Red Sox Collapse

Yesterday was probably the best night in baseball history. Entering the final game of the season, the Red Sox were tied with the Rays for the AL Wild Card spot. It was shocking the Rays were even in it as the Red Sox were 9.5 games up entering September. So the scenario entering Wednesday was, if one team wins and the others loses, the winner goes to the playoffs. If both teams have the same result, the two would play in a one game series the following day.

The Red Sox had their ace John Lester pitching versus the Orioles last night. They seemed to have the game under control leading 3-2 entering the 9th inning. The Red Sox all star closer Jonathan Paplebon had struck out the first two Orioles batters in the 9th. He just needed one more out but after a single and a ground rule double, all of a sudden the game was tied at 3-3. Next up for the Orioles stepped in Robert Andino. This guy had been known all season as the "Red Sox Killer" as he already had two walk off hits against them earlier this year. Paplebon delivered a pitch right down the middle and Andino slapped the ball to left field winning the game for the Orioles. A stunned Red Sox team looked up at the scoreboard and saw that the Rays and Yankees were tied in the bottom of the 12th inning in Tampa Bay. All they could do now was wait. After the Yankees had gotten off to a 7-0 lead, the Rays fans believed their teams season was over. The players obviously had different plans as they scored 6 runs in the 8th and a 2 out home run in the 9th sent the game to extra innings. As the game reached the bottom of the 12th, Evan Longoria stepped up to the plate and heard screaming and shouting throughout the stands. He soon realized the Orioles had just beaten the Red Sox leaving the door wide open for his team to make the playoffs. On a 2-2 pitch, Longoria hit a line drive home run down the left field line and that was that. Just 3 minutes after the Red Sox had lost, the Rays had won sending them to the ALDS!

This truly was a shock to Red Sox nation as they are left with questions after this epic collapse. I think they need better pitching as they had one of the worst team ERA's in the month of September. Meanwhile for the Rays, they are going to have to regroup because their series versus the slugging Texas Rangers starts this weekend.

This was Longoria's second home run of the game. He also hit a 3 run homer in the 8th closing the Yankees lead to one run.