October 14, 2007 [LINK / comment]
Even though Curt Schilling had a disappointing outing, the Red Sox seemed to be in control on Saturday night, and when in the bottom of the ninth the mighty Manny Ramirez stepped up to the plate, the conclusion of the game seemed predestined. Not! Even though he had set the major league record for most number of career postseason home runs (23) earlier in the game, Ramirez failed to deliver when his bat was most needed, and the game went into extra innings. The vulnerability of the Red Sox was exposed for all to see when the once-dominant and now-shaky Eric Gagne allowed two base runners. Ironically, Sunday's Washington Post had a story titled "Red Sox Still Have Confidence in Gagne." Not after Saturday night's game. The five-hour marathon in Boston lasted past midnight, into Sunday morning. There must be some cosmic significance to the fact that the former Red Sock Trot Nixon hit the go-ahead RBI in the top of the eleventh to begin a historic seven-run inning, the most in an extra inning in postseason play. See MLB.com. It was an emotional setback for the Red Sox, but not necessarily a fatal one. The Indians now have an even shot at the AL pennant, while the streaking Rockies are unexpectedly in position to grab their first league title ever.
Kudos to Willy Taveras of the Colorado Rockies for making a great diving catch that probably made the difference in Game 2 with the Diamondbacks, as Colorado won 3-2 in extra innings.