2007 ALDS Red Sox vs. Angels Game 2

It was October 5th, 2007, Fenway, the Angels sought for a revenge on the Red Sox. They sent their 18 games winner Kelvim Escobar against Red Sox’s Japanese righty, 15 games winner, Daisuke Matsuzaka. Also, the Angels didn’t want those who hit long balls the game before to step in their way.

What will happen if a pitcher wants to get a slugger without speed? The answer is quite simple: walk him. That was what the Angels did that night. After his first inning hit, they walked David Ortiz, the Big Papi, four times.

Although the Red Sox scored first, the Angels took the lead in the second inning. It looked like the game will end at three to two, however, the Sox came back at the bottom of the fifth inning. Men on first and second, one out, Manny Ramirez in the batting box, O-one pitch, he popped it up to the foul territory, Angels’ catcher Jeff Mathis was able to catch the ball, if there weren’t the extend photography box. A Red Sox fan caught that ball, and he became the most popular person in Boston immediately, for not only he kept the inning alive, but he also made a chance for Mike Lowell to hit the sacrifice fly, after Ramirez was walked, to tie the game at three.

After five innings, it was the time for both bullpens. The Red Sox called to Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, and Jonathan Papelbon; The Angels sent on Scott Shields, Justin Speier. and then one of the best closers all time, Francisco Rodriguez.

It looked just like it was going to go to extra innings at the ninth inning. Speier gave up a lead off single to Julio Lugo, then, Dustin Pedroia grounded out, moved Lugo to second base. The Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia sent one of the best closers all time, Francisco Rodriguez on the mound. They called him K-Rod, and he did struck out Kevin Youkillis. Two outs at the bottom of the ninth inning, stepping in was David Ortiz, K-Rod walked him, second time of intentional. Who was the next batter? Manny Ramirez.

And then when K-rod delivered that one-0 pitch, a fast ball right at the middle of the plate, he would have to eat the crow a second later. Manny Ramirez hit “an absolute rocket into Boston night,” as the anchor of TBS Ted Robinson shouted. It was a three-run walk-off homerun, and the Red Sox led the series two to nothing.