Red Sox vs. Rays, ALCS Game 5
The Red Sox have completed the largest comeback ever by a team facing playoff elimination, defeating the Rays, 8-7, on Drew's walk-off ground-rule double/single over the head of Rays right fielder Gabe Gross to score Youkilis. The Red Sox were down 7-0 following the sixth inning, but scored four in the seventh, three in the eighth, and the winner in the ninth. Drew had previously hit a two-run homer to make it 7-6 in the eighth. It's pandemonium at Fenway Park. The Sox trail in the series, three games to two, and will board a plane bound for St. Petersburg, Fla. tonight.
Youkilis started the two-out ninth inning rally. He chopped the ninth pitch of his at-bat to third. Longoria made a fantastic backhanded, charging stop. He threw on the run and bounced a thrown Pena could not glove. The ball bounded into the stands behind first, and Youkilis jetted to second. He was given a single, and Longoria was charged with an error on the throw. Howell intentionally walked Bay, bringing up Drew, a lefty facing a lefty.
Pedroia narrowly missed a leadoff hit, grounding to third-short hole. The ball trickled off Longoria's glove, but Bartlett scooped it and fired to first for the out. With a 1-1 count, Ortiz tried to bunt down the third base line for the first in this series, but he pushed it foul. Maybe that wasn't the best time to try that. On the next pitch, he swung over an 81-mph slider for strike three.
Unreal.
SOX CAN WIN NOW (12:00, MID 9, 7-7)
Masterson extricated himself from a jam with one pitch, getting Pena to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play with two men on. Jason Bartlett singled sharply throught the left side to begin the inning. Iwamura flied to left, unable to move Bartlett for Upton. Masterson walked Upton, bringing up Pena with one out.
If the Red Sox win, it would be the second biggest comeback victory in playoff history. Eight runs is the record, set when the A's beat the Cubs in the 1929 World Series.
J.P. Howell is now pitching for the Rays.
ALL TIED UP (11:49, END 8, 7-7)
The Red Sox have completed one of the greatest single-game playoff comebacks of all-time, scoring seven runs in two innings to come back from the dead. Crisp submitted an amazing at-bat, fouling off four straight 3-2 pitches. On the 10th pitch of the at-bat, Crisp lined the ball into right field. He was thrown out at second after Gross's throw in was cut off.
Justin Masterson is coming in to pitch the ninth. Kevin Cash is the new catcher. After Masterson, the only pitchers remaining are Lopez, Mike Timlin, and Paul Byrd.
KOTSAY DOUBLES (11:41, MID 8, 7-6 RAYS)
Sean Casey pinch hit for Varitek and struck out, but Kotsay followed with what seems like his 54th line drive of the series. This time, finally, it fell, glancing off the glove of B.J. Upton in center. Man on second, two outs for Crisp.
No matter what, Ortiz will come to the plate with a chance to at least send the game to extra innings.
SOX KNOCKING ON THE DOOR (11:34, BOT 8, 7-6 RAYS)
Bay led off with a four-pitch walk, the absolute last thing Wheeler wanted. Well, actually, that came two pitches later. Drew crushed an 0-1 pitch into the right field stands, to the right of the Rays' bullpen. Wheeler remains in the game with no outs in the eighth. Didn't see this coming.
PAPELBON CRUISES (11:30, MID 8, 7-4 RAYS)
Papelbon helped keep what would be a remarkable comeback possible, rolling through the eighth with a pair of strike outs, blowing away Willy Aybar and Gabe Gross. Jason Bay, Drew, and Lowrie are due up for the Sox.
WHEELER GETS YOUKILIS (11:20, END 7, 7-4 RAYS)
After battling to a full count and fouling off a pitch, Youkilis smashed a liner to right, but directly at Gross, who caught the third out. Earlier in the at-bat, Wheeler buzzed a pitch at Youkilis's head. If and when these teams are fighting again next year, remember that pitch.
The Red Sox suddenly have some life. This is all of a sudden a potentially meaningful inning for Papelbon.
BIG PAPI WAKES UP (11:13, BOT 7, 7-4 RAYS)
Well, hold on just a minute. After Pedroia drove in Lowrie with an opposite field single, David Ortiz launched a 1-0 fastball from Balfour into the right field seats for a three-run dinger, his first home run in 15 postseason games and 61 at-bats. It was his 12th playoff homer as a Red Sox player, surpassing Manny Ramirez for the club record. With two outs, Maddon went with Dan Wheeler to replace Balfour, who has been the weak link for the Rays' staff all series.
KAZMIR EXITS (10:57, MID 7, 7-0 RAYS)
Joe Maddon looks like a genius after taking much flak for "overthinking" and starting Kazmir, who, lest everyone forget, was an All-Star this season. He pitched like one tonight, blowing the doors off the Red Sox in the final three innings. He allowed two hits and no runs and retired the final nine hitters he faced.
Grant Balfour is on. He gave up a lead-off double Lowrie.
THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL (10:44, TOP 7, 7-0 RAYS)
After a double steal, Upton launched a 3-2 fastball off of Papelbon high to left, a blast that nearly scraped the Monster and bounded off the top of the scoreboard. Earlier in the at-bat, Papelbon tried to reclaim the inside part of the plate that Red Sox pitchers so readily yielded all series. Ultimately, nothing works against these Rays. That two-run double ought to be your ballgame.
During the ALCS games at Fenway Park, the Rays have outscored the Red Sox 29-5. Whoa.
PAPELBON COMES ON (10:34, TOP 7, 5-0 RAYS)
Surely this isn't how Francona envisioned using his closer for the final time of the season, but Jonathan Papelbopn is jogging in from the bullpen to replace Delcarmen, who for the second straight game was wholly ineffective. The Rays have men on first and second with no outs.
A few minutes, a burly, shirtless man was attempting to get the wave going along the right field line. Much like this game in general, not a pretty sight.
KAZMIR ROLLING, SOX DONE? (10:21, END 6, 5-0 RAYS)
Kazmir may be done because he's thrown 110 pitches, but if so, he has done his job. The Red Sox managed only two hits, both singles, and no runs off him in six innings. He's retired the last nine batters he faced, concluding by breaking Drew's bat on a weak fly to center.
The Red Sox have nine outs left to stage a nearly impossible comeback.
Manny Delcarmen is in for Okajima.
SLIPPING AWAY (10:07, END 5, 5-0 RAYS)
Kazmir is only getting stronger, and the Red Sox, it seems, are going down without a fight. Ortiz ended the inning with another weak groundball, dropping him to 1 for 17 in the series. The Red Sox went in order.
Joe Maddon's decision to start Kazmir, clearly, is looking like a good choice.
OKAJIMA STARTS STRONG (9:57, MID 5, 5-0 RAYS)
Pena reached when he bunted away from the shift, but Okajima didn't allow anything else. He struck out Longoria, only the hottest hitter on the planet right now, and got Crawford to bounce to second to get out of the inning and strand two.
MATSUZAKA DONE (9:45, TOP 5, 5-0 RAYS)
In the most important start of his season, Dice-K couldn't make it past the fifth. He walked Iwamura to lead off the inning, and Terry Francona decided that would be all. Hideki Okajima is in the game. Matsuzaka threw 82 pitches and never found any command. It seems likely that Matsuzaka's season -- very much a success -- is over.
SOX WASTE ANOTHER CHANCE (9:40, END 4, 5-0 RAYS)
Drew led off with a walk, but the Red Sox couldn't even advance him past second. The Red Sox are 1 for 8 with five strikeouts with men on base tonight. Lowrie followed Drew with a groundout to third. Varitek struck out on a 3-2 count, and Kotsay struck out, looking bad flailing at a slider.
PARIS FALLS (9:28, MID 4, 5-0 RAYS)
Or, Matsuzaka got through an inning in just seven pitches. Dioner Navarro, Gabe Gross, and Jason Bartlett went down in order. To state the Red Sox desperately need to get something going on offense. Their season is down to 18 outs.
BOOS FOR ORTIZ (9:20, END 3, 5-0 RAYS)
The Red Sox went with only a single from Youkilis, which, given their offensive issues, is not all that surprising. What was stunning was the sound after Ortiz grounded to second: loud boos from the Fenway crowd. Did you ever think you'd hear boos for Jason Varitek and David Ortiz in the same ALCS played against the Rays? Strange days. Ortiz is 1 for 16 in the series.
INNING OVER (9:12. MID 3, 5-0 RAYS)
Matsuzaka struck out Cliff Floyd to end the inning, but the Rays had already done their damage. They set a new playoff series record with 13 home runs, and all of them have come in the past four games. Stunning. There's some surprise in the press box that the Rays are being allowed to swing from the heels batter after batter with no one getting knocked down, or at the very least pitched inside.
HOME RUN DERBY CONTINUES (9:09, TOP 3, 5-0 RAYS)
The Red Sox' season might be down to seven innings. Carlos Pena wrapped the first pitch he saw around Pesky's Pole, a two-run home run that also scored Upton, who had lashed a single to center. Pena has homered in three straight games. Longoria topped that with the next swing, jacking his fourth homer in four games on a 2-2 pitch over the Green Monster. I feel like I've seen this before.
John Farrell visited Matsuzaka, and Javier Lopez is warming in the Sox bullpen. This makes three straight games at Fenway that the Red Sox have been down 5-0 before the fourth inning.
KAZMIR MAKES LIKE DICE-K (9:00, END 2, 2-0 RAYS)
Kazmir has allowed one hit, four base runners, and thrown 46 pitches. But he has allowed no runs, in part because the Red Sox cannot drive in runs right now. Coco Crisp had the chance this inning, coming to the plate after Jason Varitek (hit by a pitch in the rear end) and Mark Kotsay (sharp single to center) had cobbled a two-out rally. Crisp struck out on a 2-2, 81-mph slider. Kazmir seems sharper than Matsuzaka, but not by much. Those were two long innings.
NO DAMAGE, BUT ... (8:47, MID 2, 2-0 RAYS)
Matsuzaka's aggression from Game 1 has totally abandoned him. He faced only four batters in the second, but he needed 24 more pitches. He went to 3-2 counts on four of the first eight batters. Cliff Floyd grounded the seventh pitch he saw to third. Dioner Navarro ripped one back at Matsuzaka's head. Gabe Gross fell behind 0-2, and then Matsuzaka walked him on seven total pitches; that hurt. Jason Bartlett flew to left. Not a pretty inning, given how uneventful it was on the surface.
KAZMIR SHAKY, SOX CAN'T CAPITALIZE (8:31, END 1, 2-0 RAYS)
The Red Sox drew two walks as Scott Kazmir couldn't really find his command, but Kazmir beared down when he had to. Coco Crisp led off with a walk, doing a good job being patient (something he typically does not excel at) and making Kazmir throw strikes. Kazmir has been awful lately in the first inning; the last two balls to Crisp weren't close. Dustin Pedroia worked a 2-2 count then chopped to third base.
Kazmir blew away David Ortiz on three pitches; Ortiz's swings are getting worse and worse. He looked particularly awful on strike three, swinging through an inside, 94-mph fastball. Kevin Youkilis walked on four pitches, putting a runner in scoring position with two outs. Bay popped a 2-1 changeup to shallow center, and Kazmir escaped despite two walks.
MATSUZAKA SETTLES (8:20, MID 1, 2-0 RAYS)
Dice-K came back to record three straight outs after Upton blasted a ball into the first row of the Monster seats. He struck out Carlos Pena on a nasty, 92-mph cutter, induced a fly to right from Evan Longoria, and got Carl Crawford to line to center. He threw 23 pitches, not a good sign for his longevity in this game.
IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN (8:13, TOP 1, 2-0 RAYS)
B.J. Upton will live in nightmares of Red Sox fans all season long. Nine pitches and no outs in to the game, Daisuke Matsuzaka has already surrendered a home run, a 1-1 pitch that Upton crushed over the Green Monster. Upton now has six home runs in the playoffs, three in this series.
Matsuzaka began the game with a full count, so no surprise there. On the 3-2 pitch, his countryman, Akinori Iwamura, slapped a single through the right side to put a man on first. One batter later, he trotted home.
I'm not here to talk smack, I'm not a Yankee fan, but I'm a Phillies fan and I can feel your pain as far as Big Papi not coming up big when you need him to. We have Ryan Howard that hadn't started hitting until the last game and a half but has crumbled under the pressure of men in scoring position in the playoffs. If you would have told me that Victorino would have more RBI than Howard and Ortiz combined I would have call you a liar. I want to tell you guys that Ortiz will start coming around just like Howard started to but it will be an unlikely hero that will make the big moments like Matt Stairs and Shane Victorino in Philly. I look forward to a good World Series no matter who the opponent is. Go Sox!!
Thanks for the moral support CG, but it looks like a cold Howard is going to have to stack up against an unbelievably hot Longoria, Upton, and Pena. Ortiz doesn't have enough time to break out of his slump. This thing is already over.
Need to get these guys off the plate, throw inside, knock someone down!!!!!!!!!
How many times do we have to see Coco 'The Rally Killer' Crisp up at a critical time. Game 5 is the second time he was up in the 2nd inning this series with a chance to get the Sox back into it. At least this time he didnt hit into a double play. Nevertheless, the Rays come out and hit a homer in top 3?
When is a Sox pitcher going to knock someone down!?!! You give up 11 HRs in 15 innings and nobody is brushed back or drilled in the ribs!?! Come on! Clemens, Pedro, Schilling - those guys would have stuck one in Longoria's ribs 2 games ago! Sox pitchers aren't making anybody uncomfortable in the box at all. It's a pathetic display of pitching like wimps.
No big game pitchers this year. Where is the big Schill when we need him?
Time to think about how to fix this team next year. We need a pitcher and we need a big bat or two.
alright, enough is enough.
when the h*ll are the sox pitchers going to spoil
the picnic at the plate that these Tampa hitters are enjoying?
back them off the plate! pitch inside! get them thinking!
it's part of the game.
It's all over see you next season and best of luck to Tampa Bay and Phildelphia in the world series. Red Sox you had better bring in someone who can hit behind ortiz and another starting pitcher.
It's not looking good. The Rays are just very strong. And the Sox aren't doing anything with their chances. I don't mind seeing them lose to the Rays who are a really impressive team. And the Sox have been a little shakey this year, certainly compared with last year. Losing this badly though is a little painful.
Madden is a 100% sure bet for Manager of the Year. The Boston newspaper that called him a "Dope" guaranteed that the next game played at the Trop will be against the Phillies. Bad karma is the last thing the Sox need tonight. When the Rays have a 5 run lead, they're 38-0 this year, and 3-0 in this series. End of the third. 18 outs left and the Red Sox off season will begin.
The Rays just want this more then the Sox do apparently. Those boys deserve it though, they have worked really hard to get this far. See ya next year!
The Rays just want this more then the Sox do apparently. Those boys deserve it though, they have worked really hard to get this far. See ya next year!
How dare these fans boo Ortiz !! He is obviously hurt and the last thing we need to do at this point is to alienate another Sox player. If we are going to boo someone, make it Francona, who just keeps making horid decision after horid decision (so far tonight it is bating Kotsay ninth). Let's also give MAJOR credit to Tampa...these guys hit EVERY mistake and they hit those mistakes out of the park. Sox pitchers have not been aggressive at all and have allowed Upton, Pena and Longoria to tee off without even one pitch thrown inside. The bottom line, the Rays would have still won this series even if Manny was here and playing his hardest.
I think fans booing at Ortiz are morons. Yes, he has not come through this postseason but if not for his past big hits we'd still be sitting talking abut "the curse." I don't like that they are getting their butts handed to them but booing is just foolish.
They broke Logoria's wrist the last time they hit it and look how he comes back and blasts 4 homers in 4 games during the Sox Rays series...go figure..:o) Now go ahead and paste me tonight, it is expected. GO RAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Win or lose it is still just a game.
Six left on base in the first 4 innings.
Sad, just sad...
This is painful to watch, does anyone on the Sox look like they want to get back on a plane for Tampa?
This can't be blamed on the Red Sox. The Rays are riding an incredible wave all season long and their hitting caught up with their stellar pitching. Best all-around team in the last thirty years. They could easily sweep the Phillies.
The AL East will be unbelievable next year. The Yankees will get CC Sabbithia and Manny. The Red Sox will get Gardner, Texiera and their health back. The Rays will roll out Kazmir, Shields, Garza and Price in their starting rotation with Jackson headed to the closer role. We could see all three teams win 90+ games and battle to the wire.
NO Booing! See you in Ft. Myers. Let's get healthy, develope Bucholtz and Bowden, sign another veteran pitcher for 4th and 5th spots. Time to thank Wake, Schill and Timilin fot their great service. Keep Tek but let him split it with a new catcher that can at least hit .250. Sign a big bat and Hope JD, Papi, Beckett and Jacoby find their game again. It was a sad way to end an interesting season...Anyone want to sign Manny?
I assume the Red Sox are trying, but honestly it doesn't look it. Half-hearted swings, listless playing all around. Gotta give it to Youk, he's the only one putting up a fight. Varitek just about the saddest sight I've seen.
What an embarrassment to not show up at home for three straight ALCS games in your own park. After such an awesome performance against the Angels, all the weaknesses of this team have been exposed against the Rays. We're old, Maddon has completely outmanaged and outstrategized Francona, we have no ability to come from behind, and no assertive bat in our lineup. This isn't a fluke, it's just the beginning of the Reign of the Rays for many years to come. It's been a good ride with 2004 and 2007, but this team will have to be drastically different next season just to make the playoffs.
Did you see Jason Varitek strike out? Hey Captain, why don't you hustle back to the dugout and put your pads back on instead of walking off like a dope looking at yourself on the big screen? And if you are such an astute handler of the pitching staff, why don't you call for a few pitches inside to push the Rays' hitters back? Don't you and your fellow veterans, pompous fools full of meaningless hustle, now wish Manny were here, helping you look good, because without him you look like clowns waving at flies in the dirt.
I'm from Omaha, NE. I've been a sox fan since I was 7 years old-my father used to get SI and Yaz was on the cover after winning the triple crown. I liked the name and have been a fan ever since. Went through bucky dent, billy buck, aaron boone, etc. Although I'm very disappointed in Tek, Papi, and Elsberry, I realize that you can't win it every year. Winning 2 of the last 5 is very gratifying concidering what red sox nation has been through the previous 86 years. The ALCS is ugly but let's get real, Papi is hurt, Lowell is out, and Manny is gone. Not the same team and the Rays are playing out of their minds. Be proud nation. We're OK. I love Jason Bay but I think Matt Halliday in LF next year would be a nice addition. Huh?
I'm in total agreement about the lack of aggressiveness on the part of Sox pitchers. The Rays own the plate right now and nobody is challenging them. This comes after Tek is nailed in the butt and a couple of games ago Drew was beaned in the direction of his head. At some point you gotta take a stand... for something. But we just haven't shown the guts this year.
On Francona and Kotsay in the nine-spot: my feeling was this was a very good move. Kotsay doesn't need a lot of at-bats, but has been very effective. With him batting right before you turn the order over, you have a potential rally-maker.
Watching this entire series and especially the last few games and again tonight, one has to wonder...... Can an entire team look THIS BAD for this many games in a row?? I can't help but think............anyone else know of the infamous Black Sox scandal??? If I didn't know better, I'd swear we were watching a repeat of baseball history....?
Place your bets...when will TBS start to show the "faithful" streaming out of Fenway? My money is on the 7th inning.
Hmm, Ortiz has no power with the Twins, has power virtually overnight with the Sox, and then no power. Can somebody please put 2 and 2 together here?
It's over. Rays are on a roll. Why not knock one of their guys down for crying out loud? they are way too comfortable at the plate. Oh well, We need to get matt halliday to compliment a healthy Papi in 09. I love Tek but his best days are gone. Don't boo nation 2 out of 5 ain't bad.
It's over. Rays are on a roll. Why not knock one of their guys down for crying out loud? they are way too comfortable at the plate. Oh well, We need to get matt halliday to compliment a healthy Papi in 09. I love Tek but his best days are gone. Don't boo nation 2 out of 5 ain't bad.
Wish we would have shown up this week. Sad to see us look so pathetic, but let's not turn into self-entitled Yankees fans. Lets take our beating, keep our heads up and move on. Nice problem to have when not making it to the series is SO disappointing.
Sox weren't good enough. They never had the mojo this year that they had last year, and they've picked a terrible time to play their worst ball of the year. But Tampa is and was the better team. It's not about Manny, or Francona being outmanaged by Maddon, or Papi being hurt or unprotected by the cleanup hitter, or anything about the Sox per se. Tampa is on fire, they're loaded, they're young and fresh, and they're oozing confidence. Meanwhile, the Sox are tired, hurting, slumping, and less talented. It's time to close up shop and think deeply about how to rebuild and retool. In case any of us failed to realize this after the first week of July, the AL East is now a lot tougher. These Rays aren't going away anytime soon.
It will be interesting to see how empty the bandwagon is by the time spring training comes back around. While I'm still praying for a miracle tonight, the bottom line is the Sox just weren't good enough this year. At least all the "pink hats" and corporate schmucks that are taking tickets away from good, honest fans that understand the game, will be less interested next year.
Sox fans...you're team has made it to an icon in sports and had SO much success of late. Congrats. This is a hot, young Rays team that will change the face of the AL East for several years to come. No shame in losing to this team whose turnaround rivals and may actually surpass that of the '69 Mets. Not the part of history BoSox fans want, but thanks for being part of it. Not over, nor is the WS in the bag for the Rays but wanted to tip my hat to a classy franchise before the trolls find their way in here. If the Sox make a comeback in this game, I'll be back to congratulate. As a Rays fan (one of few before this year...wanna see my ticket to the "Devil" Rays/ Tigers game 10 yrs ago?) We knew living in the cellar would be the norm, especially in the AL East, but sure is liberating seeing what post-season baseball feels like. The Sox offseason will likely make next year resemble this one. Lots of talent still left on this Boston team and a healthy Boston makes this series a contest. It actually feels good to be part of the rivalries in this division instead of looking up from the cellar. My town here in Florida is trying to steal the Sox spring training from Ft. Myers...not sure how I feel about that yet but look forward to seeing some of you in the spring on the West Coast of Florida.
By the way, great call Bill Buckner
By the way, great call Bill Buckner
Put a fork in us. Good call Bill Buckner - it was indeed the 7th inning when TBS showed the faithful streaming out. Which is sad. Stay until the bitter end and honor the team, at least.
Just out at the store...saw a milk carton with a picture of Ortiz' bat on the back..."missing,..Have you seen this bat?"
They gotta at LEAST pay back TB..hit Longoria for Spaz hitting Varitek.
Hey Rob G, Don't be an idiot. Papi is hurt. He is obviously not the same hitter. His wrist won't be the same till 09. Blaming him is letting the pitching staff off the hook. There is plenty of blame to go around.
Yes sir. 2 runs in, two on, no out in the 7th inning and the fans are trying to beat the rush. 9 more outs for the Red Sox and anybody still in the stands can watch the Rays celebrate in the infield.
I think you guys still have a shot at keeping our Rays to single digits this game.
Its over, but I am not crying. 2 World Series championships. Several playoffs.
Hey we made it to the ALCS this year. Let's get ready for next year. Hopefully Theo the boy genius can make some moves and fix the holes in the pitching staff and the line up.
Good season Sox!!!!!!!!
I can't believe Upton beat Paps on that sequence. Paps pitched him really well, pushed him inside and then came in again with heat. But Upton had adjusted, just like Manny used to, and pulled that thing off the wall. This guy has blossomed at just the right time. He's going to be one for the history books.
Its looking grim for the sox...ok, Im being overly optomistic! .....Its gonna be the rays all the way!
What a sustained run of effeminate performances by the Boston Red Sox. Jon Papelbon, please stop scowling in to get your sign. Your team is getting slapped around 7-0, the only reason you are in this game is because of your pansy pitching staff, so please just get your sign and throw the ball. The Rays are not intimidated by your junior high theatrics.
Thanks boy wonder. Trading Manny!!!!
Just a question...if Papi is so injured, and I don't doubt it... why then oh why isn't he **sitting** so that someone that CAN hit can play? Shades of John Macnamara's blunder with Buck. Lack of Sox' "real man pitching" inside aside, Francona REALLY blew this one.
Just a question...if Papi is so injured, and I don't doubt it... why then oh why isn't he **sitting** so that someone that CAN hit can play? Shades of John Macnamara's blunder with Buck. Lack of Sox' "real man pitching" inside aside, Francona REALLY blew this one.
At least the Dodgers will not beat the Sox in the World Series with Manny hitting the walk off game winner in Game 7. That would have been epic.
This is a very, very good Rays team that Boston has just lost to (well, not yet, but will very shortly). This doesn't mean that the Sox has some serious retooling to do:
1. Old timers have to go: Schilling, Timlin, Wakefield, Varitek.
2. If they are going to fix and keep Ortiz, they need a real hitter behind him for an effective 1-2 punch. Youk and Bay just don't quite give pitchers the sense of danger that a Manny would.
3. The bull pen needs to be restocked. Masterson is good, but possibly better as a starter. Delcarmen has proven he can't mature into a reliable, big game reliever (this goes back to last year.) Javier Lopez has done nothing as a lefty reliever.
4.
You have got to be kidding me! I wrote 'em off. Is it too late?
Papiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! Attaboy.
Mr. Lynch-
If you are such a fan, you would know it is Ellsbury, not "berry".
I hope all you Ortiz poopers feel like real sh*t heads.
I don't care what anyone says, Paps better bean somebody!!!! Buzzing Youk after everything! You've got to be kidding!
ok...I LOVE it when He proves me wrong...Guess he found his bat after all...find it ONE MORE TIME tonight Papi. Mebbe J-Bay can as well?
All of a sudden a surge of "Rays fans", oh wait, are they the sully Skankee fans in disguise?
My question is...where were all these "Rays" fans last year?
YOU DA MANNNNN JAAAYY DEEEEE!!!! A ONE RUN GAAAAAMMMMEEE!!!!!!
Casey at the plate....
There's your pinch hitting for Tek all you Francona nay-sayers.
They haven't completed anything yet... Amazing comeback, I thought for sure they were done...
Good call on the "sudden surge of 'Ray's Fans" - I had exactly the same thought last night - Yankee fans in their Halloween garb. All these fans will crawl back in to their holes in the off season and and hibernate again until Hell freezes over again.
I love the comment about "no matter what ortiz will bat with a chance to tie"
I hope he has a chance to win it, but we still have to pitch the 9th remember?
Just hope TB doesnt put up a crooked #
I love the comment about "no matter what ortiz will bat with a chance to tie"
I hope he has a chance to win it, but we still have to pitch the 9th remember?
Just hope TB doesnt put up a crooked #
Man, that low Masterson fastball must hit like a piece of lead!!!
GO SOX!!
Whaddya say Bay with the walkoff hit??
Ok, JD with the walkoff hit.
The Rays failed to account for the ghost of Bill Buckner at first.
What? He's not? Oh. Never mind.
J.D. FREAKIN' DREW!!!
Oh. My. Flippin'. God. Now THAT's October ball. Way to go, JD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JD = consummate professional.
I'm speechless...
OMG I can't believe they won!! Go Sox! We love you Ortiz!
Back to Tampa Bay! It's midnight for Cinderella in the Sunshine State.
WAY A GO REDSOX.... THANK YOUUUUUUU DREW!!!
when is game 6 ?
Now that's what I call fighting back! Oh lord, it's going to be another late/early session for me on Saturday/Sunday. Go Sox!
Wooooooooooooo! Been listening in Murfreesboro, TN on WRKO and I just pissed off my sleeping pregnant wife by jumping up from the couch after JD's shot . Could Longoria's error be the Dave Roberts steal of 2008? Who knows. We've been blessed with at least one more day of Red Sox baseball!
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbelievable.... I am so glad I was wrong... RED SOX WINS!
TBS actually posted "Rays stun Red Sox to win AL pennant: Improbable Fenway sweep puts Tampa Bay in World Series," on its webpage (just a little premature). They just changed it to "Historic Comeback" as of 12:35 AM. TBS, see ya in Tampa Bay...for Game 6 of the ALCS! GO SOX!
There is always reason to BELIEVE.....Tampa here we come!!! Those poor suckers who walked out of Fenway after the 7th....missed the best comeback EVER!!! Can't wait to see the team in Tampa.....GO SOX!!!!
OMG.... I can't believe what I just saw! Win or lose in Tampa they have huge nads!
WOW!!!
One game at a time, one game at a time....looking forward to Red Sox kicking some !@# in Tampa!
I think we can all agree on one thing.....Baseball is a great game...what drama, what excitemnt...it is obivious we are all baseball fans here on this blog...so, lets all appreciate what we just saw.....
"Don't let us win tonight." - Kevin Millar, Oct. 2004
Pedroia's many-pitch gutsy hit in the 7th to set up Papi's longball will be remembered like Bernie Carbo's homer in GM 6 1975 , which set up 27's famous game winner. Drew earned his millions with that LA homer...now he deserves a million dollar raise!!
The Drew hit occurred at the same exact time 5 year to the date of the worst Red Sox loss in my lifetime Aaron Boones home run. 12:16 am.
Greatest comeback in post-season since 1929 all right. Was that October 1929? We all know what happened latter THAT month.
GO SOX!
These comments are among the funniest ever. And this tops them all:
THAT'S IT, THAT'S ALL (10:44, TOP 7, 7-0 RAYS)
Hey Sports fans WHAT A WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO SOX! love that dirty water! What can we say, the Rays have the better talent at this point but after tonight how can we say the sox don't have a chance? GO SOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The most amazing part about this game is how many players were involved in getting those eight runs: Lowrie, Crisp, Pedroia, Ortiz, Bay, Drew, Kotsay, and Youkilis all played their parts. The only ones not getting caught up in the fun were Casey, 'Tek, and Cash (who didn't get a chance to bat).
But there's no doubt this was a total team effort, and that makes me a very happy Sox fan tonight.
MLB.com actually listed Kazmir as the WP before the game was over...
It ain't over till JD Drew swings...
GGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOOOOOXXX
That is a weird coincidence that they won at 1216AM. Five years ago at 12:16 AM, history altered for the Red Sox and considering what has happened since, it's for the better.
Hard to believe what I just saw...
hard to believe.... Beckett and Lester in Game 6 and 7. I know they will show up and pitch. Someone in Blue is getting beaned early, that's for sure.
And Francona, once again, has made the right moves. Too many to count, but what does it say when his teams keep coming back from the dead?
Amazing.
Almost 50 comments of negativity... Have ye no faith? These are the sox. It's not over 'til they say it is.
ndsmith and Rex Sox Nation...you're welcome. If you look at the 1st comment on the blog I actually predicted this before the game. If there's one thing a Phils fan knows is never give up until the last pitch is thrown. Ortiz broke out when needed, and your unlikely hero was Coco Crisp (I think I saw him listed as "Rally Killer" in the comments) tying the game. This series isn't over, you can win in Tampa and you can make it to the series. Never give up until there are no more outs left in your season...Go Sox!!
Did the Red Sox break the record for most men left on base in the 2008 alcs series against the devil rays?
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