living bar began tonight. Since last year the bar has changed ownership, but despite some cosmetic changes (opening up of the interior, replacing tables and chairs, and exposing brick walls) the atmosphere is still one of all things New England. But the evening began with a very Californian occurrence – an earthquake. Sitting at a high table, I could feel the rolling of the ground underneath my chair - just a little drama to start the evening festivities. It was Major League Baseball’s Opening Night and a very crowded bar of mainly Red Sox fans (a few Yankee fans were sighted, but ignored) were there to view drama in the making. The usual people were around – Rich (who had gone to Spring Training), Andrew and Stephen (bartenders extraordinaire), Mike and Jen (managing the chaos), and some were I was sitting – Hammy (who organized tonight’s Nora remembrance), David (who is married to a Yankee fan – love triumphs!), and Adrien and Jon (who both brought sweet treats). Even Jim, the former owner, arrived.
Yes, “The Rivals” drama came to Fenway Park tonight (see previous post), but tragedy was avoided (at least as far as the Boston Red Sox were concerned). Before the first act began, former Red Sox pitcher, Pedro Martinez, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to catcher Jason Varitek. Old times. Act I (innings one through three) of this 2010 version of the long-standing rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees found the Yankees coming out strong with two homeruns and a one run lead heading into the second act. Not quite dire straits for Boston, but it didn’t look good for them in the fourth.
At the beginning of Act II (innings four through six), New York increased its lead by adding three runs; however Boston managed to tie the score with four runs of their own later in the act. Both starting pitchers were gone at the end of the second act. Time for the understudies to take over and show what they could do.
Again, at the beginning of Act III (innings seven to nine), the Yankees took the lead by two runs, but those would be the last runs of the game for New York. In the bar “Sweet Caroline” was played and sung during the seventh inning stretch (an inning earlier than usual, but it lifted the crowd’s spirit and they were rewarded in the bottom of the seventh. And of course we sang along when Neil Diamond performed it in Fenway before the bottom of the eighth! Boston would go on to add four runs to their score (including a two-run homer by Dustin Pedroia and emerge victorious.
The drama was not tragic in Fenway Park tonight despite how the evening began. Just a good old-fashion suspense thriller, with the ending I (and many others) wanted. Much cheering in the bar at the end of the game and happy hugs as people left for the night. The season will be one of ups and downs for the Red Sox. Looking forward to having more of the ups and tonight’s result is one of them. After all, Boston now leads the American League East. Keep it Boston!
