"Before batting practice, Paul Konerko was sought out by his fourth grade teacher from his days in Providence, RI.

Konerko mentioned later that he was greeted by the coach of his older brother's youth team, where Konerko served as a 5-year-old bat boy.

"They come out of the woodwork," said Konerko, who lived in Providence until he was 11.

Nevertheless, Konerko gave his supporters plenty to cheer about by hitting the go-ahead single in the seventh inning off reliever Matt Albers and ripping a two-run home run in the ninth off closer Jonathan Papelbon that manager Ozzie Guillen described as the hit of the game because it extended the Sox's lead to 7-4.

Konerko seemed to feed more off the buzz at Fenway Park than the spartan conditions.

"You definitely get an energy here that when you're going through the long haul of a season, you come in for three games and playing three games here isn't the same as playing in another stadium," Konerko said. "There's an energy that you get that you don't get at other places. So it's a help if you use it right."

As for the significance of the three-game sweep, Konerko didn't get giddy."