In 2004, the Boston Red Sox became the first team in history to survive a 3-0 deficit by winning 4 straight games against the New York Yankees to advance to the 2004 World Series. Last year the Red Sox found themselves trailing the Cleveland Indians 3-1. The ‘Sox rallied like rock stars winning three in a row and eventually sweeping the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series. This year trailing the Rays 3-1 the Red Sox just could not get it done!

Dustin Pedroia lead off the attack for Boston in the first inning driving a solo home run (his third of the series and the 25th home run of the ALCS), deep to left putting the ‘Sox on the board first in Game 7. The Rays fought back in the bottom of the 4th when Evan Longoria doubled on a fly ball hit in the right field gap near J.D. Drew scoring Carlos Pena. The Rays then took the lead in the bottom of the 5th after an RBI single hit by Rocco Baldeli scoring Willy Aybar from second. After 5 innings of play, the Rays lead 2-1.

Series Timeline

Game 1: Daisuke Matsuzaka held the Tampa Bay Rays scoreless through seven innings in game one and cruised his team to a 2-0 victory and a 1-0 start to the ALCS.

Game 2: A four home run night in Game 2 proved not to be enough after 11 total innings for the Red Sox. A sac fly by Tampa’s B.J. Upton late in the 11th tied the series at one game a piece and a 9-8 victory over Boston.

Game 3: Tampa over powers the Red Sox with two 3-run home runs hit over the Green Monster by B.J. Upton and Rocco Baldelli. The only run for the ‘Sox came from a seventh-inning sac fly from Jacoby Ellsbury. Boston finds themselves down two games to one in the ALCS after a 9-1 pounding.

Game 4: The Rays continued their hot streak in Game 4 blasting 14 hits including home runs from Pena, Longoria, and Aybar handing the Red Sox a 13-4 loss and a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS.

Game 5: The wheels fall off for the Rays. After leading game 5 7-0, the Tampa Bay Rays gave up 4 runs in the 7th, 3 in the eight, and a game-winning line drive by J.D. Drew scoring Kevin Youkilis. The biggest comeback in MLB playoff history since 1929 proved to be nothing short of miraculous.

Game 6: Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek hit solo home runs as the defense only allowed two runs allowing the Red Sox to beat the Rays 4-2 and force Game 7 after trailing in the series 3-1.

The bottom of the 7th inning may have been the turning point for Rays. Willy Aybar slapped a solo home run against John Lester deep to into the seats above the left field wall giving the Rays a 3-1 lead. Aybars home run was the 16th home run hit by the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS and it set a ALCS post season record of 26 combined home runs for the series.

Once again Boston faced a 3-1 deficit in the 7th inning. The doors seemed to open in the top of the eight when right fielder J.D. Drew came to the plate with bases juiced. In his second Major League appearance Rays left-hander David Price caught Drew looking on an “Priceless” outside fastball to end the inning.

David Price continued to be “Priceless” in the 9th striking out Mark Kotsay and Jason Varitek with the same pitch that claimed J.D. Drew back in the eight.

The Tampa Bay Rays are your American League Champions defeating the Red Sox 3-1 and advancing to the World Series for the first time in franchise history and will face off with the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series.

1. The Red Sox have surrendered 31 runs in the last 3 postseason games. Blame the pitching if you must, but the other areas of the defense have also tipped the bucket this postseason.

2. They can’t pitch! Pitching has allowed 14 combined runs in the first three innings of the last three games. Enough said.

3. The only thing the Boston bullpen can produce is runs for the Rays. Time after time the Rays are simply crushing the ball no matter who Boston sends to the mound.

4. Oh no! Papi left his bat at home. Big Papi is 1-14 against the Rays, and in the process he has left 10 runners on base. You can’t blame David Ortiz for everything, or can you? When his bat does not hit statistics show that the Red Sox will struggle to win games. The ignition for the Sox offense is “spuddering”.

5. Everyone is focused on Ortiz not crushing the ball. Baseball is a game of failure and instead of dwelling on one individual player the Boston Red Sox need to step up and deliver when David is not. Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies lead his team from the top of the lineup all season until the playoffs. As soon as Rollins began to slump Shane Victorino picked up the slack leading the league in postseason RBI’s. In other words, Boston needs a Victorino, someone who can ignite the offense.

6. Manny Ramirez is playing for the Dodgers! Ouch! Sorry Red Sox fans, I just had to bring it up. Mlb.com is reporting that since the “Manny Trade” Ortiz batted .262 in 49 games, with nine homers and 42 RBIs. These stats are not particularly terrible, but they are way under the bar in respect to Big Papi standards. In 2007, Ortiz finished the year with 117 RBI and a batting average of .332-incomparable to his average of .264 in 2008.

7. Last year’s World Series MVP, third baseman Mike Lowell is on the bench with a hip operation pending. In the regular season Lowell had 419 plate appearances, 17 home runs and 73 RBIs. His presence is definitely missed in the 6th spot.

8. Wakefield’s knuckleball is not working! Heading into game 4, Wakefield had an ERA of 5.87. When a knuckleball pitcher’s most deadly weapon is not deadly anymore, one side of the score board will rise just like gas prices do when a thunderstorm hits Florida.

The Rays have proven themselves fearless with nothing to lose throughout the entire playoffs, hitting the ball hard in every at bat. However, these failures mentioned above do not necessarily mean Boston can not adjust. As history tells us, THEY”VE BEEN HERE BEFORE!! Rallying from a 3-1 deficit seems to be always in reach especially for the Boston Red Sox. Anything is possible in October and I think Boston fans will be glad to see Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound as we head into game 5 Thursday night.