LeBron flubs a dunk now and then. Tiger muffs a 2-footer or two. Ichiro even swings and misses occasionally.
But the Red Sox? The way they have mastered the art of winning, Terry Francona's entire team could get lost on the way to work, it seems, and somehow still triumph.
So what if the Sox went 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left 14 runners on base last night trying to eke out a one-run victory?
Another night, another joyful farewell rendition of "Dirty Water."
"I hope people start giving us credit because this is a very special run we're going on," said Derek Lowe, chief architect of the latest triumph. "We show up every single day knowing we're going to win."
All but defying baseball logic, the Sox won for the ninth straight time and for the 15th time in 16 tries as they completed a stunning, three-game sweep of the Angels, 4-3, before 35,050 at Fenway Park. Lowe led the way as he went 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk in improving to 6-1 since the Angels whacked him around July 15 in Anaheim, Calif.
The victory vaulted the Sox 4 1/2 games ahead of the Angels and six games ahead of the Rangers in the wild-card race. The Sox continued to hover 3 1/2 games behind the division-leading Yankees.
"For [nearly $130] million, that's how we're supposed to play," closer Keith Foulke said after recording his 26th save. "This is why they pay us the big bucks."
The Sox, whose nine-game streak is the longest active run in the majors, also won a 10th straight game at home for the first time since July 25, 1993. Even better, they have Pedro Martinez facing old friend John Wasdin to open a three-game series tonight against the Rangers in the Fens.
"Ownership put together a team that is capable of being the best in baseball," Johnny Damon said after helping to lead the offense. "We weren't showing that earlier in the season. We were very frustrated, ownership, fans, and everybody. But this team is definitely putting it together."
On a night when David Ortiz was ailing (sore right shoulder) and Manny Ramirez was hitless, Lowe did his part while the Sox overcame their general futility in the clutch thanks to some timely hitting by the relatively unheralded players at the top and bottom of their lineup. The first two and last two batters in the Sox' lineup went a combined 8 for 15, scoring three of the team's four runs and knocking in three. The fifth batter in the order, Kevin Millar, doubled to knock in the other run.
"That's the way you win games over the long haul, when everyone contributes," said Jason Varitek, who batted cleanup for the first time in his Sox career, because of Ortiz's injury. "The bottom line is, [the Angels] couldn't rest throughout our lineup, and that's big."
