Has anyone noticed how Boston is dropping like a stone? And other takeaways from a DC night

For a while now, the Redsocks have been extra obnoxious - even for their hissy-pissy standards - since running wild in July and nearly sending Jose Trevino into therapy.  If I have to hear any more crapola about their youth tsunami - (btw, the next Jeter, Marcelo Mayer has been shut down for the season with a creaky lumbar) - I'll chant "Youkilis-Youkilis-Youkilis!" to summon Lauren Boebert from the groping darkness. 

Boston is on the verge of being bypassed by our hateful pals in Tampa - (still a game below .500.) Life is sweet when the Redsocks have lost five straight.

Other ruminations following last night's win over a lineup with not one name I'd ever heard before. 

1. Yesterday, the Yankees signed Duke Ellis, who once pitched a no-hitter while on LSD off the scrap heap. Interesting. The guy can fly. This year, between Triple A and the White Sox, he's stolen 51 bases, been caught 4 times. Four. Keep in mind, those 51 bases came without Duke hitting a lick. He must run every time he gets on. Second and third. 

Imagine him as our 10th inning "ghost" runner, and hey, maybe we'll win one. Could he be our post-season Dave Roberts? Way I see it, at worst, in a close game, this guy pinch running will terrorize the pitcher. I like this move. 

2. Last night, nearly all our offense came from the bottom of the lineup. What a concept. If the Yankees get production from Volpe, Verdugo, Jazz and DJ - and add Austin Wells, one of the AL's most promising young catchers - and who knows? For the last month, you could feel pitchers exhale after getting through Soto/Judge/Stanton. If the bottom five can hit, there is no reason why we can't win this division. 

Seriously. No wild card race. We must win the division and take home field advantage. That, or nothing.

3. Nasty Nestor Cortez pitched courageously last night, striking out three batters in the 6th with runners on second and third. He remains a streak pitcher and potential secret weapon in October. Nestor's shrinking ERA - 3.89 - ranks 22nd in the AL, just after Marcus Stroman (3.88) among qualifiers. 

Nobody's gonna win the Cy Young this year. But with Clarke Schmidt returning - fingers crossed - we should be able to keep a fresh rotation through September.

4. Jittery moment last night when Anthony Volpe's head bonked into the shortstop's knee while stealing second. How could you NOT remember Anthony Rizzo's concussion last season, which still threatens his career. 

Volpe is always outrunning his helmet, even on routine grounders. Last night, it almost cost him. This is one of those tidbits that make you say, WTF? For example, Verdugo's hands have been blistered because it turns out that he's allergic to his batting gloves. Are you kidding me? Really? 

Why can't the Yankees fit Volpe with a helmet that sticks? Last night was a nice Yankee victory. If they had lost Volpe to a concussion, it could have been a travesty. WTF?