Another close game. Another blown save. Another heart attack. Another fantastic ending. Another sigh of relief. Another game gained on the MFY.

Last night the Sox needed 12 innings to beat the Orioles, winning 7-6 on Cabrera's walk off homerun. Sure, there were a ton of exciting moments. Ortiz hit his 40th homerun, a 2 run shot, to give the Sox a 6-5 lead. Mientkiewicz made a tremendous leap to grab a Palmeiro line drive and rob him of a hit in extra innings. And of course, there was Cabrera's walk-off homerun, his first at Fenway. But the most exciting play of the game came at the top of the 12th inning, moments before Cabrera finished it off.

3 - 2 - 4.

Bases loaded, one out, and Jay Gibbons at the plate. Leskanic was one blooper away from becoming Public Enemy #1 at Fenway, until Friday night, anyway. Gibbons hits it hard to the Minty Freshest of all first basemen, and it looks like the Sox will settle for one out at home. But oh, do not underestimate the sheer brilliance of the new and improved Red Sox infield. Mientkiewicz fired it to Varitek for the out at home, and Tek, wasting no time, found an opening and rifled the ball to Pokey, who was covering for Eyechart at first.

3 - 2 - 4.

The planets had to be aligned perfectly for this play to be pulled off. A perfect charge of the ball by Mientkiewicz. Brilliant vision and a laser of a throw from Tek. And Pokey's forsight to cover 1st when Leskanic was busy watching the play in awe, along with 34,000 others at Fenway.

After the game, the clubhouse was still buzzing about the heads up effort, and no one was happier about it than Leskanic, who was bailed out of a potentially crushing situation. "That's the first time I've actually seen that one, 3-2-4. I think I might have turned it on Nintendo a long time ago but back then it wasn't even Nintendo. I think it was Intellivision."

Last night, we got a good look at the new and improved Red Sox. The shortstop who rushes back from Colombia, where his wife was having surgery, to beg Francona to put him in the lineup, even though he's functioning on just a few hours of sleep. The first baseman who will do anything to steal a hit away from the opposition. The brand spankin' new gold glove infield that has Red Sox Nation praying for more ground balls, just for a chance to see something magical happen before their eyes.

Last night, at the top of the 12th, with the bases loaded and one out, there was magic in the air. And something tells me there's much more to come.