It was a nailbiter to the end, but the Red Sox did the improbable, coming back from an 0-2 deficit to win the American League Divisional Series against the Oakland As. It was another game with heroics and tragedy and an edge-of-your-seat ending. Centerfielder Johnny Damon collided with second baseman Damian Jackson in the sixth inning in a bone-jarring hit that left both players unconscious on the field. Jackson got to his feet woozily, but was eventually able to come back and finish the game, but Damon was placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. Latest reports say he will stay overnight, but that he’s fine.
Nomar, a true player, picked up the ball from between his fallen teammates to get the runner out at second and then turned to attend to his mates. Some may criticize him for that, but instincts born of thousands of games over decades of his life made the decision for him.
And in the ninth inning, with batters on second and third, one out, and ahead by a run, Derek Lowe, in a fierce display of heart and pitching might, struck out the final two batters—after taking them to full counts!—and finished it out.
There were so many who contributed: Varitek’s single-shot home run, Ramirez’s 3-run homer, Martinez’s great seven innings of pitching, Jackson’s courageous return, Damon’s fearless go at the ball, Timlin’s perfect relief, and on and on. They played as a team all year and they won as a team.
The last time I saw a team with so much heart, so much unity, and so little credit from anyone other than their fans was the 2001 Patriots. And we know what they did. Is it another team of destiny?
Bring on the Yankees!
Dale,
As someone who followed the Sox all season, I had the same question. The possible answer is that Timlin is 37 and had pitched in several games in a row and Grady Little was afraid he was going to run out of gas. Personally, I think the hook in this game and a couple of the others was too quick.
I don’t believe in curses or superstitions. They are the work of the devil, or in this case George Steinbrenner.
Oh come on, Marie…Yankees behave “better?” Ha, Ha, and again, I say, HA!
[did we actually win last night? how did that happen? when is the other shoe going to drop? must recover bravado, and quickly]
Hey Rod! Who do you think you are, George M. Cohan for Pete’s sake? You sound like you’re singing “Over There,” sheesh!
Marie, the problem with not following a team all season is you don’t know the players and their quirks. That’s how Manny always is whether he hits a home run, gets a walk, or is shagging a fly in left field. He’s just not a fast mover. I think people read way too much into it.
As Manny explained after the game, he was pointing to his friend in the dugout, Ino Guererro, who had been assuring him that he would break out of his slump in the playoffs and he was giving him credit.
And Derek Lowe didn’t do anything Manuel Tejada didn’t do when he won game 1. He wasn’t taunting, he was celebrating, but some people wanted to find fault with others rather than look to themselves for the reasons they failed. Again, if you’d watched as many Red Sox games as I have, you’d see that the players were being themselves, not taunting or acting in an unsportsmanlike way.
Sheesh, who knew that Yankees fans were so sensitive?