2004 Boston Red Sox

The 2004 Boston Red Sox

The 2004 Boston Red Sox were down to their final 3 outs of the season, facing one of the greatest closers in the history of the game, the New York Yankees' Mariano Rivera. Given the circumstances, they stood no chance in rallying back and winning the series. However, the toughness and determination of the Red Sox allowed them to squeeze out a Game 4 victory, followed by another two very hard-fought wins. The demoralized Yankees could not recover from their wounds in Game 7 like the Red Sox had done in the previous games, and the Red Sox completed a miraculous series victory. Despite the painful memories of the 2003 ALCS, a 3-0 series deficit, and the burden of the “Curse of the Bambino,” the Red Sox still managed to win their first World Series title in 86 years.

2003 ALCS: New York Yankees defeated Boston Red Sox in 7 games (best of 7 series)
Aaron Boone hit a walk-off solo home-run off Tim Wakefield in bottom of 11th inning; dramatic and crushing defeat for Red Sox
Red Sox still had not won a World Series since 1918 (2nd longest drought in MLB behind the Chicago Cubs)

In offseason: Red Sox traded for Arizona Diamondback’s ace starting pitcher Curt Schilling; fired manager Grady Little and hired Terry Francona (current manager)

In 2004: Yankees won American League East division, Red Sox clinched wild card
Yankees defeated Minnesota Twins 3-1 (best of 5 series)
Red Sox defeated LA Angels of Anaheim 3-0
Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman said that "the two teams in the American League facing each other in this series are the two best teams, period."
Fox commentator Joe Buck said as the series began: "What's hard to believe, it was almost exactly one year ago tonight that Aaron Boone hit that home 11th inning home run to beat the Red Sox, to get for some reason it seemed predetermined that would be right back here a year later for a rematch of sort."

Game 1: Yankees win 10-7
Game 2: Yankees win 3-1
Game 3: Yankees win 19-8

4 hours and 20 minutes long; longest playoff game in history
Bob Ryan wrote about the Red Sox in The Boston Globe: They are down, 3–0, after last night's 19–8 rout, and, in this sport, that is an official death sentence. Soon it will be over, and we will spend another dreary winter lamenting this and lamenting that.
No MLB team had ever come back to win a series down 3-0

Game 4: Red Sox win 6-4 in 12 inning game

Yankees led 4-3 in 9th inning with the legendary Mariano Rivera on the mound; 3 outs away from returning to their 2nd straight World Series birth
Kevin Millar walked, Dave Roberts came in to pinch-run and stole second base. Later nicknamed “The Steal”
Bill Mueller singled and drove in the tying run
David Ortiz hit 2-run walk-off home run in 12th inning

Game 5: Red Sox win 5-4
Game 6: Red Sox win 4-2

Schilling pitched with a torn tendon sheath in his right ankle, which was stiched in place by Red Sox team doctors.
By the end of his performance, Schilling's white sock was partially soaked in blood, nicknamed "The Bloody Sock"
Schilling’s bloody sock symbolized Red Sox’s resiliency, and set up the final showdown in Game 7

Game 7: Red Sox win 10-3

For inspiration for their ALCS comeback, the Red Sox gathered in Yankee Stadium's visitors' clubhouse prior to Game 7 to watch Miracle, the movie chronicling the 1980 U.S. men's gold-medal hockey team
Red Sox became 1st team to win series after trailing 3-0

The Boston Red Sox went on to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals in 4 games in the World Series. The franchise won a World Series title for the first time since 1918, ending a lengthy 86 year drought.