They will go down as the most thrilling 129 minutes in baseball history. Never before and likely never again—if we even dare to assume anything else can be likely ever again—will baseball captivate and exhilarate on so many fronts in so small a window the way it did September 28, 2011.
- Tom Verducci
I just stumbled into this video on YouTube, and while I remember this day clearly (as it was terrible), with the benefit of two titles and time, it's really fascinating how so many things happened that day.
What was at stake?
In the AL EAST the Rays and Red Sox were tied for the wild card. The only reason they were tied was the Red Sox had blown a 9-game lead over the Rays, finishing the season going 6-18.
Tampa Bay was playing the Yankees, Red Sox playing the Orioles. A win for both put them into a 163rd game, a win and a loss for other meant elimination.
Over in the NL, both the Cardinals and Braves were vying for the final playoff spot. The Atlanta Braves were cruising, but from Sept 1st to the end of the season, they blew their 8.5 game lead over the Cardinals by going 8-18 to finish out the year.
The Cards were playing the Astros, and the Braves were playing the Phillies. A Cardinals loss meant the Braves were in, and vice versa.
So what happened?
- In Tampa Bay, the Yankees stormed ahead to a 7-0 lead in the 5th, this lead would last until the 8th.
- The Sox had a 3-2 lead in the 7th when they had a 90 minute rain delay.
- Over in St. Louis, that game was never in doubt - with the Cardinals crushing the Astros 8-0 on then back of a gem by Carpenter. So the fate of their season was up to the Braves over in Atlanta.
- Back in Tampa Bay, the Rays score 6 in the bottom of the 8th. 7-6 ballgame.
- In Atlanta, Craig Kimbrel blows the save in the 9th and they go to extras tied 3-3. The Cards sat in their locker rooms watching the game, hoping for the Phillies.
- Back in Tampa, a pinch-hit homer by Dan Johnson sends them to extras.
- In Baltimore, the rain delay ends and the Sox threaten to score, and a double finds Marco Scutaro thrown out at home and their lead remains 3-2, into the bottom of the 9th.
Then, basically all at once - things end.
- In the top of the 13th, the Braves give up a series of small hits and give up a run. 4-3. They threaten in the bottom half, but can't score - the Cardinals advance.
- Papelbon strikes out the first two men in the bottom of the ninth. One out and they're in the playoffs. He gives up back to back doubles, and then the low liner to Carl Crawford which he puts in minimal effort towards and the winning run scampers home. Game over.
- Evan Longoria comes up in the bottom of the 12th and hits a low line drive homer, probably too low to get 'out at the toilet', and wins the game. Rays are the wild card winners, Sox go home.
In the span of literally minutes, the Braves blew the biggest lead in MLB history. And then immediately, were trumped by the Red Sox blowing the biggest lead in MLB history.
So while it sucked as a Red Sox fan, it was pretty incredible how all of these events played out. Thank God for 2013.
More here:
https://www.mlb.com/news/remembering-dramatic-final-day-of-2011-season/c-203704820
- Tom Verducci
I just stumbled into this video on YouTube, and while I remember this day clearly (as it was terrible), with the benefit of two titles and time, it's really fascinating how so many things happened that day.
What was at stake?
In the AL EAST the Rays and Red Sox were tied for the wild card. The only reason they were tied was the Red Sox had blown a 9-game lead over the Rays, finishing the season going 6-18.
Tampa Bay was playing the Yankees, Red Sox playing the Orioles. A win for both put them into a 163rd game, a win and a loss for other meant elimination.
Over in the NL, both the Cardinals and Braves were vying for the final playoff spot. The Atlanta Braves were cruising, but from Sept 1st to the end of the season, they blew their 8.5 game lead over the Cardinals by going 8-18 to finish out the year.
The Cards were playing the Astros, and the Braves were playing the Phillies. A Cardinals loss meant the Braves were in, and vice versa.
So what happened?
- In Tampa Bay, the Yankees stormed ahead to a 7-0 lead in the 5th, this lead would last until the 8th.
- The Sox had a 3-2 lead in the 7th when they had a 90 minute rain delay.
- Over in St. Louis, that game was never in doubt - with the Cardinals crushing the Astros 8-0 on then back of a gem by Carpenter. So the fate of their season was up to the Braves over in Atlanta.
- Back in Tampa Bay, the Rays score 6 in the bottom of the 8th. 7-6 ballgame.
- In Atlanta, Craig Kimbrel blows the save in the 9th and they go to extras tied 3-3. The Cards sat in their locker rooms watching the game, hoping for the Phillies.
- Back in Tampa, a pinch-hit homer by Dan Johnson sends them to extras.
- In Baltimore, the rain delay ends and the Sox threaten to score, and a double finds Marco Scutaro thrown out at home and their lead remains 3-2, into the bottom of the 9th.
Then, basically all at once - things end.
- In the top of the 13th, the Braves give up a series of small hits and give up a run. 4-3. They threaten in the bottom half, but can't score - the Cardinals advance.
- Papelbon strikes out the first two men in the bottom of the ninth. One out and they're in the playoffs. He gives up back to back doubles, and then the low liner to Carl Crawford which he puts in minimal effort towards and the winning run scampers home. Game over.
- Evan Longoria comes up in the bottom of the 12th and hits a low line drive homer, probably too low to get 'out at the toilet', and wins the game. Rays are the wild card winners, Sox go home.
In the span of literally minutes, the Braves blew the biggest lead in MLB history. And then immediately, were trumped by the Red Sox blowing the biggest lead in MLB history.
So while it sucked as a Red Sox fan, it was pretty incredible how all of these events played out. Thank God for 2013.
More here:
https://www.mlb.com/news/remembering-dramatic-final-day-of-2011-season/c-203704820
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