Sox faithful revel in an improbable return from the brink

Horns were honking, beer was spilling, and loyal Red Sox fans were all smiles early this morning after Boston staged a furious comeback and shocked Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the American League championship at Fenway Park.

Thousands of devoted members of Red Sox Nation streamed out of the ballpark, ecstatic after watching their team battle from a 7-0 deficit and the edge of elimination to a wild, walkoff 8-7 win.

A few admitted they had to overcome their own misgivings as the Sox were overcoming the Rays.

"We said, 'If they don't score in the seventh,' we'll leave," said Steve McKenna, a salesman from Quincy, who couldn't contain his happiness along with the other fans spilling out of the park this morning. "What a game! What a game!"

Mark Collins and his 9-year-old son, Matthew, from Lynnfield, were glad they stayed,

"It was his first playoff game," Mark Collins said, before their drive home. "It was the greatest," Matthew added.

Patrick Riley from North Redding said it was the best 11th birthday present he could have asked for. "It was really good," the excited youth said.

"I'm glad we stayed," his dad, Rick Riley, a Cambridge police officer, added. "We might be in trouble with mom though."

Michael Winters, a middle school counselor from Portsmouth, N.H., said it was worth staying out late on a school night.

"It was unbelievable. Holy Toledo," Winters said. "I couldn't believe the number of people who left and then came back. It was like the perfect storm."

And Catherine Whelihan, 25, of Allston, and Heather Carpenter, 24, of East Boston, said they were sore from screaming, but their battle wounds - and rough day at work today - are worth it.

"My hands hurt from clapping and my throat hurts from screaming so much, but it was awesome," said Carpenter, who teaches anger management to inmates.

"It was really awesome," Whelihan said. "We were about to leave in the top of the 8th. It's going to be a long day at work."

Donna Casey, a school nurse from Middletown, R.I., stayed to watch the game even after her ride left. "It's typical Red Sox fashion - winning at the last minute," Casey said. "It's definitely worth the drive.

"You don't get to see this too often."