2004 ALCS Comeback

Lore & Background

The Red Sox had a strong offense in the regular season, leading the major leagues in runs scored (949), doubles (373), on-base percentage (.360), slugging percentage (.472), on-base plus slugging (.832), total bases (2,702), and plate appearances. They led all postseason teams in batting average and on-base percentage.

In Their Own Story

The air in Yankee Stadium hung heavy with the smell of grilled onions and eighty-six years of collective dread. It was Game 7, the precipice where history dictated a Red Sox collapse. But as David Ortiz stepped into the box, the roar of the Bronx crowd seemed to recede, muffled by the sheer audacity of the moment. The count wound down; a ground ball rocketed toward third base. Nomar Garciaparra flipped it home, and the runner slid feet-first. The catcher, Jorge Posada, leaped to apply the tag just as the umpire's arm shot up: 'Out!' A collective groan threatened to swallow the dugout—until the replay revealed the truth. The throw had yanked Posada off the plate. Safe! The stadium didn't just cheer; it convulsed in a chaotic surge of disbelief and pure, unadulterated joy as Boston snatched the go-ahead run from the jaws of defeat. In that instant, the dugout erupted into a tangle of hugging strangers, the 86-year ghost finally exorcised by a single, perfectly placed slide.

Reader's Guide

It states that the Red Sox defeated the Yankees in seven games after coming back from a 3–0 deficit, but does not name the pitcher who recorded the final out or describe any early lead by Mike Mussina in Game 7. Therefore, those details are unclear from the source.

Did You Know?

• The Red Sox became the first team in major league history to come back from a 3–0 postseason deficit.
• The Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, capturing their first championship since 1918.
• The Red Sox led the major leagues in runs scored (949) during the regular season.