SB Nation Boston - Season Over: Red Sox Meltdown, Lose To Orioles, 4-3; Rays Beat Yankees, 8-7, To Win AL Wild Cardhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48863/boston-fave.png2011-09-29T11:42:23-04:00http://boston.sbnation.com/rss/stream/22152582011-09-29T11:42:23-04:002011-09-29T11:42:23-04:00Curt Schilling: Red Sox Shouldn't Fire Tito
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p><span>Curt Schilling</span> became the biggest advocate for the Boston Red Sox in September. Unfortunately, his comments didn't put the Sox in a good light, saying that his former team would not make the playoffs. In the end, he was right.</p>
<p>Now, Schilling is speaking out again, but in defense of his former manager, Terry Francona. Despite everything that went wrong this season and in the dreadful month of September, Schilling doesn't think Francona should be fired.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I guarantee you he did as much as a manager can do there," Schilling said. "You're going to have the same team next year. I promise you, for whatever it's worth, there's not a guy in that clubhouse that doesn't swear by this guy, doesn't want to do everything he can do to win for this guy. You're not going to get them to play harder, more passionate, more fiercely for anybody other than the guy that's managing g right now. He's a guy that's always gotten the most out of his players that want to win. ... a managerial change is not going to fix this club." <a target="_blank" href="http://proxy.espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/14702/schilling-firing-tito-isnt-the-answer"><b>(via WEEI)</b></a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><i>For more Boston Red Sox coverage, visit <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">our team page</a> and blog, <a href="http://www.overthemonster.com/" target="_blank">Over The Monster</a>.</i></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/9/29/2457977/curt-schilling-terry-francona-red-sox-rumors-boston-red-sox-mlb-newsGethin Coolbaugh2011-09-29T11:08:00-04:002011-09-29T11:08:00-04:00David Ortiz: 'Not Even Close To What Happened To Us In ’03. This Is Worse'
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>David Ortiz has lived through heartbreak plenty of times during his Boston Red Sox career, but Wednesday night's events may have just taken the cake. Ortiz and the Red Sox blew a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning and lost to the Baltimore Orioles, all while the Tampa Bay Rays erased a seven-run deficit to beat the New York Yankees and clinch the AL Wild Card. Ortiz, speaking to reporters after the loss, said that it's never been worse for him. Ever.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"Not even close. Not even close to what happened to us in '03," said Ortiz. "We walked into September nine games ahead, and look where we're at right now. It can't go no worse than that. This is worse.</p>
<p>"I never put any attention to where we're at. ... But at one point, I was like, ‘Wait a minute - we walked into September nine games ahead.' Wow. It doesn't matter what anybody here does. That's going to stay in your head. That's not a situation you want to be facing, but you learn from that." <a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21143856/ortiz-worse-end-2003-season" target="_blank"><b>(via WEEI)</b></a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><i>For more Boston Red Sox coverage, visit <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">our team page</a> and blog, <a href="http://www.overthemonster.com" target="_blank">Over The Monster</a>.</i></p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/9/29/2457880/david-ortiz-boston-red-sox-collapse-tampa-bay-rays-al-wild-cardGethin Coolbaugh2011-09-29T02:13:41-04:002011-09-29T02:13:41-04:00Total Disaster: Red Sox Put Bow On One Of Baseball's Biggest Collpases
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>It was the best of times, it was the worst of time. On one night in late September, the Boston Red Sox incited feelings of anxiety, excitement and despair, all in a matter of hours. When it was over, the Sox were on the outside looking in. Again.</p> <p>To borrow the extremely overused words of Charles Dickens, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. One night, arguably the best evening for the sport of baseball in recent memory, filled with so many emotions that it was tough to process exactly what they were.</p>
<p>Despair was preceded by sheer nervousness, which was preceded by joy and excitement, all wrapped around anticipation. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Boston Red Sox</a>, in partnership with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a>, incited all of these feelings in one night.</p>
<p>There was a point where it looked like the Red Sox were going to pull it out and make the postseason. Then, there were points where it seemed uncertain. Finally, at the very end, there were moments of pure shock.</p>
<p>The night started off with very encouraging events, with the Red Sox taking an earl 1-0 lead on an RBI-single in the third inning and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a> jumping out to a commanding 7-0 lead over the Rays after five innings.</p>
<p>Baltimore fought back to take a 2-1 lead on a two-run home run from <span>J.J. Hardy</span> in the third inning, but there was still a sense of optimism. <i>Hey, there's still plenty of time. Even if the Sox don't pull it out, at least the Rays will lose, right?</i></p>
<p>Things got even better when <span>Marco Scutaro</span> scored on a balk in the fourth inning to tie the game and, to cap it off, Pedroia connected for a home run to deep left, putting Boston on top 3-2 as the game reached its later stage.</p>
<p>But then, the rain came, literally and figuratively. A rain delay kept the Red Sox off the field for nearly an hour and a half. Down in Tampa Bay, the Rays began stirring the pot on a comeback, turning a seven-run deficit to a six-run one, and then to a five-run one and a four-run one.</p>
<p>And then, reality set in. <span>Evan Longoria</span> hit a three-run homer to bring the Rays' deficit to one run in the bottom of the eighth inning, and that's when we started to think it. <i>No...this is really going to happen, isn't it?</i></p>
<p>Sure enough, the dominoes continued to fall. <span>Dan Johnson</span> hit a home run with two outs and two strikes, tying the game at 7-7. <i>Great, now it's looking like we're going to a one-game playoff. Oh well, at least we're still in it.</i></p>
<p>On our side of the race, play finally resumed in Baltimore, and the Red Sox - courtesy of some elusive pitching from <span>Alfredo Aceves</span> (after hitting two batters to open the seventh) and some solid pitching from <span>Daniel Bard</span>, the Red Sox carried a one-run advantage into the ninth inning.</p>
<p>Things were looking, well, alright. Pedroia's single to right set up a first and third situation with nobody out and <span>David Ortiz</span> heading to the plate. <i>Good, good, Papi's going to pull through for us. We're going to be OK.</i></p>
<p>But Ortiz grounded into a fielder's choice, forcing Pedroia out at second. <span>Joey Gathright</span> came in to run for Ortiz, and <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span> was intentionally walked to load the bases for 'Super Man', aka <span>Ryan Lavarnway</span>.</p>
<p>Alas, Lavarnway was no help this time around, grounding into an inning-ending double play. <i>Shoot, missed opportunity there. But we still have a lead, and one of the best closers in the business is up next.</i></p>
<p>And then came the bottom of the ninth inning. <span>Jonathan Papelbon</span> steps on the mound, and the Red Sox are three outs, <i>three outs, </i>away from at least guaranteeing that they'll live on for one more day.</p>
<p>Pap struck out the first two batters he faced, fanning both <span>Adam Jones</span> and <span>Matt Reynolds</span>. <i>Ok, yes, yes! One out away! We're in the clear, baby!</i> </p>
<p>The final dominoes then began to fall. <span>Chris Davis</span> doubled to left. <span>Nolan Reimold</span> doubled to deep right center, scoring <span>Kyle Hudson</span>, who pinch ran for Reimold, tying the game. <i>Oh, come on...</i></p>
<p>At last, the final salvo. <span>Robert Andino</span>, the newest Red Sox killer, hit a bloop single to left that grazed Carl Crawford's glove. Crawford quickly recovered and fired the ball home, but it was just too late. It was just too late.</p>
<p>It was over. <i>No, no...</i> The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> were celebrating, and that sinking feeling of collapse began to set in. <i>No way, there's no chance a nine-game lead is completely blown. It just can't happen.</i></p>
<p>For all the bad that happened in that inning, remarkably, there was still hope. If the Yankees beat the Rays, Boston would have <i>one</i> more chance to get into the playoffs. They only needed another win from the team that has hoisted 27 World Series trophies. <i>Alright, it's up to you, Yanks. Can you help us out?</i></p>
<p>In a matter of minutes, which felt like ten seconds, it was over. Longoria hit a laser that found its way out of the ballpark in what seemed like two seconds, and there you have it. The Rays won, the Rays won.</p>
<p>The Rays won, and the collapse was finally complete. No more hope. No more chances. It was over, all over.</p>
<p>And just like that, a season that started out with World Series aspirations ended with such a shocking thud. The same team that so many said was destined to win its third title since 2004 <i>didn't even make the playoffs. </i>The championship aspirations, gone, with nothing left in the tank.</p>
<p>All that was left was a team that finished third in its division for the second straight year and a club that hasn't won a postseason game since 2008 and won't get to change that now. </p>
<p>One team, one nine game lead. All gone, with only a long list of questions left behind.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/boston-red-sox/2011/9/29/2457264/boston-red-sox-tampa-bay-rays-al-wild-card-mlb-newsGethin Coolbaugh2011-09-29T00:54:07-04:002011-09-29T00:54:07-04:00Red Sox Lose, Rays Win, Season Comes To An End As Collapse Is Complete
<figure>
<img alt="BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 28: Marco Scutaro #10 of the Boston Red Sox walks in the dugout after a 4-3 loss against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 28, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N5MHgCwJY6dGk6swyCdh8Xpgy4U=/3x0:996x662/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4227079/127537631.jpg" />
<figcaption>BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 28: Marco Scutaro #10 of the Boston Red Sox walks in the dugout after a 4-3 loss against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 28, 2011 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Red Sox lost, the Rays won, and now Boston and all the fans are left stunned, unsure of how to pick up the pieces.</p> <p>It was slow. It was sudden. It was the definition of roller coaster. And now it's over, and with it, the Red Sox' season, as prematurely as any in recent memory.</p>
<p>From a double-digit "playoff spot" lead to a Game 162 exit, the Red Sox have fallen and fallen far. But what makes it different this time is just how it happened.</p>
<p>There was no Game 163. This was not a play-in game where the Sox lost to their competition like in 1978. Instead they had to watch as the Rays had a made-for-Hollywood come back from down 7-0 in the seventh against the New York Yankees' bullpen. They had to watch Dan Johnson--yes, that Dan Johnson--hit an equalizing homer with the Rays down to their last strike.</p>
<p>They also had to watch the Orioles do the same on a ground-rule double from Nolan Reimold. Two strikes, two outs, a man on second, and then a tie game, just like that.</p>
<p>It was perfectly orchestrated, too. At almost the exact moment that the Sox lost the lead, the Yankees blew a huge offensive opportunity in the top of the eleventh. That the separation between the end of the Sox' game on a walk-off single by Robert Andino--who else?--and the end of Tampa's on an Evan Longoria homer was a minute or two, well, it's one flaw in an otherwise perfectly terrible picture.</p>
<p>Where do the Sox go from here? Its impossible to say. Will heads roll? Will the albatrosses be cut loose or traded? First there's the question of just how to wake up in the morning, because right now, that seems like challenge enough.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/9/29/2457207/red-sox-vs-orioles-score-tampa-bay-rays-al-wild-card-mlbBenjamin Buchanan2011-09-29T00:29:57-04:002011-09-29T00:29:57-04:00Yankees Vs. Rays: Evan Longoria, Rays Close Curtain On Yanks, Red Sox
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the playoffs and the Red Sox are heading home.</p>
<p>One of the most incredible sequences in the history of baseball concluded with a Jonathan Papelbon blown save in Baltimore and an Evan Longoria line drive that snuck over the left field fence five minutes later to set off bedlam at Tropicana Field as the Rays won 8-7 in 12 innings.</p>
<p>The Rays rallied from a 7-0 deficit with six runs in the eighth, including a three run bomb by Longoria, and then the tying run in the ninth courtesy of a Dan Johnson home run with two outs to send the game into extra innings.</p>
<p>From there the game seemed to be something of a formality as Yankees manager Joe Girardi stuck with reliever Scott Proctor. But, Proctor showed poise and was able to keep the Rays off the scoreboard for 2.2 innings and gave the Yankees their best chance in the top of the 12th.</p>
<p>With nobody out, the Yankees had runners on the corners and seemed assured of getting at least one run across, but Greg Golson was caught in no mans land on a slow roller down the third baseline. Undecided on whether to run home or go back to third Golson was tagged out and the major crisis was averted for the Rays. Reliever Brandon Gomes quickly got the final two outs to set up Longoria’s heroics in the bottom of the inning.</p>
<p>The win coupled with a Red Sox meltdown 500 miles north in Baltimore allowed the Rays to clinch one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history. The Rays trailed the Sox by nine games just four weeks ago and rallied to win the Wild Card outright with no playoff needed.</p>
<p>The Rays will open the playoffs in Texas against the defending American League Champion Rangers on Friday.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/9/29/2457215/yankees-vs-rays-evan-longoria-rays-close-curtain-on-yankees-red-soxDave Shook2011-09-28T23:45:24-04:002011-09-28T23:45:24-04:00Yankees Vs. Rays: Rays Get Even In Ninth, Still Tied After 11
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>We’re all tied up in Tampa Bay.</p>
<p>After trailing 7-0 at one point during the game, the Rays rallied for six runs in the eighth inning, and then with two outs in the ninth and the bases empty, pinch hitter Dan Johnson crushed a 2-2 fastball into the right field bleachers to tie the game and send the crowd at Tropicana Field into a frenzy.</p>
<p>In the 10th, both teams were able to get a runner aboard via a walk, but were unable to advance the runners thanks to some strong performances on the mound by Kyle Farnsworth (Tampa) and Scott Proctor (New York).</p>
<p>In the 11th, the Yankees went 1-2-3, but the Rays had runners at first and second with one out and were unable to push across the winning run.</p>
<p>The Rays need to win this game in order to guarantee themselves at least a tie for the Wild Card. In the event of a tie, a one game playoff would decide the winner of the final playoff spot. That game would be Thursday afternoon at 4pm.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/9/28/2457138/yankees-vs-rays-rays-get-even-in-ninth-still-tied-after-11Dave Shook2011-09-28T23:36:07-04:002011-09-28T23:36:07-04:00Red Sox 3, Orioles 2, End 8: Sox One Inning Away From Huge Win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Putting aside, for a moment, all of the terrible things that have just gone on in Tampa Bay, the Red Sox are one scoreless inning away from a 3-2 win that would, at the very least, secure their spot in a one-game playoff against the Rays--if not more.</p>
<p>The Sox looked like they might be in trouble with Alfredo Aceves having to warm up again after an hour-and-a-half rain delay. The invaluable reliever was wild to start the bottom of the seventh, hitting two of the first three batters he faced. But a big strikeout of Red Sox killer Robert Andino and a ground out by J.J. Hardy gave the Sox the outs they needed to end the inning.</p>
<p>The top of the eighth held some promise for an insurance run, but a baserunning mistake would end up costing the Sox. With Marco Scutaro at first, Carl Crawford sent a fly ball to left-center field which a diving Nolan Reimold could not come up with. But, having had to stop and wait to see if the ball would fall in, Scutaro was too slow to make it all the way home, and ended up being thrown out. </p>
<p>From there, it was Daniel Bard's game to lose, but the setup man ended up coming through, albeit with some loud fly balls, recording a 1-2-3 inning to send the Sox into the ninth, where they'll just need Jonathan Papelbon to be Jonathan Papelbon.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/9/28/2457104/red-sox-orioles-score-game-updateBenjamin Buchanan2011-09-28T22:37:53-04:002011-09-28T22:37:53-04:00Yankees Vs. Rays: Rays Get Six in Eighth, Pull Within 7-6
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jjLHUmtSDznRZQXE-EfmQpii0IU=/0x26:400x293/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828103/large_boston.sbnation.com.minimal.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The Tampa Bay Rays have life in the race for the American League Wild Card! After eight innings from Tropicana Field, the Rays have pulled to within a run at 7-6.</p>
<p>After David Price was shelled for six runs in four innings and the offense managing just two hits through six innings, the bats awakened in the eight for the Rays as they scored six runs, highlighted by Evan Longoria’s three run home run off Yankees reliever Luis Ayala.</p>
<p>The Yankee’s “pitcher by committee” strategy had been highly effective through the first seven innings thanks to strong outings from Phil Hughes, AJ Burnett and Aaron Laffey. But, in the pivotal inning, the wheels came off when Andrew Brackman, Ayala and Boone Logan struggled with control.</p>
<p>The first two runs came via walks to Sam Fuld and Sean Rodriguez, BJ Upton hit a sacrifice fly with the bases load, and then Longoria cleared the remaining base runners with one swing.</p>
https://boston.sbnation.com/2011/9/28/2457022/yankees-vs-rays-rays-get-six-in-eighth-pull-within-7-6Dave Shook