Essay
Lump this in with Bucky Dent's homer into the net, the Bambino's Curse and all the other Yankees-Red Sox subplots that are as numerous as the hundreds of hot dog wrappers strewn about the Stadium last night after the Bombers lost a wind-blown Game 6: It's Pedro vs. the Rocket tonight, Game7 of the AL Championship Series, a trip to the World Series at stake. As Derek Jeter put it, "It doesn't get any bigger than this in the rivalry." Or anywhere else, really. The Red Sox forced a deciding game with a stirring comeback yesterday after blowing an early three-run lead, beating reliever Jose Contreras, the pitcher they coveted last winter but ultimately lost to the Yanks. Boston scored three times in the seventh, getting the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded walk by reliever Felix Heredia, and padded its lead in the ninth with two more to clinch a 9-6 victory. It set up a rematch between Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens, the starters in the brawl-marred Game 3. And the Sox impressed the one guy who probably loathes them more than anyone - George Steinbrenner. Before leaving the park last night, Steinbrenner was asked about the Red Sox and acknowledged, "They're tough." High praise from someone who has made trades or signed players simply to keep the Red Sox from improving. Now they have improved so much they are in the position knock off the Yankees, which would bring an early frost in the Bronx.