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Top 10 of '08, #4: ALDS Game 2 - Drew's HR sinks Angels

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I don't care what you call him, but here's some suggestions for JD Drew nicknames:

  1. Not "Nancy"
  2. "Clutch"

In Drew's two seasons as a Red Sox, the moments I remember of him always seem to be crucial home runs. His last came in game two of the ALDS against the Angels. You remember the game? Of course you do.

It started off great. The Sox exploded for four runs in the first inning. Couple that with the Sox's 4-1 victory in game one, it seemed like the Sox would soar to the ALCS. The Sox went to the ALCS, but it wasn't that easy.

After going up 5-1 after 4.5 innings, the wheels came off. Starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima and Justin Masterson all gave up runs to make it all tied at 5-5 heading into the top of the ninth.

The ship had proverabially lost all the wind in its sails.

It didn't look good for the Sox but they forgot about their ace in the hole: Mr. Clutch. With Francisco Rodriguez on the mound, the Sox had their work cut out for themselves. David Ortiz got it all started with a double to right field, promptly followed by a groundout to the shortstop by Kevin Youkilis to keep pinch-runner Coco Crisp at second. Drew just need a single to knock in Crisp, but he kicked it up a notch with a home run to deep center field. Sox win, 7-5.

Here are my thoughts after the game ended (and three great photos):

They could have just quit -- that would have been easy. They could have walked to the plate, looked at one of the best closers in the game today standing on the mound and already say the game was over. But they didn't. That's why this team is great. No matter what the circumstances, they know they can win any ballgame.

Compare this to the Angels after Drew's home run. They all looked dead in the dugout. With two outs, Howie Kendrick walked to the plate and didn't even look like he wanted to waste the energy swinging. Vladimir Guerrero sat on the bench wondering how much longer it'd be until he could wrap his knees in ice.

That isn't the Sox. The Sox wanted to win this game.

The game also included a great catch by Youkilis in the ninth where he had to lunge over the photographers' well on the third base side. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the final two innings to earn the win.

This game also catapulted extreme love between Over The Monster and the Angels blog, Halos Heaven. Every year, the love just continues to grow...

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The funny thing about this HR is that I first thought it was a lazy fly

It was a bomb and it sure was gone from the bat, but somehow I thought it was a flyball and said “Oh, nicely done”. Nice indeed.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Jan 5, 2009 10:26 AM EST reply actions   0 recs

Yeah, I remember that I didn’t think it’d do much and starting flipping out when it actually went over the wall…

by Randy Booth on Jan 5, 2009 10:31 AM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Yep

I remember saying to myself something like ‘that shit is going deep’. Next second I’m doing backflips in the room.

Mother---- him and John Wayne!

by MerryGoByeBye on Jan 5, 2009 12:50 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Ditto. I lost my voice that night from screaming, “I f*****g love you Drew!”

by Randy Booth on Jan 5, 2009 12:54 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Eww...

I was about to fall asleep at my grandpa’s hospice, and then the TV starting roaring.

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 5, 2009 6:58 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

I was at that game...

At the park, it was a no-doubter (or possibly subject to a great catch at the wall).

Rock me, sexy Jesus...

by nuthinboutnuthin on Jan 6, 2009 6:43 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

Halos Heaven….LOL

by matzushocka45 on Jan 5, 2009 7:17 PM EST reply actions   0 recs

ROFL Copter?

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Jan 5, 2009 7:23 PM EST up reply actions   0 recs

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