Sox take first series

Yesterday, the Red Sox won the first series against the Rangers taking both the game and series 2-1.

After a routing against Wakefield on Tuesday, the Sox played well Wednesday, winning 2-1 on a seventh inning Trot Nixon two run home run. The first 6 innings looked scary as 15 of 18 outs were ground ball outs. But the Sox stuck with it, and the underrated Nixon went yard to put the Sox ahead.

Timlin put a few on in the 8th, but, as usual, he worked his way out of it. And then came the ninth. The nation held their breath.

He couldn't. Coma couldn't. Could he? Thank god he didn't. That is - he didn't turn to Keith Foulke with the miniscule lead, rather, he put the ball in the hands of Jon Papelbon who stepped up to the plate for a solid 1 2 3 inning.

"He was electric," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. "His ball had some serious giddy-up on it. He gave us a 1-2-3 [inning] and we were able to shut the door."

Papelbon is great. Thank God he closed it out. But he should be more than a closer - but he's happy with his role whatever it may be, as long as he's playing.

Who knows, maybe we only will need 2 pitchers a game? And 3 when the young gun is tired. Either way - be glad Coma made an adjustment - something he did not do last year.