Gagné throws it into reverse

Gagné is one of the greatest relief pitchers in the history of baseball. He's a Cy Young Award winner who once converted 84 consecutive save opportunities. His arrival in Boston on trade deadline day was greeted with almost as much enthusiasm as the Celtics' press conference introducing Kevin Garnett the same day. Gagné made the Sox World Series favorites in the eyes of many experts, and Sox fans mocked the standstill Yankees while tossing bouquets at the feet of Theo and the minions.

And then Gagné got the ball and pitched like Johnny Way-Back Wasdin. He had five outings, none of them clean. In four innings, he allowed 10 hits and 7 runs for an ERA of 15.75. He blew two games in three days in Baltimore, first spitting up a 5-1 lead, then coughing up a game-tying two-run homer to Miguel Tejada.

Just like that. He went from Invincible to Vin Baker. He was Eric Gag-me-with-a-spoon. Not to be trusted in a close game. Unable to set up for Jonathan Papelbon. Not a guy who could make it in Boston.

This is what he lugged out to the Fenway mound in the ninth inning last night. There were sharks in the stands and he was bleeding badly. The Sox trailed, 1-0, and it was looking like a wondrous homecoming for Jon Lester was going to waste. When Gagné went to 3-and-0 on the first batter he faced (Carlos Peña), it sounded as if Ulf Samuelsson had just been introduced at the old Garden. It was nasty. Just for a 3-and-0 count.

And then Gagné remembered what he loves about the game. He remembered the gift inside his right arm and shoulder. He threw a hellacious 90-something fastball for a called strike and he was on his way back.

"The first strike there was probably the best fastball I've thrown since coming here," he said after Coco Crisp's two-out single won it in the bottom of the ninth.

"I don't care what anybody says, if you don't get people out for three days, your confidence goes a little bit."