Day 187: ALDS Game One... I Like What I'm Seeing, Red Sox!

The Red Sox haven't had much luck this season against the Tampa Bay Rays' pitcher, Matt Moore. They lost both games he started during the regular season, including a two-hit, 3-0 shutout in July. And through the first three innings of game one of the ALDS on Friday, I figured we were in for more of the same. The first trip through the Red Sox lineup was dismal with not a single hit.

Jon Lester struck out the first four batters he faced, with some pitches hitting 97 mph—by far some of his best of the season. He gave up just two hits in the first four innings, but unfortunately, those two hits were both home runs, giving Moore and the Rays an early 2-0 lead. With Moore's strong pitching, two runs might be all the support he would need.

And then the fourth inning happened. If you missed it, I'm sorry. Some crazy shit transpired...and it was awesome!

• Dustin Pedroia singles to center for the first hit of the day.
• Big Papi hits a ground-rule double to right field, Pedroia moves to third. But the best part about this play was that Will Myers had a chance to catch this ball but he stopped, the ball went over his head and bounced into stands.
• Crowd begins "MY-ers... MY-ers... MY-ers" chant that lasts most of the inning.
• Mike Napoli pops out to second. (Booo-hiss)
• Jonny Gomes, Mr. Clutch, doubles to center. Desmond Jennings misplays the ball off the wall and both Pedroia and Ortiz score. 
• Ball game is tied!
• Jarrod Saltalamacchia strikes out. (D'oh!)
• Stephen Drew singles on a ground ball to first base. James Loney fields the ball but Matt Moore lollydgags his way over to cover first and Gomes scores from second on an infield single.  Drew is safe at first.
• Will Middlebrooks doubles to left. Drew scores from first.
• Jacoby Ellsbury strikes out but Jose Lobaton misses the damn thing and Ellsbury makes it to first. Middlebrooks to third.
• Shane Victorino singles to right. Middlebrooks scores. Ellsbury to second.
• Pedroia grounds out.

Inning over... a very long, MY-ers-chant-filled inning. This was one of the craziest innings I've ever witnessed. The Rays' defense was horrible, but they were never charged with an error... just a lot of misplays. And the Red Sox took advantage of all of them! Sox go up 5-2.

I could go play-by-play through each inning, but we'd be here all night. Let's just say the fourth inning set the tone for the rest of the game. The Red Sox scored three more runs in the fifth inning, and then four more in the eighth. Jon Lester settled down and allowed just two runs on three hits over 7.2 innings.

The Red Sox win game one of the ALDS 12-2.