Not all wins are the same...

For today's guest commentary on the Red Sox, we reach back to 279 BC and the Greek General Pyrrhus.

"Another such victory and I shall be ruined."
- Pyrrhus, following his defeat of the Romans at Asculum


Midway through the top of the third inning, things looked good for the Red Sox. Facing a pitcher who'd started (and lost) against them just a week earlier, who'd faced 6 batters and retired none, they had a 4 run lead with runners still on when the evening started to go sour. First, Trot Nixon hurt himself swinging, and had to leave the game in the middle of the at-bat, headed for what is likely to be a lengthy DL stint. Then, leading 5-0 in the bottom of the 3rd, Matt Clement took a line drive off his face and lay motionless for several minutes before being taken off the field on a stretcher. (At the moment, the damage to Clement physically seems to be limited - the mental and emotional damage, potentially much worse, is unknowable.) To add insult to injury, Chad Bradford, who doesn't give up home runs, gave up a grand slam, allowing two of Clement's inherited runners to score, and allowing Tampa Bay to tie the game.

When Edgar Renteria's 7th inning error (mistakenly called a hit by the official scorer) allowed the Devil Rays to take an 8-6 lead, it looked unlikely that even a Pyrrhic victory would be achievable. (And as bad as Pyrrhic victories are, Pyrrhic losses are even worse.) But the Sox scored 2 in the bottom of the 9th to tie. Then, in one of the most stirring sequences on a stirring evening, Johnny Damon sent the game into extra innings with a leaping catch against the centerfield fence to end the 9th, and on the next pitch homered to lead off the 10th. The Sox would score once more, then hang on for dear life in the bottom of the 10th for a 10-9 win.

• After setting a new Major League record by playing no extra-inning games in their first 98, they've now gone 10 in two straight.


• There's been much criticism of Dale Sveum in certain corners of Red Sox nation for sending Olerud in the 9th. I don't agree with it. It took a good relay followed by a perfect relay to just get him. The Red Sox were out of pitchers at the time. The risk was worth it to take the lead at that point. It didn't work, and that's life, but it's not necessarily great 3rd-base coaching to never get anyone thrown out...


• Nixon looks to be gone for a while. Will the team consider playing Millar in RF and giving Roberto Petagine a shot? Unfortunately, it looks doubtful.


• Congratulations to Boston native Manny Delcarmen, who pitched a perfect 8th inning for his Major League debut, striking out the first man that he faced in the show...