Five greatest come-backs in American League Championship Series – Part 4
Each of the first four games were worthy to be mentioned, as these provided the fans the best ever matchups of their time. Boston Red Sox completed the first ever unsurpassed-comeback and the magical moments of the Kansas City Royals’ 1985 ALCS bounce back
faded from the memories of the fans.
The Red Sox took another ultimate revenge in 2004 over their old rival New York Yankees bouncing back from 3-0 to close down the seven-game ALCS 4-3. The biggest ever celebrations in the history of baseball was seen on October 14 at Yankee Stadium, when
the Yankees over-came the Kansas City Royals in the last inning of the Game 5.
However, what baseball would always remember was the finale of the 2003 season.
2003 ALCS Finale: Aaron Boone closes a classic Series with one hit
The hype of the 2004 ALCS series would have never formed if the Yankees had not given a major blow to the Red Sox in the 2003 series.
The war the Yankees started in 2003 boosted the fans to the present in every Yankees-Red Sox Competition in the season but the ALCS matchup heated up the field with the everlasting spark. The greatest rivalries were thinking not less than the triumph on
October 16, 2003.
The series stumbled upon in both sides. Red Sox started the tension-driven series with a win and the Yankees managed to level and then took a lead of 2-1 with another win. The series went to Fenway Park and the Red Sox took the home ground advantage to even
the series at two-all. The next game would have been a finale if the series had played before 1985, when the Series was upgraded to seven games.
The Yankees, however snatched the lead with another win, but the opposition were not ready to donate the Series so easily. Red Sox dominated to clinch the sixth outing and turned the game into a scorching finale.
The great Game between two exciting clubs was started by two of the greatest baseball pitchers. Roger Clemens took the responsibility from the Yankees while Red Sox sent Pedro Martinez to the encounter. However, only one of the two great pitchers showed
up that night. Clemens tossed everything but inspiring, left the mound in the fourth inning 4-0 down while the Red Sox were having two runners on base and no one was out.
Joe Torre sent in Mike Mussina who had showed his pitching in Game 4, but it was first time Mussina pitching as relief pitcher. Risky but brave move worked and Mussina advanced the Yankees through three scoreless innings.
The Red Sox were on top and Jason Giambi had launched two solo home-runs to advance the club to a 5-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.
It was then the game started to roll back to the Yankees. Martinez had pitched brilliantly but now he was approaching his pitching limit and the Red Sox used their best strategy to limit his pitching. Tired Martinez struck-out the first before Derek Jeter
entered and doubled to right. Bernie Williams then made a hit to snatch an RBI single that turned the game to 5-3.
Everyone was surprised to see the Red Sox manager Grady Little walking towards the mound. The fans along with both bullpens assumed Little would call Pedro back but to everyone’s surprise, Pedro remained in and Little came out.
It was the biggest mistake Little made, as Hideki Matsui stole second base and then both the second and the third base was occupied with only one out. Jorge Posada entered as the fourth batter and chipped a ball to shallow centre that helped both runners
to score. The bottom of the eighth ended up on five-all and the Red Sox were completely dejected.
The game continued through two more innings and was not close to end until Aaron Boone, who was acquired in the last moments of trade deadlines, launched a walk-off solo homer to take the Yankees to the World Series.
The greatest ever baseball ALCS Game 7 was ended by a young player and it also provided a memorable moment in the history of the sport.
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