As Good As It Gets

In the second game of the crosstown-classic Jose Contreras and Carlos Zambrano each decided to one up Freddy Garcia's outing from yesterday. Jose pitched his best game of the season giving up only one run in 7 innings, and did not walk a batter until I believe his last inning. Zambrano was a step above Contreras though, throwing a no-hitter through 5+ innings. He exited the game without surrendering a run and had 7K's.
The Sox were unable to help add anything to Carlos' ERA, but they were able to take advantage of the "Cubs charitable bullpen", as I called it in my previous post. They exploded for 4 runs in the 8th off of a revolving door of relievers, which continued in the 9th when Dye, a defensive replacement for Everett, hit a pinch hit home run off of Latroy Walk-ins. That was a huge insurance run as Politte gave up a couple doubles and a single in the 8th and was tagged for 2 runs, shaving the Sox 3 run cushion to 1.
Just to let you know how into it I was during today's game...When Konerko's 2RBI single bounced off Patterson's glove giving the Sox their first lead of the game, I jumped out of my seat with my fists in the air. One problem. I have sharp stucco ceilings, and I nailed my fist into my ceiling scraping the shit out of my hand. Blood was dripping down my fingers before I realized what I did because my adrenalin was so high that at first I didn't even feel the cuts. Witnessing what I saw, it was well worth it.
Tomorrow Brandon McCarthy will take the hill for the Sox, making his major league debut. He will face the Cub's golden boy, Mark Prior, who has started the season strong after a brief stint on the DL during the spring. How's that for being thrown into the fire? At least we'll see what the kid's made of. Personally, I'd rather see Garland go Sunday and McCarthy on Monday vs. the Angels, as the Sox had an off-day on Thursday and Jon would be working on 5 days rest. A sweep would be sweet and in my mind Garland gives us the best chance to win tomorrow...to hell with his career numbers vs. the sCrUBS.
The way the Sox have continued finding ways to win and their "Win or Die Trying" ad campaign reminds me of the words of a great leader. These quotes are perfect example's of the type of mentality the Sox as a team have displayed thus far this season.
Quoth Winston Churchill:
"Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. We stood all alone a year ago, and to many countries it seemed that our account was closed, we were finished. All this tradition of ours, our songs, our School history, this part of the history of this country, were gone and finished and liquidated."
"We will have no truce or parley with you, or the grisly gang who work your wicked will. You do your worst - and we will do our best."
"We shall not flag nor fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France and on the seas and oceans; we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be; we shall fight on beaches, landing grounds, in fields, in streets and on the hills. We shall never surrender and even if, which I do not for the moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, will carry on the struggle until in God's good time the New World with all its power and might, sets forth to the liberation and rescue of the Old."