Anyway, of all things to happen, Hideo Nomo, in his Red Sox debut, throws the first no-hitter in over 35 years for the club. Nomo was simply awesome, other than the three walks he yielded he was untouchable and racked up eleven strikeouts on the way to the first win of the season for the Sox.

Now don't get too excited, i'm not trying to deflate this milestone, but don't go around preaching that Nomo is the greates pitcher in the world. I doubt he'll pitch this well the next time out, if he can pitch half as well the rest of the season, then i'll be happy, and things are going to start looking very good for this staff.

Probably the most amazing thing about the performance was that he had just come off a spring where he went 0-3 with an ERA over 11. Wait a minute, what had I been saying about Spring Training right along? It's Meaningless! And Nomo just proved it with his performance tonight. This is also a reason I do not agree with Jimy's decision to bench Bichette (though he would be out regardless right now with Manny as the DH), come season time, true colors emerge, and I have no doubt Dante will play himself back into the line-up.

The story offensively was bleak, but it got the job done. Brian Daubach accounted for all the Sox runs with two home runs. A two-run shot in the third, along with a solo job in the eigth.

The rest of the team pretty much fissled, but some credit has to be given to Os starter Sydney Ponson who also pitched a very good game. As a team the Os struck out 13 Red Sox batters, a number that sorley needs to change if the offense is going to get moving at all.

Manny Ramirez whiffed two more times, climbing that total to four for the season in only two games. But just remember, Manny saw very little Major League pitching during the spring, it's going to take a week or so for him to get his timing down. He'll come around, don't worry.

But it was a win, and no matter how they come, it's always a good thing. Frank Castillo will make his Red Sox debut tonight, if he makes it to the sixth inning, that will be three games in a row that the Sox starter has done so. I'm not sure that feat (if you want to call it that), was accomplished all last year.

Go Sox!

paul@redsox2000.com