2007 Postseason Walk Offs
From SoSH
- 10/5 - Manny being Manny does not get much better than this. After David Ortiz had been pitched around for the third straight at-bat, it was Ramirez' time to get even with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. With the score knotted at 3 in the ninth, Manny stepped in to face premiere closer Francisco Rodriguez.
The score stood tied due to a bit of Red Sox fortune in the fifth inning. A combination of extra Playoff camera wells and a heads-up Danny Vinik conspired to keep the ball out of LAA catcher Jeff Mathis' mitt. That foul ball off the bat of Manny Ramirez that landed into a fans' hand allowed him to eventually draw a walk and preserve the out. Mike Lowell followed him with a sacrifice fly to bring home Dustin Pedroia with the tying run. The Boston Bullpen took over after that, dominating Angel hitters for 4.1 no-hit innings, setting up Manny's heroics.
Including past post-season play Ramirez had blasted 261 homeruns for the Red Sox, but none were of the Walk-Off variety. In fact, his last walk-off dinger had not come in over 10 years, off California Angels closer Troy Percival. Manny had never connected on a playoff Walk-Off yet either. But that was all about to change.
With one mighty swing, Manny crushed a Rodriguez offering high over the Green Monster and gave the Red Sox a 6-3 victory and a 2-0 ALDS lead. It was Manny's first longball at Fenway Park in over two months, as he had been sidelined most of September with an oblique strain. It was a sweet sight for the Fenway Faithful, and arguably Manny's sweetest stroke ever.
