Every so often, a team needs to make a statement about who they are. I think this game made quite a few statements:

1. Never underestimate this year’s Sox. Down 5-0, they quickly came back by scoring five runs of their own in the 2nd.

2. Dice-K isn’t Johan Santana quite yet. The gyroball doesn’t fool anybody when you can’t throw any of your other six pitches for strikes.

3. This is not your father’s bullpen (if your father happened to be born in 2005 or 2006…I’m not going to ask). 4 IP, 0 R. The most impressive part? That was without Oki and Paps.

4. Papi’s a lover, not a fighter. How many other players would hug the second basement when getting tagged out? (Thanks to Surviving Grady for the picture.)

5. Manny’s being Manny again. A 2-run shot to left for the lead in the 4th, followed by the go-ahead solo bomb to right with 2 down in the 8th and a 3-2 count.

That last one might be the most dangerous statement of all.