Four Real? Walk off Edition Take II: Red Sox vs Mariners 8-1-13

Pete Lepak
RedSoxLife Staff Writer
Sox go loco in the 9th, win 8-7
This game looked to be over in the fifth inning when the Mariners took a 7-1 lead against Seattle Ace Felix Hernandez, but if you know these Red Sox, you know it's never over until the game ends. King Felix went seven strong, spreading out six hits and only givng up a run. On the other side, Ryan Dempster did not get into a groove for Boston, and ended up walking five while giving up seven runs in six innings pitched. To say that Boston tore apart the Seattle bullpen would be an understatement; Boston collected seven hits and seven runs in only 1 1/3 innings to come all the way back and steal the third game of the series to collect walkoff wins in their last two games. Here are the four at bats that changed the game:

1) Blanco Bomb. Seattle took an early 2-1 lead until the fifth inning, when Ryan Dempster came unraveled. Kyle Seager started the inning with a triple and then scored on a Kendrys Morales single. With the bases loaded, weak hitting catcher Henry Blanco takes an inside Dempster fastball a long distance, clearing the Green Monster and putting the Mariners up 7-1.

2) Attack of the Sox. In the eighth, with Felix Hernandez gone, Charlie Furbush took over for the Mariners and he immediately runs into trouble when he gives up a high bomb to Shane Victorino, who crushes a ball into the Green Monster seats. 7-2 Mariners, and here starts the comeback.

3) Here comes trouble. In the bottom of the ninth, Seattle closer Tom Wilhelmsen allows all four men he faces to reach. Daniel Nava walks, Ryan Lavarnway singles, Brock Holt doubles in a run and Jacoby Ellsbury walks. Pitcher Oliver Perez fares no better, giving up a Shane Victorino single to score two and a Dustin Pedroia single to score another run. With one out, Yoervis Medina pitches Jonny Gomes very well and looks to have struck him out on a 2-2 outside fastball, but it is called a ball. Gomes slaps the next pitch up the middle to tie the score at 7.

4) Give up? Nava-r! Bases are loaded, and there is only one for for Daniel Nava. Medina is forced to throw strikes, and Nava knows that, swinging at the first pitch he sees and crushing it to deep center field. With the outfield playing in, the ball drops and the Sox win, their second walkoff of the day, and 11th of the season.

What an amazing comeback for the Red Sox, another team effort, as every starter but Mike Carp recorded a base hit. It's games like these that make watching Boston baseball fun again! Tomorrow, Boston and Jon Lester face Randall Delgado and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway, starting at 7:10pm.

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