BOSTON, 19 October 2004 — David Ortiz smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Red Sox a 6-4 victory over the New York Yankees yesterday, enabling Boston to avoid a sweep in the American League Championship Series.
With Manny Ramirez on first base, Ortiz sent a Paul Quantrill pitch soaring over the right-field fence — setting off wild celebrations among the Fenway Park fans who stayed to watch what had become the longest game in ALCS history.
“This is a team that never give up,” said Ortiz, who drove in four of Boston’s six runs. “That’s the way the game is supposed to be played. You keep playing hard till the last out.”
Despite the defeat, New York lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can secure a World Series berth in Game Five, also in Boston.
Yankees manager Joe Torre tried to put a brave face on the loss, but warned that momentum can shift quickly.
The Yankees had appeared to have the series wrapped up heading into the ninth inning with a 4-3 lead.
However, with no outs and pinch runner Dave Roberts having stolen second base, Bill Mueller singled to center field off ace New York closer Mariano Rivera, scoring Roberts and sending the game into extra innings.
Earlier, Alex Rodriguez put the Yankees on the scoreboard first by blasting a two-run homer off Red Sox starter Derek Lowe in the third inning. Boston fought back in the fifth as Yankees starter Orlando Hernandez struggled. Orlando Cabrera drove in a run and then, with bases loaded, Ortiz singled to center field to add two more.
New York scored two more runs in the sixth, after Hideki Matsui, who had tripled off Lowe, was scored by Bernie Williams, before Tony Clark’s RBI single drove in catcher Jorge Posada. Hernandez struck out six but allowed five walks, three hits and three runs over five innings. Lowe struck out three and allowed six hits and three runs over five and one-third innings. Red Sox reliever Curtis Leskanic got the win. The Red Sox must win the remaining three games.
Record-Tying Beltran Blasts Astros Into Tie
In Houston, Carlos Beltran’s record-tying eighth postseason home run capped the Houston Astros’ 6-5 comeback win over the St. Louis Cardinals to even the National League Championship Series at two games apiece on Sunday. Beltran clubbed a low seventh inning slider from Cardinals reliever Julian Tavarez into the Astros bullpen for Houston’s first and only lead. With the blast, the center-fielder became the first player to homer in five straight playoff games and matched Barry Bonds for the most in one postseason, although Bonds took eight more games to reach the mark in 2002.
Brad Lidge made it stand with two scoreless innings for his second save in as many days as the best-of-seven series was effectively reduced to a best-of-three.
Reliever Dan Wheeler earned the win by tossing a scoreless seventh inning against the fearsome heart of the St. Louis order.
The Astros were expected to have the advantage coming into the game because 20-game winner Roy Oswalt was on the mound.
However, Oswalt struggled, allowing five runs in six innings and walking four without recording a strikeout. Oswalt gave up three runs in first on a two-run homer by Albert Pujols, who finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and a run-scoring single by John Mabry. The Astros inched back when Beltran walked and scored on Jeff Bagwell’s double later in the first, then fell behind 4-1 in the third when Jim Edmonds’ sacrifice fly plated Pujols.
Houston bounced back again that inning, with Beltran and Bagwell scoring on a Lance Berkman double. The Astros’ final comeback came when they were down 5-3 in the sixth. Berkman led off with a long homer to left, then Jose Vizcaino laced a two-out double down the left field line.
Raul Chavez, who hit .210 on the regular season, cued a base hit just behind second base to score Vizcaino with the game-tying run.
Wheeler came on the following inning, giving up a leadoff single to Pujols, then retiring Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Edgar Renteria to set the stage for Beltran. Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa defended Tavarez’s game-losing pitch to Beltran.
