Game 5: A routine Boston win

Boston closer Koji Uehara
and catcher David Ross react
at the end of Monday's game.

Something odd happened in Game 5 Monday night: It was a routine baseball game.

There was no blown call reversed by the convention of umpires.

The winning run did not score on a wild throw.

There was no decisive call of obstruction.

The final out didn't come on a pickoff.

Neither team committed an error.

A rotation mainstay wasn't bought out in relief for a crucial inning.

Heck, the game didn't even last three full hours -- a major rarity for any game involving the Red Sox, and almost impossible in the World Series, given Fox's desire to cram in every possible commercial while inflicting histrionic performances of patriotic songs on its audience.

It was just a nice, normal 3-1 game with two quality starting pitchers. I'd almost forgotten that kind of game.

And now the Red Sox get to go back to their cozy, familiar home grounds needing just one more win to take its third World Series title in 10 seasons.