Payback!!!

  Last night's game was one of the better baseball games I've covered this season. Although it would've been nice to have some better action earlier in the game so I didn't have to pull something out of my...hat for my early deadline. 

  I usually like to transmit a few images by 8 o'clock which is typically around the third inning of a night game. This night game was setting up to be a pitcher's dual between Boston's Josh Beckett and Tampa Bay's Andy Sonnanstine by the third inning. In fact Beckett had a no-hitter going until the fifth. Some how I managed to find six pictures to send to Germany in the third.

  As the game progressed you could tell this would come down to the wire. Both teams were battling to put their runners in scoring position but couldn't follow through. We even had some testy moments with Red Sox skipper Terry Francona coming out to talk to the umpire. 

  It became a bit of a gamble in the later innings as I wanted to send a few more images, especially after Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis sent teammate Jacoby Ellsbury home on a sacrifice fly. I made some nice images that would play well if Boston won but they didn't.

  In the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded catcher Dioner Navarro stepped to the plate and hit a dinger into the outfield that sent the entire bench running after him as he rounded first. 

  This was definitely an exciting game for Rays fans but a bit nerve-racking for me as I tried to place myself in position to get a storytelling image. I moved over to the third base photo pit in the ninth inning thinking that David Ortiz might hit the game winner but instead I got a nice shot of Navarro heading down the first baseline with his arms out in victory. Go Rays!!