LEWISTON – Nervous energy surged through the crowd before the first pitch was thrown. Optimism for the Olde Towne Team reigned supreme through the seventh inning.

Game strategies were discussed and predictions were made. Small arguments broke out before the players had taken the field, but almost everyone at Fast Breaks agreed on one thing: Game 7 between the Red Sox and New York Yankees was the most significant baseball match-up they could recall.

“Oh, this is definitely the biggest game I can remember,” said 28-year-old Dan Mellen, decked out in a Red Sox hat and jersey. “It’s incredible. It’s awesome.”

Like just about every sports bar in the area, Fast Breaks on Lisbon Street was jammed with baseball fans Thursday night. Most of them were Sox devotees eager to see if their team could get past the Yankees to advance to the World Series.

It was a monumental game of monumental importance.

“I’ve waited all my life for this, to be honest,” said 23-year-old Scott Corriveau. “I’ve got to see the Sox go all the way.”

When Trot Nixon hit a two-run homer in the second inning, the crowd at Fast Breaks erupted. The Sox were on the board first. Nobody was ready to count the Yanks out yet, but confidence was growing.

“The Yankees have won it enough. It’s time for the Red Sox,” said 30-year-old Kevin Dube.

Waiting to counter the confidence among Red Sox fans was 33-year-old Brian Ducharme. He sat at a table wearing a Yankees hat and jersey. He was surrounded by Sox fans but more than happy to boast about his team.

“Going to Fenway like this can be a little dangerous. But I wasn’t afraid to come here,” said Ducharme, who has been a Yankees fan since he watched Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in the 1977 World Series.

“I have a lot of friends who are Sox fans and most of my family is,” Ducharme said. “Hey, I want them to break the curse, too – just not through the Yankees.”

Ducharme’s enthusiasm was drowned out somewhat when the Sox went up 3-0 on a second inning error.

“I think they’re just starting to heat up,” said Jamey Ranta, 26. “I’m confident. I’ve been confident all season.”

“Their bats are on fire,” said Mellen.

Sitting at the bar, Erica Brooks was nursing a mudslide and waiting for her brother. She wasn’t always a big baseball fan, she said. But this year, she got caught up in Red Sox fever . Now she was hooked.

“I really wanna see them win this,” she said. “I like Nomar Garciaparra. They’re just a good team all around.”

Baseball fever was pretty much rampant around the Twin Cities Thursday night. At Gippers Sports Grill in Auburn, a bartender described the bar as “more than full” of sports fans. Same deal at Chances Pub on Main Street in Lewiston.

At Lewiston Central Fire Station on College Street, a handful of firefighters were gathered in front of the television, trying to catch the action in between calls.

Police in Lewiston and Auburn had to resign themselves to listening to the game on the radio or trying to catch an inning or two on the tube during lunch breaks.

At the Androscoggin County Jail, minimum security inmates were able to watch the game until 11:30 p.m. Maximum security inmates were locked up before the game got started. Jail employees were able to tune in for the game as long as everything was peaceful at the facility.

Back at Fast Breaks, waitresses were doing their part to support the Red Sox, donning team hats and jerseys as they served drinks.

“I even have the cowboy boots,” one of them said. “Cowboy up, baby!”

The outfit befitting the Red Sox rallying cry seemed to be working – the Sox were still up 4-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Fans were starting to sniff a trip to the World Series.

Not many of them wanted to hear about the possibility of the Sox losing. Not when they’d come this far and taken an early lead against the Yankees.

Ranta was willing to at least mull the question. He thought it over and decided he would not abandon the Red Sox, no matter how the game turned out.

“Regardless,” he said. “They’ve had a great year.”

mlaflamme@sunjournal.com

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