They're Back...

This Sounded Like October.


Varitek out at the plate, monkey ears holds on to the ball!


(second best collision of the season after Cameron/Beltran -- "I thought he would slide, to tell you the truth," said Posada, who gives 25 pounds away to the Red Sox catcher. "My neck has a little whiplash but I will be OK.")

Yankees Batter Boomer

It's not over until the Fat Man Boomer Wells losses at Yankee Stadium and yes, as much as I hate the Yankees, I hate the Red Sox even more. The lead is cut to three games and the way it should be, this race will be decided by the Yankees playing the Red Sox both home and away for the most crucial games of the season. So far, the Yankees have won 8 and the Red Sox, 6.

Last night it was A-Rod, Posada and Jason Giambi, contributing three hits each for the Yankees, combining for five runs scored and four RBIs.

Jeter had just one hit, though it accounted for the go-ahead run. The shortstop also made a couple of key defensive plays to help shut down the mighty Sox offense.

The potential MVP, Rodriguez is now hitting .288 with five home runs and 10 RBIs in 14 games against the Red Sox this season. That mark represents the most home runs he has hit against any other team, as he has also gone deep five times against the Angels and Devil Rays.

Boomer gave up 9 hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings of work whilst Aaron Small came up big with an admirable performance that kept the Yankees in the game.

*****

Meanwhile, the Indians "pounded" Twins ace Johann Santana for four runs in five innings to beat the Twins 4-2 and maintain their spectacular if somewhat shocking AL Wildcard lead.


Twins season falls along with their ace

Grady Sizemore led off the first inning with a homer off Santana (13-7), who came in 5-0 with a 2.84 ERA in 18 career games against Cleveland.

Cleveland Indians' Jhonny Peralta, right, is about to be tagged out by Minnesota Twins third baseman Lou Ford in a rundown between second and third to end the fifth inning Friday, Sept. 9, 2005, in Cleveland. Peralta tried to go from first to third on a single by Victor Martinez that drove in Coco Crisp.

The Indians stretched their winning streak to five games and have gone 16-5 since Aug. 18 to move 6 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota.


(Cleveland Indians' Jhonny Peralta, right, is about to be tagged out by Minnesota Twins third baseman Lou Ford in a rundown between second and third to end the fifth inning)

Jake Westbrook pitched six solid innings and allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks in the win, his fourth in his last five starts.

*****

Out West, both the A's and the Angels won. The Angels Vlad Guerrero scored the winning run from second base on Bengie Molina's sacrifice bunt, and the Angels picked up a key victory by edging the White Sox, 6-5, in 12 innings to open the series between the two division leaders.

The A's opened their 10-game, 3-city road trip with a wild 9-8 victory in which Mark Ellis, Mark Kotsay and Dan Johnson homered, while Eric Chavez hit a bases-clearing double to give the A's a five-run lead against the Rangers in Friday's series opener. The bullpen had a little trouble shutting the door, but they managed to get starter Barry Zito his 13th win of the season.

The Angels still hold a one-game lead over the A's for the AL West.

The Indians remain a half-game ahead of the Yankees and a game and a half ahead of the A's for the AL Wildcard.

Today's games will feature Curt Schilling on the mound for the Sox against Shawn Chacon. This will be the first time Schilling has pitched in the Bronx since the legendary "bloody sock" Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series.

Bartolo Colon (18-6 3.24) will face another potential Cy Young candidate Jon Garland (17-8, 3.28) as the Angels and White Sox battle again.

The Twins have Scott Baker making his fifth start of the season and his third since joining the rotation full time Aug. 29. The right-hander has not given up more than two earned runs in any of his starts with Minnesota. He will face Scott Elarton RHP (8-7, 4.87) --

Joe Blanton, RHP (8-11, 3.51) goes for the A's against the Rangers Kameron Loe, RHP (8-4, 3.22)


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

Whilst the Mets (Archie Bunker's Army has the road kill scoop), continued their impressive downward spiral, both the Astros and the Marlins lost their games to the Brewers and Phillies, respectively.



Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Cory Lidle delivers a first inning pitch to the Florida marlins in Philadelphia September 9, 2005. Lidle lasted five innings giving up eight hits and four runs as the Phillies broke a five game losing steak as they beat the Marlins 12-5.

They are now a game and a half behind the Astros for the NL Wildcard whilst the Marlins remained a half game behind the lead.

The Nats beat the Braves to move to within 3 games of the lead and hey, even the Brewers are sneaking up, now tied with the Mets, a likely unapproachable 5 1/2 games behind.

In today's games, Jason Vargas, LHP (5-3, 3.93) takes the mound for the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park against Brett Myers, RHP (12-7, 3.53)

Andy Pettitte, LHP (14-9, 2.42) goes for the Astros in Milwaukee against the surprising Tomo Ohka, RHP (10-7, 3.93) - Ohka is coming off another great outing when he went seven innings and allowed just one run against the Reds at Great American Ball Park. That's the sort of brilliance Ohka has flashed this season, as four times earlier in the year he pitched past the sixth inning and gave up a run or less and with the Astros' feeble offence, maybe it will be enough again. (Let's hope).

Meanwhile, Barry Bonds might be back in the Giants' lineup today against the Cubs and already, the filth is oozing from the sores as it is reported that Bonds scuffled with pitcher Jason Christiansen in the clubhouse lunchroom at SBC Park earlier this season in a dispute about one of the slugger's trainers, another player told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The player, who witnessed the June altercation but spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not want to talk publicly about an incident between other players, said Christiansen was frustrated with Harvey Shields, Bonds' personal stretch man now employed by the team.

"I don't think punches were thrown," the player said. "It was more grabbing. It was regarding one of Bonds' trainers, Harvey."

*****CRICKET

Yes, The Ashes Cricket Series continues today as the Aussie openers Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden have finally put together a solid partnership, helping the tourists to a handy position at stumps on the second day of the deciding Ashes Test at The Oval.

The pair have come under heavy scrutiny for their performances in the series so far, but a healthy 75 from Langer coupled with 32 from Hayden in Australia's first innings has seen the two repair some of the damage.


Hoggard survives a chance in the slips but is eventually caught off a McGrath slower ball leaving the score at 345-9 in the opening match on thursday.

Glowering skies presage a long, dark weekend of the soul:

"Australia may yet win the final Test, square the series and retain the Ashes. Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden may yet boast that their caution was vindicated, but it underlined that this Australian side has lost its strut. It was a reminder to England that there is not one nervous side at The Oval, but two.

Throughout the afternoon, the skies had gradually grown heavier and then the text messages began to beep among the 23,000 crowd. It was looking darker in Putney, it was actually spitting with rain in Hammersmith.

The covers lay across the pitch, with ground staff lolling around, awaiting instructions. In normal circumstances, it would have been occasion to boo and to cry "Get 'em out there, umpire." These were not normal circumstances. A slow handclap petered out in moments, as if it was somehow unpatriotic."

*****Owen's Debut*****

And yes, Michael Owen finally gets his 2005 EPL debut today for Newcastle.


Owen and Sheaer paired again for the first time since Euro2000.

Former Newcastle manager and striker Kevin Keegan has told Michael Owen to prepare himself for the greatest day of his life when he makes his debut today against Fulham.

"This is a very special place with a very special atmosphere," Keegan told the Daily Express.

"When the football team wins, the city is happy and when it loses, it takes until Friday to pick itself up. I have got to say - and Michael Owen will find this out for himself - that if you think you've seen passion, this place takes it to another level.

"I had the privilege to play for this club, admittedly when my hair was curly and not quite so white, but I was coming to the end. The fans still loved me and got behind me and inspired me to produce my very best for them.

"The great thing about this region is that there is never any envy and that is almost unique. They love their footballers. They don't care that they have got big cars and wages as long as they give them passion for 90 minutes on a football field."