Hardball Heaven

Being the superstitious zealots that we are, it would have been a huge no-no in the past to assume certainty in any form or fashion when it comes to the Red Sox. Just like Charlie Brown always assumed the ball would be there when Lucy was holding it for him.

But after last night's 10-5 win over the Rockies in Game 3, this series is officially over. The Rox can win tonight but then have to go up against Josh Beckett in Game 5.

Worse yet, the Rockies may have given their best punch last night and they failed to land the knockout they desperately needed. The Sox sprinted out to a 6-0 lead, with Dice K pitching and hitting well, but the Rockies kept scrapping and it cut to 6-5 on a Matt Holliday homer of Hideki Okajima in the 7th. After that the youngsters - Ellsbury and Pedroia - took control of the game with big run-scoring hits in the 8th to give the Sox some breathing room.

The Rockies have to be completely deflated. Tonight's Game 4 features a storybook start for Jon Lester, who finds himself pitching in the biggest game of his life only a year after being treated for cancer. The Rockies throw Aaron Cook, who has also come back from some health issues. Hard to predict what will happen, but you have to like the Sox' chances against Cook, and if Lester can keep it close for 5 or 6... well, order up the Duck Boats and get that parade graphic in the Globe pronto.

It is truly hard to comprehend the fact that we're on the verge of our second World Series title in four years. My daughter is 5, and has seen 2 in her lifetime. Her father just turned 40. Spoiled brat. Our kids are never going to be subjected to the curse talk that shaped our baseball souls for so long. And that's a good thing.

This particular route to the World Series eerily resembles the 2004 path. We got hot at the right time and came back from big deficits (3-0 to NY, 3-1 to Cleveland) to win the AL pennant -- and then we went on to completely dominate the NL team in the World Series (4-0 sweep vs. St. Louis; 3-0 vs. Colorado).

Yet another epic sporting day here in Winnerville. We shift our attention away from baseball to NFL football and see if our Patriots can lay another whupping on the Redskins. And then right after that, it should be about time for Game 4 of the World Series, and a chance to see some more history in the making.