Baseball's Most Exciting Games, No. 24: The Rise of Big Papi

Game 5, 2004 ALCS: New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

October 18, 2004, Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

Yankees lead series 3-1

The night before, the Red Sox and Yankees had played an all-time classic game, one that turned on the stolen base that saved Boston. After David Ortiz began his ascension to a higher plane by ending Game 4 with a home run, Boston could let out a breath. They were still alive in the ALCS, but barely. They still had work to do. But a 3-1 deficit in the ALCS is better than a 3-0 one, and they had Pedro Martinez on the mound at home for Game 5. 

If the Red Sox expected an easier win in Game 5, they were sorely mistaken. Because while Game 4 has gone down as the most important game in Boston's franchise history, Game 5 was somehow even better. And that happened because for all his brilliance, Pedro Martinez had one fatal flaw: When he reached his 100th pitch in a start, he would transform from legend to mortal.

Martinez's 100th pitch of Game 5 came in the sixth inning. The Red Sox were holding a 2-1 lead, but the Yankees were crawling back against Martinez. The bases were loaded with two outs, and Derek Jeter was up with a 1-1 count. Through 99 pitches, Pedro was in control, if in a bit of trouble.

The 100th pitch was lined down the right field line. 

Jeter ended up with a double, scoring all three runs. Boston fans were stunned. Martinez returned to the mound in disbelief. What had been a sure thing had turned into a 4-2 deficit. And Martinez kept struggling, hitting the next batter, walking the one after that, and only escaping the sixth because of a sliding catch by Trot Nixon.

Once again, the Red Sox had to come from behind. Once again, it was Big Papi who led the way. 

Ortiz almost had his chance in the seventh inning, but Manny Ramirez grounded into a double play with two men on to end the bottom of the seventh and leave Ortiz in the on-deck circle. So Ortiz had to wait until the 8th inning, which he promptly led off with a home run over the monster. 

Then Yankees and Red Sox were hit with some déjà vu, because after Kevin Millar walked, Dave Roberts ran to first to pinch-run. Just like the night before, Roberts was on first as the game-tying run, at a moment when everybody knew he was going to run. This time it took a while for him to go, taking off for second with a 3-1 count. Instead of letting him run, Trot Nixon lined a single to center for a perfect hit-and-run. With runners on the corner, the Yankees brought in Mariano Rivera to try to get the save he failed to get the night before. But once again, the Red Sox got to him, this time in the form of a sacrifice fly from Jason Varitek. Even though no runs were credited to him, Rivera had blown a save for the second straight night, and the game entered the ninth tied at 4.

In the top of the 9th, Fenway Park's famous right field corner came into play. The right field foul pole - nicknamed Pesky's Pole - sits only 302 feet away from home plate, the shortest distance in the majors, but the outfield distance quickly gets deeper. It was that pole that Tony Clark aimed for with Ruben Sierra on first base with two outs in the 9th. Clark - who was then the Yankees first baseman and is currently the player's union Executive Director - hit a shot that looked promising at first, but landed just to the left of the pole, bouncing over the wall for a ground-rule double. If he had hit that ball one foot to the left, it likely would have stayed in play, allowing Sierra to score; a foot to the right, and it was likely a series-clinching two-run home run. Instead, it was a ground rule double, which led to a scoreless 9th after Miguel Cairo fouled out.

Not a home run this time, but 
almost as exciting.

After Clark's near-miss, the game turned into a series of failed bunts and ill-timed double plays. It took until the bottom of the 14th for things to turn. After two walks and two strike outs, Ortiz came up again. And again, he delivered. It wasn't a towering home run deep into the Boston night, but rather a bloop single to center. It worked just the same, though, as Johnny Damon easily scored the game-winning run.

In the span of two nights, the Red Sox had twice tied the game against the best reliever of all time. And with three swings, Ortiz had become a Boston legend.

Game 5, 2004 ALCS Overall Rank: 24 Top 10 Swing: 208 Top Play: Ortiz's game-winning single (WPA of 38% for Boston) Loser's largest WE: 88 T8, 1 out, runner on third, Yankees up 4-2 Average LI: 1.93 Highest leverage moment: 5.09 (Twice; Yankees twice batted in a tie game with two outs and runners on second and third, once in the 9th and once in the 13th)