The first of the five straight wins the Red Sox have was 9-2. Convincing, but just one win. It would've been easy to imagine them falling right back into the slump.
The second win almost was that loss that sent them back into the slump, but for Will Middlebrooks' big hit that completed Fernando Rodney's blown save.
The third win, 3-2, came only in extra innings, once again just barely enough.
Saying at that point that the Red Sox were back...well, they'd won three, but it didn't feel like they were really all the way back. The good news is that those wins helped to keep them above water. They floated, treaded, call it what you will, but by just barely eeking out those wins, when they really went off for twelve runs on Saturday, it was the fourth game of their win streak, not an abberation in a losing streak. And wen they took a fairly comfortable 5-1 decision on Sunday to sweep the Twins, it was clear that this was once again becoming the norm.
The Red Sox could lose tonight. The White Sox aren't great, but, y'know, things happen in baseball. But thanks to those two middle wins, it's not going to invite any questions if they do.
On the other hand, they could always just win, which would be a lot more fun.
Go Sox!