When the Indians went up three games to one last week, it seemed like the Red Sox were headed for another ALCS disappointment. Last night, though, they beat the Indians 11-2 to advance to a date with the Colorado Rockies in the World Series:
BOSTON, Oct. 21 — They will tell the story of 2007 for generations in New England, along with all the others, the great Game 7s in Boston Red Sox lore — 2004, 1986, 1975, 1967 and on down the line, some wins, most losses. They will tell of the way Fenway Park bulged and creaked beneath all the drama Sunday night, the way the players gladly performed duties beyond their normal calls, and the way all those blessed rookies, too young even to remember most of the previous Game 7s, took to this grand stage, sent the Red Sox to the World Series and became part of the never-ending story.
Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched five innings, Hideki Okajima added two. Dustin Pedroia had the night’s biggest hit, a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring Jacoby Ellsbury ahead of him. Matsuzaka, Okajima, Pedroia, Ellsbury — rookies, every one.
Thanks to that fresh-faced quartet, and a few of their more experienced brethren, the Red Sox are back in the World Series, following their 11-2 win over the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
For the sake of the Colorado Rockies, whom the Red Sox will meet in the World Series beginning here Wednesday night, one hopes they weren’t watching these past few nights, as the Red Sox, down three games to one and facing three straight elimination games, outscored the Indians by a staggering 30-5 in Games 5, 6 and 7 — absolutely overpowering the very sound, 96-win champions of the AL Central.
“When your season is almost over, and you’re down 3-1,” said Pedroia, who, besides his two-run homer in the seventh, added a three-run double in the eighth, as the Red Sox broke the game open, “you get that sense of urgency that we’re going to play every inning, every pitch, everything as hard as we can.”
Truth be told, the Red Sox were overpowering in the last three games. The Indians had a few chances to win one more game but they were few and far between and more than one of them were blown by pitching that just wasn’t there.
So, you know, Go Rockies !
