"It left you speechless and stunned -- and mostly exhausted. In one of the most remarkable comebacks in postseason history, the Red Sox erased a 7-0 lead over the final three innings to stay alive in the American League Championship Series last night. Boston's 8-7 victory over the Rays -- the winning run scored at 12:16 a.m. this morning -- sets up a must-see Game 6 tomorrow night in St. Pete ..."
--Sports Illustrated
Yeah. So last night ...
Kates and I were downing chicken burgers for supper, and I was enjoying Game 5.
B.J. Upton had put the Rays ahead 2-0 in the first inning with a bomb over the Green Monster ...
A few innings later, the Rays had taken a 7-0 lead. They were putting on a clinic in Fenway that featured three home runs and four stolen bases, including two steals of third ... I was enjoying watching the scrappy, young Rays taking it to the Red Sox. Aside from Game 1, the Rays had been all over the Red Sox.
Still, with a lingering sadness from the Phillies knocking off the Dodgers on Wednesday night, I also was thinking, "This is kind of fun to watch, but man, the Rays and the Phillies could be one of the least interesting World Series ever ..."
The TV analysts were talking about the champagne being on ice in the Rays' clubhouse. The fans were leaving Fenway. And Tampa hadn’t blown a lead larger than three runs all season. The game was over! ... So over! Wrote Dan Shaughnessy ...
They were inches from a clean getaway, a Fenway sweep that would have embarrassed the defending world champs and elevated the Tampa team to elite status. And they coughed it all up in three ridiculous innings.
While I fell asleep. And missed one of the biggest comebacks in post season history.
Serves me right. Earlier in the game, during the fourth inning, I missed Carlos Pena’s two-run home run when I ran upstairs for a few seconds to retrieve some more food. And then I missed Evan Longoria’s home run during the very next at-bat when I figured I had enough time to catch a bathroom break and not miss anything …
While I was sleeping, I missed David Ortiz’s three-run homer (an annual ritual of the post season baseball I’d been missing this fall …) with two out in the bottom of the seventh. And I missed J.D. Drew’s two-run shot to make the score 7-6 in the eighth inning.
I woke up just in time to see Coco Crisp’s epic 10-pitch at-bat and his line drive, which tied the game at 7-7.
Then I dozed some more, and woke up again to catch Drew’s game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth.
I promptly turned off the TV and stumbled up the stairs in a sleepy daze.
Never doubt the Red Sox.
From Bob Ryan ...
The Red Sox are the defending champions. They always come to play nine innings, and if it takes the greatest postseason comeback in 79 years to stay alive, then they will give you the greatest postgame comeback in 79 years.
Got that,Rays?
More good reads ...
a Red Sox-Rays has all the hallmarks of baseball's next epic rivalry
a Inspiration Can Easily Turn to Folly
a Are we catching a last look at Varitek?
a Francona is happy for Phillies, not Philly
a It's a long climb, but Sox know way
a Suddenly, Sox no longer the hot ticket
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