"Who's your Papi?" 10th Anniversary of the 2004 ALCS. Game 5.
Jorge Camargo
Contributing Writer
October 18th, 2004. After a dramatic Game 4, the Red Sox and Yankees met again. It was also a win or go home situation for the Red Sox. The piching matchup was as great as the rivarly is, Pedro Martinez vs. Mike Mussina.
In the first inning, David Ortiz drove in a run and the captain Jason Varitek walked with the bases loaded to give Boston a 2-0 lead. But minutes later, Bernie Williams homered in the second inning to cut the lead to 2-1. It was a great pitching matchup until the 6th inning, where Pedro Martinez loaded the bases and surrendered a double to Derek Jeter that gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead. Then came the 8th inning, where Ortiz homered against Tom Gordon, cutting the Yankees lead to 3-2. Minutes later, Kevin Millar walked (again), and was replaced by Dave Roberts (also, again). Trot Nixon stepped into the batter box and singled, a hit that allowed Roberts get to 3rd base. Gordon was replaced by Rivera, who faced 'Tek. The Captain hitted a long sacrifice fly to tie the game in the 8th inning. It was again, a fantasy story where the Red Sox were still fighting against the odds.
The game went to extra-innings for a second night in a row, where Tim Wakefild came to relief the twelfth inning. The problem was, that Jason Varitek wasn't good at catching knuckeballs, Tim Wakefield best pitch. In the top of the thirteenth inning, Varitek allowed three pass balls that gave the Yanekes a momentum to threaten the Red Sox. Wakefield struck out Sierra and to the fourteenth. During the last inning, Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez walked, giving David Ortiz two outs and runners in first and second. As I mentioned on the last post, 2004 was the second year of Ortiz with the Red Sox and his "The King of Clutch" status was barely rising. The 2013 World Series MVP did his job and singled to center field, driving Johnny Damon to the plate. The Red Sox won again, and stayed alive for another game. A series that was an inning away from finishing was now 3-2 and the legend of Big Papi was barely begining. David Ortiz gave the Red Sox Nation a chance to create the chant of "Who's your Papi?' making fun of the "Who's your daddy?" the Yankees fans used to mock of Pedro Martinez.
This game broke the record as the longest game in postseason history with a duration of 5 hours and 49 minutes, until it was broken next year with the Houstron Astros vs. the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. That game lasted only minute more.
Game 6 starting pitchers were Curt Schilling for the Red Sox and Jon Lieber for the Yankees, a game so beautiful and historic that still gives chills to the Red Sox fans.
Were you hopeful when Ortiz came to the plate in the fourteenth inning? Where were you when the Red Sox cutted the series lead to 3-2? Do you think any baseball team will be able to acomplish what the Red Sox did in the 2004 ALCS? Leave your comments below. Click here to read the Game 4 article.
Contributing Writer
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| Photo by Jed Jacobsohn. |
In the first inning, David Ortiz drove in a run and the captain Jason Varitek walked with the bases loaded to give Boston a 2-0 lead. But minutes later, Bernie Williams homered in the second inning to cut the lead to 2-1. It was a great pitching matchup until the 6th inning, where Pedro Martinez loaded the bases and surrendered a double to Derek Jeter that gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead. Then came the 8th inning, where Ortiz homered against Tom Gordon, cutting the Yankees lead to 3-2. Minutes later, Kevin Millar walked (again), and was replaced by Dave Roberts (also, again). Trot Nixon stepped into the batter box and singled, a hit that allowed Roberts get to 3rd base. Gordon was replaced by Rivera, who faced 'Tek. The Captain hitted a long sacrifice fly to tie the game in the 8th inning. It was again, a fantasy story where the Red Sox were still fighting against the odds.
The game went to extra-innings for a second night in a row, where Tim Wakefild came to relief the twelfth inning. The problem was, that Jason Varitek wasn't good at catching knuckeballs, Tim Wakefield best pitch. In the top of the thirteenth inning, Varitek allowed three pass balls that gave the Yanekes a momentum to threaten the Red Sox. Wakefield struck out Sierra and to the fourteenth. During the last inning, Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez walked, giving David Ortiz two outs and runners in first and second. As I mentioned on the last post, 2004 was the second year of Ortiz with the Red Sox and his "The King of Clutch" status was barely rising. The 2013 World Series MVP did his job and singled to center field, driving Johnny Damon to the plate. The Red Sox won again, and stayed alive for another game. A series that was an inning away from finishing was now 3-2 and the legend of Big Papi was barely begining. David Ortiz gave the Red Sox Nation a chance to create the chant of "Who's your Papi?' making fun of the "Who's your daddy?" the Yankees fans used to mock of Pedro Martinez.
This game broke the record as the longest game in postseason history with a duration of 5 hours and 49 minutes, until it was broken next year with the Houstron Astros vs. the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. That game lasted only minute more.
Game 6 starting pitchers were Curt Schilling for the Red Sox and Jon Lieber for the Yankees, a game so beautiful and historic that still gives chills to the Red Sox fans.
Were you hopeful when Ortiz came to the plate in the fourteenth inning? Where were you when the Red Sox cutted the series lead to 3-2? Do you think any baseball team will be able to acomplish what the Red Sox did in the 2004 ALCS? Leave your comments below. Click here to read the Game 4 article.
