Red Sox v. Oakland A's

07.27.09 - Boston, Mass. - I shot my first (and only) Red Sox game for the Boston Herald and they made quick work of the hapless Oakland A's. Interestingly, I think that's about the 12th Oakland game I've seen in my lifetime, which has to be a record for someone who has never lived or visited Oakland. The Sox won 8-3, but it was never that close after a first inning home run from Dustin Pedroia.

-Will

Above-mentioned homer.
Josh Beckett pitches.
Jacoby Ellsbury fields a ball off the Green Monster.
The A's Mark Ellis lost the handle on two, not one, bats during the game. The first went into the crowd (no injuries); the second into his dugout.

ALCS Game 5 - Awesomeness at Fenway

10.16.08 - Boston, Mass. - Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

Doesn't get old. I hate superlatives, but this was the best thing I've ever seen in person. I haven't seen a lot in person, but I have seen a few Beanpots, a Red Auerbach Tribute at the Garden and ALCS Game 7 in 2007 against the Indians. Be that as it may, this was awesome. Megan and I had the Sox for dead, legit printing photos for their lockers tomorrow as they pack up to go home, and then, MAGIC!

Alright, enough. Awesome. I'll say it again and again until 8 pm on Saturday. 

Awesome,

Will

You gotta believe. Also, You'll notice these photos are in reverse. Sorry to ruin the suspense.
Celebrate good times.
Drew rounds first after hitting the game winning walk-off.
Drew hits the game-winner.
Fumble! Misplay by Pena at first leads to Youkilis on second/winning run.
OMG! J.D. Drew just hit a home run to make it 7-6. 
Rally caps. 
Groundskeepers foto. At this point, I was cleaning up for the last four innings of me with the Boston Red Sox. I'm ok with the results though. 
9 and 9, OMG!

ALCS Games 3 and 4

10.13-14.08 - Boston, Mass. - Sox fans will agree that there isn't a whole lot here. However, I did get to shoot with a 600mm lens (biggest in the biz) from over the Green Monster on Monday night. Led to some cool shots of the Moon and a nice image from a play at the plate. Last night was worse, but did nab that great one of Lowrie hitting (a Sox player hit? I know).

Until the next game,

Will

D700 + 600mm f/4 + ALCS = Red Sox Photo is Awesome
Jon Lester, however, was not. Go figure the only Rays fan on the Monster caught Upton's second inning the home run. 
Carl Crawford is not faster than Jacoby Ellsbury's throw.
La luna.
The destroya!
Game 4, Lowrie hits.
Aybar thrown out at first.
Smiling Rays fan.
Javy gets low.
Not sure about this. Funny moment though. 

Red Sox Practice

10.12.08 - Boston, Mass. - I worked my first shift at the Herald on Sunday (hooray!) and was sent to Red Sox practice (surprise). Nabbed this cool shot of Alex Cora fielding the ball in the afternoon sun which ran in color inside the sport section. Below are a few of the photos from practice and a feature from the people sleeping outside for tickets to Game 3.

-Will

Sailors from the USS Anzio talk while waiting in the ticket line. 
Jon Lester practices in the outfield. 
Alex Cora, Josh Beckett and Dustin Pedroia watch batting practice. 

ALDS Game 4 - Sox v. Angels

10.6.08 - Boston, Mass. - The Sox bounced back to squeak out a victory in Game 4 of the Angels, much to the dismay of the best team in the regular season. Shooting from the outfield third base position, I didn't get much, but here's a few shots.

-Will

Tagged out on a squeeze play in the eighth. 
Bay breaks his bat on a lead off double in the ninth. The rally begins. 
Out of order, jubi.
Scoisia protests the call at third because he believed Varitek dropped the ball. Apparently, he did, but the ground can't cause a fumble in baseball, so the Sox were saved. 
Papelbon shares the bubbly with the faithful.

ALDS Game 3 - Red Sox v. Angels

10.05.08 - Boston, Mass. - Suffice to say, last night didn't go as expected. The Fenway Faithful turned out, Papelbon pitched, Ellsbury tore it up, and the Angels won. Well, Angels' catcher Mike Napoli won, going 3-5, scoring four of the team's five runs and hitting two home runs off Josh Beckett (3 runs, 3 rbis, 2 hrs). 

Game 4 tonight,

Will 

Mike Napoli after home run #1.
Dustin Pedroia ranges.
Garret Anderson breaks his bat.
Kevin Youkilis gives 100% sliding into first to get Anderson out.
Vladimir Guerrero swings, all the way around.
Jacoby Ellsbury throws in from right field. 
Ellsbury overruns the base in the seventh.
Pedroia tags out Torii Hunter trying to take second on a hit.

Red Sox Clinch Playoffs

9.23.08 - Boston, Mass. - To think, I almost forgot. On Tuesday the Sox clinched their fifth playoff berth in six years and in short, they celebrated. I got to celebrate, too, but not before I took some pictures. 

-Will

Fly out to Alex Cora.
Elation!
More of that.
I was trying to avoid the champagne, but apparently, Sox fans wanted to be sprayed. Pedroia accommodated.

More of the spraying.
The bullpen cop gets well-soaked. Courtesy of Aardsma, Delcarmen and Lopez. 
The faithful. 
Lester ruins an interview.
Papelbon gave away all the bases. Not sure how much it costs, but there were bases for the game the following night, no worries. 

Red Sox v. Blue Jays

9.14.08 - Boston, Mass. - The Sox played a quick and wet four game series (48 hours or less) against the Toronto Blue Jays. My best shots were from this afternoon. The Sox won 4-3 on Sunday to take three of four from the Canadians and sit one game back of the Tampa Bay Rays for the lead in the AL East. Two weeks left in the season and the drama's still unfolding. 

Adios,

Will

Dustin Pedroia and Lyle Overbay appeal to the umpire after a close play at second.
Pedroia won the appeal.
Ortiz hits a triple in the eighth. 
The big man takes a pause after sprinting 90 feet. 
Papelbon and Varitek share a moment before the ninth. 
Papelbon
Close play at first.

Blue Jays reliever BJ Ryan throws in the eighth. Weird leg thing going on there.