For virtually all of the season, J.D. Drew has been mired in a slump (my nice way of saying not producing). But lately he has been tearing the cover off the ball and it couldn’t come at a better time as the Sox approach the start of the playoffs. The biggest of Drew’s three hits on the night was a decisive 3-run homer off of Nick Blackburn in the 7th which would end up giving the Sox a 6-4 come-from-behind win over the Twinkies. In his last 9 games, he is hitting 13 for 32 (.406), 3 homers and 12 rbi’s. Pretty decent numbers if you asked me.

The game was scoreless until the top of the 3rd inning. Rondell White, playing his final games in his MLB career, led off with a huge blast over the Green Monster off of Sox starter Tim Wakefield. Wake then get Brian Buscher and Luis Rodriguez to fly out and finished off the inning by getting Jason Bartlett to ground out to Royce Clayton at short.

The local nine had a good chance to score off of Carlos Silva in their half of the third. Coco Crisp led off with a ground-rule double to deep center that easily would have been a triple had it not bounced into the seats. Silva got Alex Cora to fly out for the first out. With Manny Ramirez at the plate, Coco easily stole third base. Manny ended up striking out and Mike Lowell flew out and just like that Silva got out of the inning.

Joe Mauer, who was not supposed to play in the series, hit a one out home run off Wake to give the Twins a 2-0 lead. Wake finished off that inning by getting Torii Hunter and reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau.

Drew started the 4th inning off with a triple and came around to score on a Kevin Youkilis double to cut the Twins lead to 2-1. Jacoby Ellsbury reached on an infield single with Youk staying on second. Clayton ended the inning as he grounded into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play.

The Twins struck again in the 6th inning. Jason Tyner led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch by Wakefield. Mauer brought in Tyner with a single to push the lead back up to two runs. Wake then got Hunter to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Morneau ended the inning with a ground out to Cora.

My Red Sox MVP, Lowell, got the Sox back to a two run deficit as he crushed a home run into the Monster seats. Drew would ground out to Silva and Youk followed that with a single. Silva got Ellsbury to fly out and ended the inning by striking out Wake’s personal catcher Doug Mirabelli.

Wake’s final inning would be the 7th. He worked a perfect 1-2-3 inning. Wake went 7 innings, gave up 6 hits, 4 runs (3 earned), no walks and struck out one.

The Sox would deliver their knockout blow in their half of the 7th. Blackburn took over for Silva and got Clayton for the first out. Coco followed that with a single and he would go to second on a Cora single. After a Manny strikeout, Lowell singled in Coco to cut the lead to 4-3. Cora advanced to third on the play. Drew then delivered the left handed uppercut as he hit a three-run home run into the seats into the right field seats to give the Sox a 6-4 lead. Youk flew out to end the inning.

Javier Lopez came on for Wake and worked a perfect inning in the 8th. The Sox went quietly in their half.

Hideki Okajima came out to close the game off instead of our dancing closer, Jonathan Papelbon. Mauer led off with a single and was pinch-run for by Lew Ford. Hunter moved Ford over to third with a single. Okie bore down and struck out Morneau. He finished off the game by getting Michael Cuddyer to ground into a 1-4-3 game-ending double play.

With the win tonight and Cleveland’s 4-3 loss to Kansas City, the Red Sox have clinched the best overall record in MLB. Now we will await the decision of which schedule the Red Sox will choose. Julian Tavarez, instead of Curt Schilling, will take the ball in the season finale. Gametime is 2:05 PM and if you’re watching the game on NESN, look for my mom in the Green Monster seats.

Notes and musings:

Boxscore

As stated above, Schilling will not pitch in the game tomorrow. This probably means he will be your game two starter in the ALDS.

Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Julio Lugo and Julian Tavarez were not present to celebrate with the Sox last night. They had left after showering.

Big Papi got the night off to rest his aching parts. So did Dustin Pedroia all though he entered the game for defensive purposes in the 9th.

Jon Lester will throw 2 innings out of the bullpen tomorrow. Eric Gagné and Jonathan Papelbon will also get some work in the game as well.

You have until October 2nd to get your votes in for President of Red Sox Nation. So go get voting. SOX & Dawgs is endorsing RemDawg for President.