Earlier tonight, during a brief break in the game between the Red Sox and Nationals, television cameras caught Washington leftfielder Alfonso Soriano talking to a cameraman stationed inside the Green Monster.  The two appeared to be having a nice little chat, parting amicably when the game resumed.

What might have been going through the mind of one Manny Ramirez as he watched this exchange from home plate, where he was trying to prepare for an at-bat?  Sure, Soriano and the unnamed cameraman were only talking, but the left field wall is well known to be Manny's personal sanctuary, the place he goes when the world just gets too overwhelming.  That's his Wall, his cameraman.  Looking at that sordid scene three hundred feet away -- the interloper Soriano leaning casually against the Wall, the cameraman anxiously hanging on every word -- must have hurt him deeply.

It didn't take Manny too long to make his feelings known: he ripped an RBI single to left literally seconds later, where Soriano fielded it and paused for a moment to consider the error of his ways.  They didn't show the cameraman again, but I'm sure a single tear was rolling down his cheek as he silently vowed never to hurt Manny again.

Thank goodness Soriano didn't actually go into the door in the Wall for a brief visit; Manny might have hit the next pitch over the Mass Pike.

Oh yeah, this is probably important too: rookie lefthander Jon Lester allowed one run on three hits with ten strikeouts in six innings.  If he can come approximate those numbers in future starts, the Red Sox might have one less spot in the rotation to worry about.