Sox 7, Stinkins 3

It's always a big story when the Stinkins come to Fenway, but Monday night's game came with some interesting sidebars. The game marked the return of Johnny Damon and Doug Mirabelli to Fenway.

Doug Mirabelli?

Usually a trade for a backup player doesn't generate the attention that the reacquisition of Mirabelli did. But then again, most backup players don't have private jets chartered to fly them cross country, don't change into their uniforms in the back of a police vehicle on their way to the ballpark and arrive five minutes before game time.

But the most anticipated old face, if not the most warmly welcomed, was Damon, who jumped to the hated Stinkins during the offseason. Damon was greeted with a mix of four parts boos, one part applause for his first at-bat, and he tipped his helmet to the fans and Sox dugout, changing the mix to roughly three parts boos, two parts applause. He was cheered loudest when he promptly flew out to Trot Nixon. Damon and Mirabelli each went hitless in their return to Fenway, though Mirabelli reached on a fielder's choice.

Mirabelli also grounded out to start the bottom of the eighth, when the score was tied 3-3. Jonathan Papelbon was already up in the bullpen, and Jason Varitek was coming in to catch him in the ninth.

So why did Mirabelli hit in the eighth? I know he went through a lot to get to the ballpark in time to catch Tim Wakefield, but a .154 hitter batting in the eighth inning of a tie game against the Stinkins -- a game he's coming out of anyway? It was perhaps Terry Francona's only misstep of the game, one he more than made up for by pitching out with an 0-2 count to Damon to catch Bubba Crosby trying to steal second.

Francona bucked convention by bringing Papelbon into the game after David Ortiz gave the Sox a four-run lead with a three-run homer off another player returning to Fenway, Mike Myers. Myers, like Damon, jumped from the Sox to the Stinkins and was greeted less than warmly by the fans.

Many managers would have left Mike Timlin (W, 3-0) in the game because it no longer was a "save situation." But this is only a two-game series, so there's less worry about using your closer when it isn't absolutely necessary. More importantly, this is the Stinkins and the biggest game of the season so far. Winning this game gives your team an emotional lift greater than what comes with beating any other opponent, and stings the losing team a little more. Plus, a four-run lead against the Stinkins is a three-run lead against most other teams, so technically it may not have been a save situation, but tell that to Red Sox Nation.

Finally, it was a great opportunity to get your young closer introduced to the pressure of the Sox-Stinkins with the heat turned down just a little bit. And Papelbon responded admirably, pitching a perfect ninth, striking out Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada.

Tonight they do it all again. The Stinkins will be re-introduced to hard-throwing Josh Beckett (3-1, 4.50). Beckett last faced the Stinkins in the final game of the 2003 Series, when he beat them 2-0. Beckett will be opposed by Shawn Chacon (3-1, 4.56).