Last Night's Action

The Cubs staked Mark Prior to a big early lead and then cruised the rest of the way, winning 12-3 and knotting their National League Championship Series with Florida at a game apiece. Over in the junior circuit, the Red Sox opened their ALCS against the Yanks by crashing three homers in a 5-2 win. Tim Wakefield's knuckleball totally baffled the Yanks over six-plus innings, and the Boston bullpen bent but didn't break to preserve the victory.

I watched most of the AL game and wasn't surprised to the Sox look so loose. Despite missing Johnny Damon, despite the cross-country flight from Oakland, despite having to face the more rested Yankees, Boston was the team that played in an easy rhythm. The Red Sox are in some kind of groove now, and they rode that groove to their Game 1 win. The real test comes tonight, when New York, you'd think, is back in its rhythm.

Game 2 is close to a must-win for the Yankees. A loss would leave them in a 2-0 hole and send them to Fenway Park, where the fans would be jacked beyond belief, to face a rested Pedro Martinez.