Marathon

Five hours and ten minutes after it began, Game 2 of the ALCS ended with a most unlikely hero crossing home plate for the winning run.

Jerry Hairston, who didn’t see any game action in the 2009 postseason until the 13th inning of tonight’s classic, led off the frame with a single. Before the inning ended, Hairston touched home plate and sent the Yankees to the West Coast with a two-game lead in the ALCS.

Before Hairston’s heroics, it snowed, it rained, it snowed again, rained again and then dried up.

Oh yeah, and Alex Rodriguez hit another magical home run to tie the game in the bottom of the 12th off Angels closer Brian Fuentes. A-Rod’s legend has been redefined again and again in the last nine days. Between Oct. 9 and Oct. 17, A-Rod hit three game-tying home runs in the seventh inning or later. To properly put into perspective just how incredible that feat is, consider this: In Major League Baseball history, no player has ever hit three postseason game-tying or game-winning home runs — in their entire career. Again, A-Rod hit that milestone in a period of nine days.

I have to run because I have a plane to catch and a happy six-hour flight ahead.

–Alfred Santasiere III