Red Sox Go 1-2 Against Royals, But Bring Much Needed Normalcy Back to Boston

On Friday night, the Red Sox were set to return home to Fenway Park for the first time since the Boston Marathon bombings. A tribute to the victims and first responders was set for the pre-game ceremonies, but a suspect on the loose and almost all of the Boston-area's law enforcement in Watertown for the manhunt to bring him to justice, the game had to be postponed.

The 19-year-old suspect was captured alive that night, bringing a sense of joy to Boston that had been stolen from the city on Monday.  The Red Sox held their first home game on Saturday afternoon, and with it came the emotional pre-game ceremony.  There were images on the scoreboard showing the marathon when it was like any other Marathon Monday that slowly transitioned to chaos and sadness.  There were images of the first responders and police officers, as well as the victims of this senseless attack.

But what changed between Friday's tribute to Saturday's were the images of the manhunt in Watertown, which brought loud cheers and a sense of pride, knowing that our men and women in uniform had once again, made us safe.  What changed was David Ortiz's return to the lineup, bringing with him a speech to not only the crowd but all of Boston, that got the city back on its feet.

In Saturday's game, Clay Buchholz dazzled again, going eight innings and giving up two runs, finishing with an ERA of 0.90 on the season.  It was a Daniel Nava three-run blast into the Sox bullpen (caught by Koji Uehara) that lifted the Sox to victory over the Kansas City Royals, setting up the perfect ending to an amazing and emotional day at the ballpark.

Sunday was a day-night doubleheader, but did not go the way the hometown crowd wanted.  There was still that different feeling in the air, a sense that this crowd was coming together not only for their team, but for themselves and their city.  Game one ended 4-2 in favor of the Royals, while bonus baseball was played in game two only to see Andrew Miller walk in the game-winning run in the 10th inning.

The highlight of game two was Allen Webster's first start of his major league career.  He gave up three runs, two of them earned, off five hits with five strikeouts in six innings.  Two of those hits were home runs, but he showed, at age 23, he's ready for The Show.  He was not afraid of hitters, as just a couple innings into his night, he was getting hitters down 0-2 with ease.

With the return of baseball, Boston has been restored.  Next, Fenway Park will welcome the Oakland A's, who have lost three in a row to the Tampa Bay Rays.

Bruins Fan Prove Boston Strong, While Bruins Clinch Playoff Spot in Shootout Loss

The boys are back.  Boston hosted its first sporting event since Monday's Marathon bombings in the form of a Bruins-Sabres game at the TD Garden, with Buffalo coming out on top after a 3-2 shootout win.  But the focus was not on the winner of Wednesday's game, rather the spectacle of the game itself.

On Monday, the Bruins players were all at the Garden for their game against the Senators before it was postponed due to the attack a few hours before puck drop.  With the players gathered, they had an opportunity to talk about what had transpired on Boylston Street and how they would react as a team.  Coming into Wednesday's contest, they knew what this city needed.

"The only thing we can do is play the game to give Boston something to be happy about," said B's center David Krejci.  "It's been an emotional last few days.  Just like everybody else, I had just one channel on the TV the last couple of days."

Before the game started, Boston had plenty to be happy and proud about.  A video tribute to the victims and first responders was shown, followed by Rene Rancourt and the Boston Fire Department Honor Guard entering the rink for the national anthem.  As you can see in the video above, Rancourt didn't have to do much singing as the Garden crowd was more than ready to show just how Boston Strong they were.

"I know its a tough time right now, we know that," said winger Brad Marchand.  "For them to come out and support us, to take their minds off everything for a couple of hours and come in tonight, we just wanted to say thanks.  We're thinking of everyone and they're in our thoughts and prayers."

The Bruins fought hard throughout the game, with Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly each notching a goal, but it was an Andrew Ference penalty with just under a minute in the third period that led to a Sabres power play goal that would tie things at 2-2 before the final horn.  Sabres goalie Ryan Miller stood tall, stopping all four attempts in the shootout, while Anton Khudobin stopped three before Drew Stafford slipped one in between the Bruins backstop's pads.

"It's emotional for me as well, as an American," said Miller.  "We like to play, but there are bigger things.  I think the way people have stepped up and tried to help, tried to do the right things, you can tell that this is only going to make us stronger."

The Bruins locked up a spot in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the point from the shootout loss, but just getting back to hockey in Boston was the most important thing on their minds.

"You feel that this is your home, that this is what you represent as a professional organization," head coach Claude Julien said.  "The first thing you want to do is help out, and you do the best you can.  We did that for Newtown, and I'll tell you what, there wasn't a better feeling than going there and trying to spread some joy and put smiles on some people's faces.

"Our goal is to do the same thing here with this city and everyone that was involved in this tragedy."


UPDATE: For those of you who cannot see the video above, here is another version on YouTube.

Through Sports, We Are One Boston

We are One Boston. We Are Boston Strong.

This great city has begun its rally, and we are not alone.

Sports have long been a way for people to unite during times of hardship, but for Bostonians in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings, sports have begun to unite for them.  Teams from California to Montreal -- and even as far as London -- have held moments of silence to honor the victims.  On Tuesday night, teams all around Major League Baseball played Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," an eighth inning staple inside Fenway Park for Red Sox home games.

The healing process will take time, but knowing the teams we support are supporting us right back makes an incredible difference in Boston.  Seeing fans in pinstripes belting out "Sweet Caroline," hearing entire crowds go from perfect silence to deafening cheers during our National Anthem and just knowing that our city is on the mind's of our favorite athletes as they put on their uniforms makes us stronger than ever before.

Pray for Boston

 

Today is Day One.

Yesterday, two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Boylston Street.  From the reports thusfar, three people have died, 17 people remain in critical condition and over 150 people were injured by the blasts.

The marathon finish was re-routed to Boston University, preventing countless amounts of participants from crossing the famous yellow finish line, and giving race officials, police, volunteers and other first responders a chance to clear the debris and assist anyone injured in the horrific incident.

Today is Day One.  Our city's first day to take a step back and breathe, no matter how choked up we may be.  Our first day to try to restore some normalcy to our lives whether it be by just going to work or making that extra time to talk to or see our close friends and family.  Our first day to take back our marathon.

See, the Boston Marathon is not only the world's oldest marathon, but it's the best one going.  The entire city becomes one big family, with over 500,000 spectators cheering on over 25,000 runners as they battle their way from Hopkinton over Heartbreak Hill, past Boston College and down Beacon and Bolyston Street.  But Monday a different battle had to be fought.  The two explosions created an unthinkable war zone that knocked runners from their feet, blew out store windows, destroyed grandstands, sent shrapnel flying and brought this great city to its knees.

Today is Day One.  Day One of William Richard's life without his eight-year-old son, Martin, who was taken away from him by this senseless and cowardly attack.  Day One for those injured in local hospitals to wake up with missing limbs and crippling injuries.

Standing on the marathon course from outside my apartment on Beacon Street, I made the decision to stay away from the news as it was being reported around 3 p.m.  I chose to stay put and cheer those people on who have dedicated themselves to pushing through 26.2 miles for a long list of amazing reasons that make this event what it is.  Whether they were running for Boston Children's Hopsital, the Wounded Warrior Project or just because their friends told them they couldn't finish the whole thing in a cheeseburger costume, cheering was my coping mechanism.

Watching people with numbers pinned to their shirts whipping out their cell phones and slowing to a walk was heart-wrenching.  A woman came up to me as the crowd thinned, and with a look of concern I can't shake, asked me if she would be able to finish the Boston Marathon.  Me, the same person who hours earlier was with a group of my closest friends, holding a sign for the runners that said, "stop if you want beer!"

But today is Day One.  Day One for Boston to come together and find their coping mechanism.

It's fitting that today be a bright sunny day in this city, because while we have been knocked down, Boston will never stay down.  On this sunny day, people will come together for the victims, for the runners who never finished and for those who will never get another opportunity to finish.  Boston is strong.  Boston is ready.  While there will forever be a scar on our hearts and on this city, the Boston Marathon will never be taken from us.

Boston Strong