I don't know why I had the Sox game on last night, especially when it was an elimination game.  And when the Twinkies took advantage of Alex "I Suck At Third" Cintron and his poor throw and the total inability of relievers Mike Meyers, Boone Logan and Mike MacUseless to get anyone out and the score was 10-4, walking away is what I should have done.  But I guess I didn't have anything else to do last night or was just too tired to get out of my chair and decided to stay until the bitter end. 

The bottom of the ninth inning last night was just like all of those rallies in 2005.  When you knew the Sox weren't done until the final out in the game and  no matter what the score was, no opponent's lead was safe.  Danny Richar led off with a single.  Then Alex Cintron, trying to make up for his crappy fielding with his bat (he had tied the game in the seventh on a home run) singled. Then Luis Terrero walked, loading the bases for Josh Fields.  Fields lined a double scoring Richar and Cintron, making the score 10-6.  Then Big Jim blasted a majestic shot to centerfield and the Sox were within one at 10-9.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire put his closer Joe Nathan in the game, which usually means good morning, good afternoon and good night for the Sox. The Sox are Nathan's bitch can't hit him.  But tonight, the ghost of Al Lopez smiled down at the second worst team in baseball and Nathan had a mini-meltdown,  Paul Konerko walked and was replaced by pinch runner Scott Podsednik who promptly stole second.  After Nathan induced A.J. Pierzynski to strikeout, Darin Erstad entered the frey.  During the at bat, one of Nathan's splitters went 58 feet allowing Podsednik to move to third and then Erstad hammered one over Torrie Hunter's head, scoring Podsednik and tying the game at 10.  Yup, as Yogi Berra was fond of saying "Deja vous all over again."  2005 deja vous that is.

The game moved on with both teams having a couple of chances but was settled in the bottom of the 13th when the Sox loaded the bases with one out and A.J., playing the part of Joe Crede, hit an opposite field single to end it 11-10.

Some quick notes: In the top of the ninth with the score tied, why didn't Ozzie use Bobby Jenks rather than Meyers, MacUseless and Logan?  If Ozzie had started top of the ninth with Jenks, perhaps the result would have been different and I could have gone to sleep a whole lot earlier.  As it was, Jenks pitched the 11th and 12th innings last night which may limit his availability this afternoon.

Lance Broadway was impressive last night coming into the game to try and get the horse back into the barn.  He retired the two batters he faced.

Cleveland lost which means the Sox may make it another game without being mathematically eliminated and Kansas City lost which means the Sox are one game closer to getting out of the basement of the AL Central.

Lightning Round

• Boy, how inept is the NL Central?  The Cubs lose to the Pirates, the Brewers get run over by the Reds and the Cardinals get downed by the D-Backs.  So, no changes with the Cubs and brewers still tied and the Cards a game back.  The sad thing is that the Cubs and Brewers are 5½ out in the wild card raqce, so it becomes win or go home.
• You wonder how one more speed bump is going to effect the Cardinals in the NL Central race, especially when that speed bump is a huge cloud surrounding their most productive player.
• 
  MLB should spend more time stopping guys like Rick Ankiel and troy Glaus from receiving and using their shipments and less time telling Lou Piniella he dresses wrong.  It's not about standards, it's about marketing partnerships and the fact the pull overs are not the same brand as the uniform top.  As long as Lou isn't buck ass naked, I could care less what he wears.
• The Pirates do something they should have done three years ago and dump Dave Littlefield.  Pittsburgh may want to look at Brewers assistant GM Gord Ash who has quietly done a spectacular job helping Doug Melvin build a ball club in Milwaukee.  I think the success the Brewers have really bothers the Pirates who are in a slightly larger market than the Brewers.
• The D-Backs sign Big Bobfor the stretch run.
• Here's your Bears-Chargers preview for today. Much more on this topic tomorrow.
• Tonight's starting lineup at Richmond.  The only drama is will Dale Junior make it to the chase.  If NASCAR was run by David Stern, I'd say yes, but since it's not, I'll say not a chance in hell.
• Another IRL driver is making the move to NASCAR.  The best thing about Dario Franchitti driving a cup car is the gratuitous shots of Ashley Judd that you will see every week.  Just pray her older sister doesn't show up and sit next to her.  I'm also looking forward to  the headline after he causes a chain reaction collision at Daytona: Franchitti chitti bang bang.
  
• Fire Joe Morgan.com takes some hilarious shots at John Anderson of ESPN.  Those four letter guys think we're really stupid and don't know our Willie from our Wonka.
• Fred Thompson's potential running mate Rudy Guiliani says illegal immigration is not a crime.  Then why is it illegal?  Don't start spouting lawyerese at us just to court the Hispanic vote.  No wonder people think you are a slime bag.
• The FCC may ban exclusive contracts between cable providers and apartment complexes.  Having been through this twice, I can tell you that would be a good thing.
• In Atlanta, a fast food worker is arrested by a policemanwho had too much salt on his burger. The story goes she put too much seasoning in the hamburger mix rendering the burgers salty. This is the rare occasion where I am pulling for a lawsuit on behalf of the fast food worker.  Believe me, there are a lot more things you can arrest people that work at restaurants for than over seasoning.
• Today's list: Worst career moves.