Boston Red Sox's David Ortiz is mobbed at home plate
after his 3-run walk-off home run to beat the
Cleveland Indians, 9-8, in the ninth inning of their
baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston Monday, July 31, 2006.
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Posted on 07/31/2006 8:29:51 PM PDT by demlosers
BOSTON -- Two outs from defeat, the Red Sox instead staged one of their most memorable comebacks of the season, turning the tables on the Indians in the bottom of the ninth and producing a riveting 9-8 victory before a packed house at Fenway Park on Monday.
The Red Sox entered their last at-bat down by two runs. Alex Cora led off with a single to right, and Kevin Youkilis followed with a walk. The stage was set for Mr. Clutch, David Ortiz, who delivered yet again. Big Papi struck a walk-off homer to center off Indians reliever Fausto Carmona, setting off yet another mob scene at home plate, as a sea of white jerseys jumped all over Ortiz.
It was Ortiz's second game-ending hit in three days and fifth this season.
The hope was that David Wells, with his fluid throwing motion and fresh left arm, could breathe some fresh air into the Red Sox on a night he was pitching for the first time in more than two months. But Boomer struggled, giving up eight runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 innings.
The Red Sox and Indians traded haymakers all night, but the Indians seemed to steal the momentum when Casey Blake hit his second homer of the night off Wells, a three-run shot to left that gave the Indians an 8-6 lead in the fifth.
Kyle Snyder gave the Red Sox a chance, firing 4 1/3 innings of one-hit baseball in which he struck out six.
This guy is unbelievable.
He lives for this!
Next Mayor of Boston.
His salsa rocks too.
I'm sure John Kerry is proud anew at the heroism of "Manny Ortez."
Hey I'm a Bosox fan who lives 10 miles from RBC center and hence a 'Canes fan. Life is good, no?
I am in Wilmington. Just moved here from the North Shore of Boston. Life is good.
I was listening on XM till I got into my office. Missed from when they pulled Wells till the end.
Why do they keep pitching to Ortiz?
Optimism springs eternal? I dunno - I guess textbook answer is that ManRam is in the ondeck circle - but gut feeling is I'd walk Ortiz and take my chances against Mannie. Boston is an OK place to be *from* but I'm glad it's not my home anymore - NC is much nicer.
I grew up in Sturbridge which is a small town in Central MA. I used to call it the Gateway to Worcester.
Love it down here. best thing I ever did was to sell and make the move.
Phillies fan and worker, but a big admirer of Ortiz. Not only is he a clutch hitter for the ages, he's a nice guy.
My GF is from Center City. I went to alot of Eagles and Phils games at the Vet. What a hole that place was. The tail gateing was out of control!
The Vet was indeed a toilet, I don't miss it at all. Phils games are slightly calmer than Eagles games...in fact, when the Bosox came to town in May, so did many of their fans, who I enjoyed talking to.
Many Eagles fans seem to live to drink, and have a goal of getting blotto before kickoff. Sad but true.
Good move by Tito to bring in Snyder in long relief - otherwise no chance.
I work nights and listen to games on the radio (will be on vacation next week though; off to see games in D.C. and
Baltimore, though not involving Sox)...When Ortiz hit his first HR of the night it was a no-doubt blast as described
by Trupiano ("there it goes!!"), while the game winning HR,
described by Castiglione, is in question---is
it a double? fly out?, and then Joe yells out: "It's GONE!!!! BIG PAPI
DOES IT AGAIN! Can YOU believe it?"
I was sitting in the bleachers for last night's game, and I'm not sure that I could have picked a better game in the entire season. It was without a doubt the most exciting ballgame I've ever been to.
LET'S GO METS!!
Thank you.
Do a few more of these and David Ortiz wraps up the AL MVP award going away.
MVP?
What's Ortiz hitting, .248?
Does he even have a glove?
How about a cap?
I admire the passion of you BoSox fans, but enough with the MVP talk.
And enough of these juiced up hogs with upper cut swings.
I live halfway between Philly and Baltimore. I usually get to one game each series when the Sox play the Orioles or Phillies. I was able to see Beckett pitch against the Phillies this year. That was the first time I had been to their new ballpark. It makes Camden Yards look sick. Ryan Howard looks like a Big Papi clone.
He's actually an average first baseman and does play occasionally in the field, but the Sox have always been able to find a better fielding first baseman. If he were in the NL any team would have no problem putting him in the field at first base. Luckily he does not have to play in an inferior league though.
He is without a doubt the league MVP this year.
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