D'OH!


The wind got in my ears: Hideki Matsui shows off his fielding skills in losing effort

Curt Schilling, back for his first game at Yankee Stadium since The Bloody Sock Game threw eight innings of five-hit, two-run baseball, struck out six and walked two to bring the Sox back to the future in an embarassing 9-2 loss for the Yankees that saw three fielding gaffes open the floodgates for the Red Sox victory.



Other than Matsui's cock up of a fly ball in the fourth inning, Felix Rodriguez threw a bases-loaded comebacker to the mound to homeplate low and to catcher John Flaherty's right, forcing him to backhand the ball to keep it from rolling to the backstop and instead of a double play, they had only one out with the bases still loaded for Manny Ramirez and an eventual 7-0 lead.



Manny Ramirez emerged from his recent offensive slumber by going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a tape-measure, two-run home run in the first inning off Shawn Chacon that put the Sox ahead for the duration of the afternoon. The homer was Ramirez' first in 63 at-bats dating to Aug. 21.

The Yankees are back to four games behind the Red Sox for the AL East and also dropped to a game and a half behind the Cleveland Indians for the AL Wildcard.

Randy Johnson will take the mound next in the hope that he will finally show some of the moxy he's had all career and perhaps even earn a few of the millions of dollars he was paid to win precisely these sorts of games.

*****

Indians Take Another From Twins

It's pretty clear the Minnesota Twins will miss their first postseason in several years and the Indians are trying to make sure they get to their first one in even longer - last night Scott Elarton tossed eight solid innings and Coco Crisp homered and drove in two runs as the Indians increased their lead in the American League wild card race with a 7-5 triumph over the fading Twins.


Coco sends one over the right field wall

The Indians are now a heady 20 games over .500 and have equaled their 2004 win total of 80 in the 141st game of the season. Last year, after 141 games, the Indians were 70-71. The Indians have equaled their 2001 record after 141 games, the last season in which they made the playoffs.

*****

Out West

Dan Johnson's first career grand slam helped the A's defeat the Rangers and stay one game back of the Angels in the American League West. Johnson's blast helped make a winner of rookie right-hander Joe Blanton, while Huston Street nailed down the victory with a five-out save.

Meanwhile, Bartolo Colon won the battle of Cy Young hopefuls when he outpitched Jon Garland and got a boatload of support as the Angels upended the White Sox, 10-5, reaching double figures in runs for the first time since Aug. 18 -- a night that also saw Colon on the hill.

After seeing how the White Sox have performed against the Red Sox and Angels over the last month, it isn't hard to fathom a first-round knockout for them.

*****NL Wildcard*****



Andy Pettitte (15-9) reached the 15-win plateau for the seventh time in his career, allowing three runs and five hits through 6 2/3 innings for the Astros' 7-5 win over the Milwaukke Brewers before 24,437 at Miller Park on Saturday to keep them ahead of the Marlins and Phillies in the NL Wildcard lead.

Four of the Brewers' five runs scored courtesy of pinch-hits. Corey Hart belted a two-run home run off Andy Pettitte (15-9) in the third inning as the Brewers tried to mount a comeback from an early 5-0 deficit, and Jeff Cirillo and Prince Fielder each delivered pinch-hit RBI singles.

Cirillo's seventh-inning single chased Pettitte from the game and brought the Brewers to within two at 5-3. But after retiring the first two hitters in the eighth inning, Davis surrendered a single to Chris Burke and a 414-foot home run to Berkman.

*****

Paul Lo Duca, hobbled for the past month by a strained right hamstring, stroked a two-run pinch-hit single off Ryan Madson in the seventh inning and lifted the Marlins to a 7-6 win over the Phillies.

Saturday's win before 40,479 at Citizens Bank Park bumped Philadelphia to 2 1/2 games behind Houston in the National League Wild Card race. Florida remained a half-game out.


It ain't over til the fat lady sings but U.S. Solheim Cup member Christina Kim seems awfully goddamned happy about the Phillie' loss.

Despite the depressed feel to the Phillies clubhouse, manager Charlie Manuel said the players aren't down about their playoff chances.

"We have to come out and win the game [Sunday]," Manuel said. "If we do, it's two out of three. This is no time for to start panicking. I think this thing is going down to the end."

Hmmm. I seem to recall the Mets making similar clucking noises before embarking on their disasterous road trip.

And look at the Mets! Mike Piazza comes back from a four week layoff only to get beaned in the head in a late-season remake of the cult classic The Devil and Mrs Beanball

The Astros have the creampuff schedule the rest of the way in and failing some sort of catastrophic meltdown, would seem the odds-on favourite to win.

*****NCAA Football*****

Notre Dame Beats Michigan!!!

"A mere two games into his coaching career at Notre Dame, Charlie Weis has joined Knute Rockne in the record books - and has his team playing like the Fighting Irish of old. Brady Quinn threw two touchdown passes in the first half and the 20th-ranked Fighting Irish held on to beat No. 3 Michigan 17-10 Saturday, making Weis the first Notre Dame coach to win his first two games on the road since Rockne in 1918. Notre Dame (2-0), which won at then-No. 23 Pittsburgh last week, snapped the Wolverines' 16-game winning streak at Michigan Stadium and handed them their first loss against a nonconference team at home since 1998."

The Man With The Coolest Name Wins All The Marbles



Limas Sweed beats the OSU defence to score the go-ahead touchdown with a little over two minutes left in the game.

Vince Young connected in the clutch and won it for Texas with his arm, instead of his legs — just like a star quarterback is supposed to. Young, best known for his highlight-reel runs, threw a 24-yard go-ahead touchdown to Limas Sweed with 2:37 left and No. 2 Texas defeated No. 4 Ohio State 25-22 Saturday night in the much-anticipated first meeting between two of college football's most storied programs.

Sports Amnesia's Top Ten

1. USC (1-0)- idle
2. Florida St (2-0)- defeated Citadal 62-10
3. Texas (2-0) - defeated Ohio State 25-22
4. Florida (2-0) - defeated Louisiana Tech 41-3
5. Notre Dame (2-0) - defeated Michigan 17-10
6. Miami (0-1)- idle
7. Georgia (2-0) - defeated Spurrier's South Carolina 17-15
8. VA Tech (2-0) - defeated Duke 45-0
9. Ohio State (1-1) - lost to Texas 25-22
10. Michigan (1-1) - lost to Notre Dame 17-10

*****Fitba*****


Michael Owen in Newcastle rags changed little for Geordie future -

Somehow, like a constipated man sweating on a toilet, Newcastle managed to pinch out a 1-1 draw at home against Fulham despite dodgy tactics from manager Graham Souness and a dreadful injury to recently signed striker Albert Luque who will be ruled out for around six weeks. The managed to hang on to a middling little draw even after Scott Parker was booked out of the match for his second yellow card in the 83rd minute.

Owen's debut was heading for defeat when the French youngster curled home their first Premiership goal of the season with a superb free-kick 12 minutes from time to clinch just their second point.

Souness took something of a gamble when he moved in-form central defender Steven Taylor to right-back to release Stephen Carr for a midfield role with Nolberto Solano suspended, Kieron Dyer and Emre injured and Jermaine Jenas and James Milner having left the club.


Luque goes down with a dodgy hamstring.

*****

Chelsea stayed atop the tables with a 2-0 victory of Sunderland.

Man U. suffered a draw in their derby against Man City, hahahaha:



Arseholenal LOST! Hahahahahahahaha.

Charlton continue to exceed expectation with a 1-0 win over Birmingham.

Tottenham and Liverpool played to an inconclusive draw.