Danks Picks Up Mariners Right Where He Left 'Em

Smooth sailing for John Danks tonight, who made quick work of the Mariners offense only six days since the last time he thoroughly enjoyed facing them.  And this time without all the noms.

The top of the 3rd inning was but a hiccup on a night that Sox pitching otherwise breezed through the M's offense with all the grace and swiftness of a team that didn't just lose two relatively unpleasantly-pitched games in an empty concrete bowl in Oakland.    

Plus the offense put up enough runs to pull off a Danks winner, though that may not come close to consoling poor Mark Kotsay, who had a hard rip down the right side snabbed by Kotchman for an un assisted double-play in his first at-bat, and a home run stolen by Ichiro in the 6th.   Finally, one of his hard shots found a hole in the 8th and put Jones on 3rd for the opportunity for insurance runs.  Which the Sox happily seized and subsequently put the game out of reach.

Laughably, the security guys interfered with a fair ball line shot off of AJ's bat in the 6th.  The looks on their faces upon realizing they tossed the in-play ball to a nice young lad in the stands were remarkable.  

Welcome home, Sox!

As a token of sympathy for Kotsay, I'll post this picture prior to the full Oaktown recap.  

Don't forget somebody's out there, proud to be rooting for you.... (these folks set up camp all three games).