So much about this game is familiar - the attendance is back down (23,533), the weather is cool again (73 degrees at first pitch and I had to put on my jacket by the end of the game), ups and downs and ups and downs and ups.

The game lasted 4:05, the longest I've been to without a rain delay in some time. It hurt to watch. It was disgusting and exhilarating.

Jose Contreras is pitching an erratic game, not nearly as bad as his last few outings but no where near his potential. The entire pitching staff makes me anxious with every single damn pitch lately - I mean, you really don't know who is showing-up at the mound at what the ball is going to do when they release it. It's scary, not to mention the entire damn offensive staff when you just don't know who you can count on regularly for a hit, a sacrifice to move somebody over. Hell, you don't know if anybody can get on base...

The game is tied 4-4 in the 6th, and we go into extra innings tied. Neal Cotts pitched OK in the 8th and 9th and gets 2 strikeouts in the 10th, but the next thing you know, he gives up 2 2-run homers. We're losing 8-4 in the 10th and it's looking like an extension of last night (We lost 11-10 in 10 innings).

Wilson Valdezcomes in for Jose Valentin and gets a pinch hit single, Ben Davis flies out to center, and my whipping-boy Joe Borchard homers (he's still batting .158). OK, we're halfway there... Timo Perez comes in for Joe Crede and doubles to right (I love those hits - they're right in front of our section as they scream down the line) and Aaron Rowand homers to left. TIED! The substitutions worked, but that's as far as we get, and we go further into the night...

In the bottom of the 12th, Ben Davis grounds-out 1-3, my boy Joe Borchard walks, Jamie Burke grounds out 5-3 and Borchard goes to 2nd.

Aaron Rowand hits a slow grounder to 3rd and is running his ass off. Borchard gets a good jump and is running his ass off. Rowand beats the throw for a single, Borchard scores - game over and WE WIN!

BEST FINISH TO A GAME THAT I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME...

(Boxscore)