This was truly a game of epic proportions. The Astros were up. Then the Sox were up. Lidge came and went. And that was all in the first nine innings.

That’s right – game 3 lasted an entirely ridiculous 14 innings, close to six hours. By the twelfth inning I actually stopped caring who won; I just wanted someone to get it over with so I could go to bed. Not to say that it wasn’t an absolutely amazing game. We were witness to fourteen and eight hits for the Sox and the Astros respectively, and a surprising four total errors during the game (three by the Sox, one by the Astros). Crede, still my pick for MVP, had a home run and a single, and Dye and Podsednik both had two hits as well. Houston’s offense was on tonight as well; Lane homered (though it was not a game-saving hit like game 5 of the NLDS) and both he and Biggio had doubles.

As I said, though, the big excitement didn’t even occur until the top of the fourteenth inning. The score had been tied since way back in the eighth. Both teams’ were quickly running out of available pitchers and position players, and the Astros turned to Astacio to pitch to Dye, Konerko, and Geoff Blum. Dye singled, Konerko grounded into a double play (subtract one million off that contract), and then Blum hit a homer to give Chicago the lead. Wait, what?! Who?! As a San Diegan, I am familiar with “The Blummer” as he was a Padres bench man earlier this season, but you may remember him as an Astro (coincedentally) in 2002. Since being traded to Chicago this summer, though, he has been pretty low-key, hitting just .200 in the 31 games he was a part of. To be honest, I actually forgot he was even on this team until they showed him sitting in the dugout tonight! I think Blum is aware of his “forgettability” and was on a mission to make the most of his one big shot, a la Aaron Boone circa 2003. We should advise him not to go breaking any ankles playing basketball in the off season.

The game ended with Mark Buehrle coming out for the final batter of the bottom half of the 14th, who used just three pitches to get Everett to pop out and end the game. The loss tonight brings the Astros down to their last chance tomorrow night. The Astros need to win all four of the remaining games to win the title. Will Backe start a huge rally for the team tomorrow, or will the Sox keep on rolling over Houston for a sweep? I’m betting on the sweep myself, but after tonight’s marathon game, who knows?