Happy, happy, joy, joy. (via cache.boston.com)
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It was the biggest comeback in postseason history, so how could it not be Over The Monster's No. 1 moment of the 2008 Red Sox season? Numero uno, baby.
It was Oct. 16, 2008. Game five. Fresh off of two beatings (9-1 and 13-4) the Red Sox were down 3-1 after winning the first game. Nothing looked good for the Sox. It certainly didn't get better when the Sox went down 7-0 in game 5. Most had lost all hope.
But you all remember what you were doing during this game and when "it" started to happen. Me? I was celebrating at the local bars. I went out with some friends and watched the first few innings at a sports bar. My buddy, the biggest hater of them all, said it was all over when the Rays went up 5-0 through three innings. I didn't cave in
"Anything can happen. It ain't over yet."
As the night got longer, it didn't get any better for the Sox. Down 7-0 in the 7th, there was a chance, but no one was betting on it. And then it happened
BOTTOM OF THE 7TH (Rays, 7-0):
Lowrie double to RF, Varitek FO, Kotsay, FO, Crisp single to LF, Pedroia single to RF (Lowrie scores), Ortiz home run to RF (Crisp, Pedroia score), Youkilis FO.TOP OF THE 8TH (Rays, 7-4):
Papelbon dominationBOTTOM OF THE 8TH (Rays, 7-4):
Bay walk, Drew home run (Bay scores), Lowrie FO, Casey SO, Kotsay double to CF, Crisp singles to RF; out at second (Kotsay scores)TOP OF THE 9TH (tied 7-7):
Masterson struggles, but allows just one hit.BOTTOM OF THE 9TH (tied 7-7):
Pedroia GO, Ortiz SO, Youkilis single to 3B, Bay IBB, Drew single to RF (Youkilis scores)
And that's the game. Once again, thank you J.D. Drew.
The only thing that would have made this better would be for the Sox to actually win game 7 and win the World Series. But hey, that didn't happen, but we still have this great moment to remember.
I guess the best part about this is that this is the Red Sox. When the Sox went down in the series 3-1, it just didn't feel right. Everyone knew the Sox were better than that. If they were to go down in that fashion, it would have been a huge blow going into the offseason. But they fought and pushed it to seven games. That seventh game didn't go the way Red Sox Nation wanted, but at least they made it.
There was no World Series for the Red Sox in 2008, but who knows what lies ahead in 2009.