Day 68: So You Walk Pedroia to Get to Big Papi? Really?

All I've heard over the past week is how difficult a stretch the Red Sox were coming up on in their schedule. The first place Texas Rangers, the big bats of the LA Angels, the AL East rival Rays and Orioles and then the Detroit Tigers. How will this scrappy team fare over the next couple of weeks? If taking two out of three from the Rangers is any indication, I think they'll do just fine.

The Texas Rangers led for most of last night's game, but those pesky Red Sox kept chipping away at the slim lead. After Texas went up 3-0 in the third inning, the Sox answered right back with an RBI double by Dustin Pedroia to bring them to within a run. At this point, I start to think this game is not out of reach. And the Sox were hitting the ball too—Rangers' pitchers were not fooling anyone.

In the seventh inning, the Sox tied up the game at three when Mike Napoli grounded out, scoring Jacoby Ellsbury. And it was still tied as the bottom of the ninth rolled around. Would we see some Fenway magic? Ok, boys... you can do this!

The ninth started with a lead-off double by Jonny Gomes (who, by the way, went 4-for-5 last night.) Gotta love it when the winning run is in scoring position with no outs. Then, with a lefty on the mound, the Rangers decided to walk Pedroia with first base open. On paper it may have seemed like a good idea since Pedroia has been on fire this season and happens to be hitting .380 against left handed pitchers. And with Big Papi on deck, you're looking at lefty vs. lefty and Ortiz is hitting just .250 against the south paws.

But what the Rangers failed to take into consideration was Papi's history with walk-offs—he has 19 walk-off hits (11 of those home runs) in his career with the Red Sox. Plus, there's no better way to piss off a slugger than to walk the half-pint in front of him. So in the baseball equivalent of the middle finger, Ortiz took the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for the game winner.

There's just nothing better than the celebration that ensues at home plate after a walk-off win. Except maybe a Bruins win in tonight's game four. Fingers crossed!!