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| After settling in, I drive the couple of miles into town, and take a look at Newport. It is a boating and fishing centre, with a large harbour and a fish market. There is also a glut of restaurants, coffee shops and boutiques, all designed to cater for the obvious wealth strolling around the town on which one shop advertises as "the last day of the season." Back at the hotel, the receptionist informs me that there is a sports bar just around the corner, so that will be my target for tonight. Before that though, a nap is in order; these one o'clock finishes are beginning to take their toll! Tickets is the name of the restaurant and sports bar I have targeted for game 4. When I walk in with minutes to go to the first pitch, I am devastated to find that it is deserted. I explain to the waitress what I want, and she tells me to try the sports bar upstairs. This is better! I find a place at the bar, and the game starts. The starting match up is interesting. Both pitchers have made comebacks from serious illness; Jon Lester for the Sox had fought blood cancer; Aaron Cook for the Rox had suffered blood clots in the lungs. Two fourth string pitchers against two big hitting line ups in the thin air of Denver threatened a glut of runs. In the first inning, Ellsbury doubled, advanced on a ground out, and was singled home to give Boston an early lead. But the pitchers performed well and took control. There was no more score until the fifth, when Lowell doubled, and was brought home by Varitek. Lowell, who was later to be named Most Valuable Player of the series, homered in the seventh to give Boston a comfortable 3-0 lead. I was starting to think about home when Hawpe homered for Colorado to reduce the deficit. Enter Bobby Kielty, Boston bench player, called upon to pinch hit for the pitcher in the eighth. He faced one pitch, smacked it into the crowd, and Boston led 4-1. The Rockies would not quit; in the eighth Atkins belted a two run homer to produce a tense finale, but Papelbon pitched out the ninth to give Boston a 4-3 victory and their second World Series in the last four years. The bar staff bought us all a drink; something strong and bitter with a lot of pineapple juice, and I walked down to the sea on my way back to the hotel. I stood looking in the general direction of home and shed unashamed tears of joy. It's all over! I've achieved what I set out to do; had a fantastic, if sometimes bumpy, ride; seen some fabulous sights, met some wonderful people; now I'm going home! |
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