I don't know if Scott Podsednik had hit a walk-off home run in the Major Leagues before tonight, and I'm too lazy to look it up. But I'd be surprised if it's not his last walk-off.

Anyway, for the next couple of days while the teams travel to Houston, all the fans and pundits will be talking about the Jermaine Dye HBP in the seventh inning. Yes, the pitch didn't actually hit him. Who knows what would have happened with another 3-2 pitch to Dye? (By the way, Bagwell or Biggio would have been much more successful at getting hit by that pitch. They do it like it's their job--wait, intentionally getting hit by pitches is their job.) Hell, part of baseball is using subtle means to sell your case to the umpire, be it a catcher "framing" pitches, a runner calling for time after a close play at a base, a fielder holding up the ball after a close tag, or a batter hinting at a step toward first after a close pitch on a three-ball count. Should Dye have turned around and said, "No, Mr. Umpire, I didn't actually get hit. I think I'll decline the free trip to first that you just awarded me"? No, just the same way the Astros first basement didn't need to tell the umpire, "No, Iguchi was safe getting back on that pickoff attempt. In fact, Petitte balked like crazy--Iguchi should be awarded second base."

Now they're off to Houston, where hopefully my Sox can finish off the 'Stros in that ridiculous ballpark with a superfluous man-made hill, a silly flagpole, a Little League-distance left-field home run wall, an electric current-filled outfield fence, and an alligator-laden moat behind the warning track.