7:40 p.m. – We’re here. We have pizza. And beer. And friends. Unfortunately, Dane Cook didn’t follow up on my willingness to take his Sox tickets. And the morons who stole or found (depending on who you talk to) the parrot from the bullpen got tickets that should have been mine. But that’s OK! I’m here with you! So let’s get your commenting on as you prepare for the game…

7:49 p.m. – As we prepare, I can note that today was exciting and giddy. The pennant flew from the top of the old Hancock tower, so I had a view of it from the end of my street. Churches had Sox banners suspended from their flagpoles. Restaurant and bar windows had painted signs wishing the team luck. Red and blue clothing was everywhere and everyone was talking about where and how they would be watching the game. The weather kept me from my run to Fenway, but I’m sure it was electric and it would have been difficult to get around. Awesome for folks geared up for the game, not so much for a runner!

8:05 p.m. – “Don’t worry, I’ll say the dumb things.” Jim, to Tommy. Internets, please meet our newcomers tonight. And hello to KJ!

8:08 p.m. – Text message to Nicole, from her father (Hi, Dad!): “R u ready 4 sum beisbol?” Let’s give a hand to our personal color commentator for Innings 8 and 9 of the ALCS Game 7, as we stood at the intersection of Ipswich and Lansdowne unable to go anywhere else…

8:13 p.m. – We now introduce a bunch of people who are going to soon enjoy a long winter’s break.

8:14 p.m. – There’s next to no cheering heard from Fenway. Sorry, Rockies. You’ll get your crowd come the weekend. Speaking of, funny story. Ryan Montbleau Band is slated to perform two shows – Saturday and Sunday. Ryan sent out an email yesterday explaining that the band is working to get televisions set up in the Paradise main room so everyone can still watch Games 3 and 4. That’s why I love that band.

8:16 p.m. – REEEEEEDDDDDDDD SOX!

8:17 p.m. – I love the rolled “r” whenever Manny is announced.

8:18 p.m. – WHY DOES JACOBY HAVE TWO SLEEVES?

8:19 p.m. – Green Mountain Boys represent! I’m geared up for a flyover from my Vermont peeps…

8:20 p.m. – I don’t want to type during the anthem, but some of those notes (intention as they must be) sound awfully…well…hey, it IS John Williams. Who am I to judge?

8:22 p.m. – I love hearing the flyover out my window. That said, speaking of air travel…DIRECT TV blimp? Hood has been where it’s at for forever. DIRECT TV thinks they can swoop in there out of the blue for the Series?

8:26 p.m. – FOX commentators have no idea of personal space. “Is it uncomfortable for them or for you?” – Tom “Me.” – Victoria “They look like they’re going to make out.” – Jim “The World Series is high emotion.” – Tom “Don and Jerry? Always plenty of space between ’em.” – Jim

8:27 p.m. – The rally cry from _____: START THE GAAAAAAAAAME!

8:36 p.m. – Hello Josh Beckett. No undue pressure, but we really need you rather desperately right now. Please. For the love of all that is good and holy. WIN.

8:38 p.m. – WOOOOO! “Do you think it’s possible to clone Beckett and have him pitch all four games?” – Jim “Nah, we’d have to put them on the roster by now.” – Tom

8:39 p.m. – On Colorado’s colors: “Congratulations. You’re right in the 90s. Black and purple. Have fun.” – Nicole

8:41 p.m. – Strikeout Number Two. “Yeeeeeahhhhhhh. That was cool.” – Tom. Ooooh look! The Keys of the Game! Oh, I’m sorry, the MASTERCARD Keys to the Game! My mistake.

8:43 p.m. – If it were possible to jump through a TV, I would have just jumped through and kissed Josh Beckett. Or, as Jim put it, “HOLY SHIT!” Let’s go offense…clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.

8:45 p.m. – Prostate Protector/Sexy Time Drugs Commercial Number 1 – Flomax.

8:46 p.m. – Thank you, Yaz.

8:47 p.m. – THANK YOU DUSTIN! Loved Beckett: “They’d better not call that back!”

8:51 p.m. – FOX refers to it as “gentle mist.” I call it rain.

8:52 p.m. – “Look how much open space he has to hit into.” – Jim. A second later: “Wow, I just called that, didn’t I?” 2-0 us. Woot.

8:54 p.m. – We’re pretty much bitching about the FoxTrax graphics right now.

8:57 p.m. – The Colorado coach looks nervous. And, as Jim just pointed out, rather like Paul Simon.

8:59 p.m. – WOW. Welcome to the American League, Francis!

9:02 p.m. – Damn, that was quite a play. Can’t argue with that. Also can’t argue with the use of “Dirty Water.” Loving this. So, with this commercial break, let’s evaluate. Francis, as Mr. C perfectly put it in the comments, is pitching like he’s 10. Beckett just has to show him how it’s done. Or rather, keep showing him.

9:11 p.m. – “Someone definitely just called those guys on a cell phone and told them they had their Ks backwards.” – Nicole

9:13 p.m. – One run. Eh.

9:17 p.m. – I really like Young Jacoby with one sleeve. I know it’s cold, but this? It’s like I almost don’t know who he is. AND HE STRUCK OUT. Rip the sleeve, boy. Tear it off!

9:18 p.m. – “Sexiest fan alive? He’s right here.” – Jim “Do you have any idea how many people just said that right now?” – Tom “Yeah, but how many MEANT IT?” – Jim

9:21 p.m. – Crap. Jeff Francis and I share a common love of “The Shawshank Redemption.” Oh wait. Nevermind. I still want him to lose.

9:24 p.m. – Shrieks in the apartment. Youk?!?!?! Running home?!?!?!?! What on earth is going ON tonight?????

9:25 p.m. – Tom and I are debating which feet we’d use to tap bases when we were running as ballplayers in our youth. I say I tapped with my right. He says left was the way to go. Verdict?

9:31 p.m. – Dear Josh: I don’t think he’s going to fall for the high pitch. Love, Victoria

9:32 p.m. – Don’t you feel that much better now, knowing how that conversation went? And didn’t it kind of sound like a scene from “The Hills?” I’m just saying. “Ump, show more emotion. Establish more plot. We’re in the what inning?”

9:35 p.m. – Dear Josh: Sorry, you do your thing. I’ll be quiet now. Love, Victoria

9:36 p.m. – Dear Nicole: The game has started. Sincerely, Verizon Text Messaging

9:42 p.m. – And that is why bunting can be so effective!

9:48 p.m. – Um, what I said in the comments about the rain? So it’s a little more than a drizzle now…

9:49 p.m. – Don’t get me wrong. I’d love any opportunity to sit in that dugout. But man, that’s got to be uncomfortable and chilly when it rains.

9:51 p.m. – I’m thinking back to my softball pitching days, when I threw a whole lot slower than Beckett. How he can grip the ball right now completely confounds me.

9:54 p.m. – Looking up the Indians’ mascot, I remark: “Oh, look at that. The Indians’ website says “AL Central Champs ’07. Aw. So sad. HEH.”

9:58 p.m. – I don’t want to be sedated, actually.

10:00 p.m. – Ortiz. Oh, David. How hard you’ve worked, how much your muscles have been barking. Have we told you lately that we love you?

10:01 p.m. – SO much!

10:05 p.m. – How did I not know until today that I shared a birthday with Dwight Evans?

10:07 p.m. – “What a hitter. My gosh.” THANK YOU FOX.

10:10 p.m. – I love that bullpen so freakin’ much.

10:11 p.m. – Textbook “pretty, pretty line-hugging hit.” I want to point out that this is what people talk about when they describe the Fenway friends as the 10th player on the Sox lineup. Listen to that noise. This is what people complain about when they say Sox fans are obnoxious, but I love it. This isn’t being rude or being annoying. This is loving a team and participating in what happens…

10:19 p.m. – I was terribly nervous about Beckett, whether the regular season beating he took from Colorado would play a factor today. After eight strikeouts, I’ll say I’m feeling pretty decently OK about the guy now. You know. Whatever. Heheh.

10:20 p.m. – “Give me another word. I keep coming back to dominance.” Don’t speak. Just watch, FOX.

10:25 p.m. – So. We’re at the mid-point of the fifth, up by five. I’m feeling good. Part of me wants to run outside to go for a short walk to see the lights on the Pru, but at the same point, I’m not going anywhere to miss this…

10:27 p.m. – PINK HATS? There are no pink hats at the World Series! Give me her ticket! Immediately!

10:35 p.m. – “I’ll sleep easier, now that I saw that clip.” – Jim

10:35 p.m. – YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKKKKKKKKK! And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why that guy has been my favorite player this year. Kevin Youkilis!

10:37 p.m. – “Welcome to Boston, Rockies!” – Jim

10:40 p.m. – The score is now 9-1 Boston. It is the fifth inning of play. Josh Beckett is still available to pitch and the world is a glorious place.

10:43 p.m. – We just tied a MLB World Series record. Yes, it’s a long game. Sure, it’s a long series. But for this moment? I feel good.

10:46 p.m. – You did NOT just bring that up, you Red Sox-biased FOX people. You can NOT bring up the 19-8 in ’04. Can you NOT get through a game without mentioning the Yankees?????

10:48 p.m. – Crap, that was a REALLY nice stop. Saved the Rockies another run.

10:52 p.m. – “The Red Sox have found multiple ways to get on base tonight. They’ve hit, they’ve walked…” What other ways ARE there, guys? I mean, granted, they haven’t advanced on a dropped third strike, but c’mon now!

10:56 p.m. – Walking in a run. Worst. Feeling. Ever.

10:58 p.m. – And this is officially getting embarrassing. This does not feel like a World Series game.

11:02 p.m. – “Dirty Water” just got a whole lot angrier. And the fifth inning is FINALLY over.

11:05 p.m. – Sexy Time Drugs!

11:06 p.m. – Great play, good call. When it’s that close, as it was when Matsui and Beckett reached at the same point, you always should give it to the runner.

11:08 p.m. – “Aw…I love that. 4-6-3 is my favorite.” – Tom

11:09 p.m. – Amazing. After all this, Becket has thrown only 78 pitches.

11:14 p.m. – Technical issues, but now back. As was Dane. That hair…

11:15 p.m. – Wow. Royce. Wow. It’s good to know that he’s a better actor than Heidi Montag.

11:16 p.m. – No, we haven’t seen it all. We haven’t seen the stolen base. We haven’t seen a dropped third strike. We haven’t seen a foul ball pop-up caught. Take that, FOX.

11:46 p.m. – Here we are, top of 8. I ran out to grab a shot of the Pru. Why? Because I’m a dork and I missed it in ’04. Now we have Timlin in the mix. I hope he retires after this season, but it’s good to have him here.

11:49 p.m. – Alex Cora, ladies and gentlemen! The guy who has been patiently waiting for his opportunities to help out the team. I love that in a player.

11:51 p.m. – Everyone here is crashing. Nicole is about to go to bed, our other roommate came home from his night out, watched some of the game and retired for the night. Jim headed home at the end of the fifth so he could get back in time to watch the end. Tom is stretched out on the couch across from where I am sitting. His arms are folded, his head resting against pillows, eyes closed and dopey, victorious and content half-smile on his face.

11:53 p.m. – Sweet Caroline time…

11:54 p.m. – Can’t hear it from the apartment tonight.

11:56 p.m. – “YEAH, MY MAN! Big ol’ 83!” – Tom. Sometimes I wonder about that boy, love of irony notwithstanding.

12:00 a.m. – Sexy Time Drug Ad…

12:07 a.m. – Eric Gagne. Get it done. Now. Please.

12:08 a.m. – Gagne finishes it with a K! 13-1 final. Boston. Despite the fact that FOX was quick to point out that the two previous teams Game 1 by 11 lost in both series, no one’s ever taken on the series having won 12. “You make your stats, man. You make ’em.” – Tom

So that’s it from Boston! One game down. Let’s go Sox! Sleep well, fans. You’ve earned it.