You’ll have to excuse me for the lateness of this post, I have a bit of a baseball hangover this morning. But you know what, it was well worth it.
As I’m watching the game last night, my thoughts are running wild. Then my emotions start up when Daisuke Matsuzaka gives up a 2-run homer before getting the first out making me a little bit worried. I can honestly say though that I NEVER gave up last night on this team. If you don’t believe me, you can check out my comments during the game at Center Field.
As the game went on and the deficit starting to become higher, I was thinking to myself all it takes is one big hit and they can get the crowd back into it. Well Dustin Pedroia came through with that big hit and got the Red Sox their first run of the night in the 7th inning. Next thing you know it’s 7-4 when Big Papi crushed his home run to right field. You could sense a momentum shift right there.
Jonathan Papelbon comes back out for the 8th and sets the Rays down 1-2-3 and you could still sense something special was about to happen.
A walk to Jason Bay and a home run by J.D. Drew and it’s 7-6 in the bottom of the 8th. After an intense battle with Dan Wheeler, Coco Crisp came through with a big hit to score Mark Kotsay and this game is tied heading to the 9th.
Justin Masterson found himself in a small bit of trouble in the 9th but got a HUGE double play ball off the bat of Carlos Peña.
Things weren’t looking good in the 9th inning as J.P. Howell got the first two outs and was on his way to a third but Evan Longoria threw the ball away allowing Kevin Youkilis to reach. At this point, I knew we had won. I just had that feeling that we would finally get that monkey off our back with runners in scoring position. Next thing you know an intentional walk happens to Jason Bay and Howell falls behind Drew 3-1 meaning he’s going to get a good pitch to hit. And that he did as he drove it over the head of Gabe Gross to cap the second largest comeback in postseason history and the biggest comeback of a team facing elimination.
Now the teams head back to Tropicana Field with all the pressure in the world on the Rays. All the Red Sox need to do is just play relaxed baseball, have Josh Beckett execute his pitches and get some timely hitting to force a Game 7 on Sunday night. Can it get done? I BELIEVE!!!
Coco Crisp went to a higher power during his key at-bat with Dan Wheeler.
The Rays bullpen is suddenly vulnerable.
The Red Sox once again worked their playoff magic last night.
Seven outs from the World Series, the 2007 Rays showed up.
You can credit Jed Lowrie with getting things started in the comeback for the Red Sox.
Scott Kazmir shut up all the critics last night with his performance.
Just never, never, never say never.
The Red Sox victory last night was just a bump in the road for the Rays.
J.D. Drew once again came up big for the Red Sox in the playoffs.
The Boston Globe scribes have their video analysis of the game.
Dan over at Red Sox Monster says the reverse mohawk is working.
Jacoby Ellsbury shares his thoughts on last night’s game over at his postseason blog as well as Jim Rice over at Ask 14.
Anthony from the Oriole Post shares his thoughts about the game as well.
Mike Petraglia of WEEI.com has some audio soundbytes from after the game.
For more playoff slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant and Providence Journal websites.
And if you must see what the enemy papers are saying you can check out the Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times websites.
