Red Sox Upset Rays to Advance to ALCS

The Boston Red Sox have defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-5 in Game 4 of the ALDS to advance to the ALCS. 

The Red Sox scored five runs in the third inning on a 3-run HR by Rafael Devers as well as a double by Alex Verdugo and a single by J.D. Martinez. However, the Rays would chip away. A fifth inning RBI groundout by Austin Meadows made it 5-1. 20-year phenom Wander Franco hit a 2-run HR to make it 5-3 in the 6th. The Rays would tie it in the eighth on a double by Kevin Kiermaier and a single by Randy Arozarena as the normally effective Ryan Brasier failed to retire a batter. 

It would be up to Rule 5 draft pick Garrett Whitlock to pitch two scoreless innings. The Sox won in the 9th on a sacrifice fly by Kike Hernandez. If the ALDS had an MVP then Hernandez would have been it going 9 for 20 with 2 HR and 6 RBI including a post-season record 7 consecutive hits. 

This is a monumental upset. I certainly didn't expect this outcome. After all, the Rays were the defending AL champions and had won a franchise record 100 games. In Game 1, the Rays overmatched the Bosox shutting them out 5-0 at Tropicana Field. But then the Red Sox would even the series in Game 2 with a 14 run outburst with Hernandez going 5 for 6 with 3 RBI and Martinez, despite being hobbled by an ankle injury, collecting four hits along with 3 RBI. 

Yesterday's game was a post-season classic going 13 innings with Nick Pivetta pitching four scoreless innings of relief. The Rays appeared to have had the game won on a Kiermaier double but the ball bounced off right fielder Hunter Renfroe into the Fenway bullpen for a ground rule double keeping Wandy Diaz on third base. Christian Vazquez would hit a walk off HR to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. Thank goodness they don't put a runner on second in extra innings in the post-season. But then why do it at all?

But that's a fight for another day. The momentum continued into today despite blowing a five run lead. Whitlock and Hernandez came through. 

The Red Sox will either face the Chicago White Sox or Houston Astros in the ALCS which commences on Friday on the road. The Astros have a 2-1 lead in their ALDS matchup and the Astros could clinch it tomorrow afternoon in Chicago. But the White Sox could tie up the series and force a Game 5 in Houston on Wednesday. 

I'm beginning to get excited. But I must temper my enthusiasm. Yet I cannot deny enjoying listening to Joe Castiglione calling Red Sox games on the radio again. Ever so slowly I'm becoming a Red Sox fan again. Ever so slowly I'm becoming a baseball fan again. But we'll have to take it day by day.