Mets v. Red Sox, Game 1

Tonight was the first game of the Mets–Red Sox interleague series. The Sox won 8 - 4, but that's the least of what there is to say about the game. Here's the capsule "highlights":

• The game. Alay Soler had poor control and was pounded. Even many of the outs he recorded were hit very hard. On the other hand, Jon Lester was barely hit hard at all. He was wild though, which would worry me a bit if I were a Sox fan, but overall he seemed in control. Reyes was banged up when he was thrown out at home plate by Manny, but he stayed in the game. Nady was taken out after being hit in the wrist by a pitch. We (Lynn and I) knew the game wasn't going our way when Lastings completely misplayed a flyball near the Green Monster. Actually, I thought all three Mets outfielders looked shaky on flyballs for most of the early innings. Not sure why.
• The ceremonies. Unbeknownst to me prior to today, the Sox staged a commemoration of the 1986 ALCS Champion Red Sox team today. While Bill Buckner couldn't attend (he's apparently in Washington state visiting a college with one of his children, but the Red Sox want him to know he's welcome back any time), luminaries such as Bruce Hurst, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, and Wade Boggs (booooo Yankee!) were in attendance. Was quite enjoyable to have no qualms about celebrating that 1986 team along with all the Sox fans.
• In enemy territory. For the most part, our interactions with Red Sox fans were friendly and good-natured. Two twenty-something Red Sox fans pointed out the guy on stilts following me around outside the stadium while holding up an "I love the Red Sox" sign (Lynn had already pointed it out), and we ended up agreeing that we all despised the Yankees. The fans around us cheered for the Sox without showing any abuse to us or the few Mets fans that were seated near us. One Sox fan nearby did yell for a body bag when Reyes was down after his collision at home plate, but I'm willing to give that one a pass. Pleasant all around, though it appeared less so for some fans in the bleachers.
• The foul ball. During Trot Nixon's at-bat during the first inning, he hit a screaming line drive foul down the right-field line and into the stands. Into our section in the stands. Into our section of the stands and directly at my head. Now, I don't follow the ball at baseball games very well, and Lynn knows this. So while the entire section rose as one in reaction to this line drive on the way, I stayed seated, holding my scorecard and pencil, and then when I finally saw the ball slowly raised my arms. Lynn quickly saw everything that was happening, and from her stance to my right darted out her left arm to deflect the ball away from me. She was successful, but in the process got quite the severe bruise on her left thumb/palm/wrist. We spent an inning chilling with the Fenway first aid folks who don't seem to think anything's broken, but we'll keep an eye on it for the next few days. Who knows what would have happened if Lynn hadn't reached out her arm, but I feel pretty special to know that my wife risked herself to protect me. I also feel pretty badly about how the ball injured her, but I'll take care of her and make sure she's back to full health by the next time an errant baseball comes our way.

Our seats tomorrow are in the bleachers, so I don't think there'll be any line drives to worry about, per se.