Jonny Gomes on scoring the winning run in the Red Sox's Game 2 win over the Tigers.
BOSTON — When Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino strolls to the plate at Fenway Park, the PA system blares the opening lyric to his walk-up song:
"Don't worry, about a thing…"
The Red Sox faithful promptly finish the second half of Bob Marley's lyric, singing in unison: "'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right."
Perhaps no one really believed it late Sunday night, not after Max Scherzer struck out 13 on two hits through seven innings, after the Red Sox struck out 17 times and were almost no-hit in Game 1.
But just when worrying seemed to be back in vogue in Boston, David Ortiz cranked a two-out, line drive grand slam on the first pitch from Joaquin Benoit in the eighth inning, tying the game at 5-5.
The Red Sox promptly won it in the ninth on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's single to left, shocking the Tigers 6-5 and tying the ALCS at a game apiece.
"We had one in hand and we let one get away," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "No question about that."
Jonny Gomes led off the ninth with an infield hit off Rick Porcello, taking second on an errant throw from Jose Iglesias. After Prince Fielder muffed a pop foul near the stands with fans breathing down his neck, Porcello threw a wild pitch to advance the runner.
Saltalamacchia's single glanced off Iglesias' glove, turning Fenway into a mosh pit.
No one would've believed it could end like this. Not after Scherzer picked up where Anibal Sanchez left off in Game 1, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth and allowing one run on two hits over seven innings.
Scherzer had described the Tigers as "zombies" Friday because of a lack of sleep after their cross-country, red-eye flight to Boston, but it was the Red Sox who looked like the walking dead before the man called "Big Papi" woke the crowd up.
Leyland watched three relievers load the bases in the eighth before Ortiz's slam. Torii Hunter made a leaping attempt at the wall, flipping over headfirst into the Red Sox bullpen. Leyland said Hunter was "bruised" but OK.
Scherzer, the likely American League Cy Young Award winner, carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before it was broken up by Victorino's two-out single to center. In Game 1, Sanchez and four relievers combined to strike out 17 and throw 81/3 innings of no-hit ball after Verlander had tossed 62/3 innings of no-hit ball against the A's on Thursday in the Tigers' ALDS clincher.
Game 2 looked like a rerun at the outset, with Red Sox hitters taking called third strikes and muttering under their breath as they headed back to the dugout. Scherzer struck out seven over the first three innings.
Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz was strong over the first five innings, keeping them in the game before imploding in the four-run sixth. Miguel Cabrera's one-out solo home run made it 2-0, before Prince Fielder doubled off the Green Monster. An RBI single by Victor Martinez and a two-run homer by Alex Avila made it 5-0.
But the Red Sox were only playing possum, and in the end, everything was definitely all right.
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Twitter @PWSullivan
BOSTON — When Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino strolls to the plate at Fenway Park, the PA system blares the opening lyric to his walk-up song:
"Don't worry, about a thing…"
The Red Sox faithful promptly finish the second half of Bob Marley's lyric, singing in unison: "'Cause every little thing, gonna be all right."
Perhaps no one really believed it late Sunday night, not after Max Scherzer struck out 13 on two hits through seven innings, after the Red Sox struck out 17 times and were almost no-hit in Game 1.
But just when worrying seemed to be back in vogue in Boston, David Ortiz cranked a two-out, line drive grand slam on the first pitch from Joaquin Benoit in the eighth inning, tying the game at 5-5.
The Red Sox promptly won it in the ninth on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's single to left, shocking the Tigers 6-5 and tying the ALCS at a game apiece.
"We had one in hand and we let one get away," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "No question about that."
Jonny Gomes led off the ninth with an infield hit off Rick Porcello, taking second on an errant throw from Jose Iglesias. After Prince Fielder muffed a pop foul near the stands with fans breathing down his neck, Porcello threw a wild pitch to advance the runner.
Saltalamacchia's single glanced off Iglesias' glove, turning Fenway into a mosh pit.
No one would've believed it could end like this. Not after Scherzer picked up where Anibal Sanchez left off in Game 1, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth and allowing one run on two hits over seven innings.
Scherzer had described the Tigers as "zombies" Friday because of a lack of sleep after their cross-country, red-eye flight to Boston, but it was the Red Sox who looked like the walking dead before the man called "Big Papi" woke the crowd up.
Leyland watched three relievers load the bases in the eighth before Ortiz's slam. Torii Hunter made a leaping attempt at the wall, flipping over headfirst into the Red Sox bullpen. Leyland said Hunter was "bruised" but OK.
Scherzer, the likely American League Cy Young Award winner, carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before it was broken up by Victorino's two-out single to center. In Game 1, Sanchez and four relievers combined to strike out 17 and throw 81/3 innings of no-hit ball after Verlander had tossed 62/3 innings of no-hit ball against the A's on Thursday in the Tigers' ALDS clincher.
Game 2 looked like a rerun at the outset, with Red Sox hitters taking called third strikes and muttering under their breath as they headed back to the dugout. Scherzer struck out seven over the first three innings.
Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz was strong over the first five innings, keeping them in the game before imploding in the four-run sixth. Miguel Cabrera's one-out solo home run made it 2-0, before Prince Fielder doubled off the Green Monster. An RBI single by Victor Martinez and a two-run homer by Alex Avila made it 5-0.
But the Red Sox were only playing possum, and in the end, everything was definitely all right.
[email protected]
Twitter @PWSullivan