Papi 10 List Papi S Walk Off Homer Clinches Alds 10 08 2004

David Ortiz enjoyed an explosive first season in Boston in 2003, hitting .288 with 31 home runs, 101 RBI and a fifth-place finish in American League MVP voting. But regular season numbers only meant so much to the Red Sox, whose championship drought stretched back to 1918 and whose October shortcomings had haunted generations of fans. Represent the all-time greats and know your purchase plays a part in preserving baseball history. There is no simpler, and more essential, way to demonstrate your support than to sign on as a Museum Member. The 2003 postseason wasn’t kind to Ortiz. In 12 games, the last of which included the Red Sox’s Game 7 defeat to Aaron Boone and the Yankees, Boston’s left-handed slugger hit .192 and struck out in nearly a third of his...

But Ortiz reached a new level in 2004 — 41 home runs and 139 driven in — and alongside Manny Ramírez powered the Sox to another postseason. Facing the Angels in the Division Series, Ortiz reached base in seven of 10 plate appearances as Boston dominated Games 1 and 2 in Anaheim. Back at Fenway for Game 3 on Oct. 8, a 6-1 lead disappeared in the seventh inning thanks to Vladimir Guerrero’s game-tying grand slam. The 2004 postseason was a magical run for the Boston Red Sox. We all remember how it ended with the reversal of an 86-year old curse and a championship parade.

The historic comeback against the Yankees in the ALCS will forever be ingrained in our memories. None of that would have been possible without escaping the first round of the playoffs and the heroic efforts in that series often go overlooked when we reflect on that remarkable season. Boston took care of business in the first two games of the American League Division Series on the road, outscoring the Anaheim Angels 17-6 to put their opponent on the brink of elimination as... David Ortiz was having a fairly quiet series to that point. While the lineup around him exploded in the first two games, Big Papi was 2-for-5 without an extra-base hit and only one RBI. He also walked five times, including three intentional walks, as the Angels clearly had a strategy to pitch around the Red Sox designated hitter.

That plan unraveled in Game 3 when Ortiz broke out with a four-hit performance, including the most important hit of the series. Ortiz doubled and scored in the third and added an RBI double the following inning as the Red Sox opened a 5-1 lead. Manny Ramirez extended the lead with a base hit to drive in another run but the chance to do any further damage was thwarted when Ortiz struck out to end the inning with runners... THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE 2004 ALCS, GAME #4 Big Papi delivers a 12th inning come-from-behind walk-off HR to keep the Sox alive October 17, 2004 ... Down three games to none, and down 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, the Sox rallied to tie the game against indomitable Yankee closer Mariano Rivera.

They won it in the 12th inning at 1:22 in the morning when Ortiz hit a Paul Quantrill 2-and-1 pitch into the Yankee bullpen to give the Red Sox a 6-4 Game 4 victory... The game lasted 5 hours, 2 minutes, and many of those who stayed for the finish lingered even longer into the morning. A lot of Bostonians will be sleepy and late for work today. No problem. For the fourth consecutive game, the Yankees jumped to an early lead, this time on a monstrous, two-run homer by Alex Rodriguez. Derek Lowe managed to blank New York for the first two innings (which hadn�t happened in the first three games), but when third baseman Bill Mueller couldn�t handle an explosive, two-out, one-hopper by Derek...

Meanwhile, the Sox were having trouble solving Cuban righty Orlando Hernandez. El Duque smothered the Sox on one hit over the first four innings. The Sox helped him out, swinging early in the count and getting themselves out. Hernandez needed only eight pitches to retire the middle of the Sox lineup in order in the fourth. Boston was running out of innings. The Sox rallied for three runs off El Duque in the fifth, taking a 3-2 lead on a two-run single by Ortiz.

Just as they did Saturday, the Sox coughed up the lead immediately. The amazing Hideki Matsui got things going with a one-out triple to center in the sixth. It was his eighth extra-base hit of the series and it brought Francona out of the dugout to pull Lowe from the game. Mike Timlin came in and the Yankees tied the game on a groundball single by Bernie Williams. After a wild pitch and another single, Tony Clark reached when Mark Bellhorn made a nice diving play, but could not pick up Clark�s hard grounder. The Yankees had two runs and a 4-3.

Only one player in history has three walk-off postseason RBI in his career: David Ortiz. And Big Papi’s three game-winning moments came during a 10-day window in 2004 – a postseason that changed history in Boston. On Oct. 17, 2004, Ortiz stepped into the batter’s box to face Yankees reliever Paul Quantrill. Manny Ramirez was on base. It was the bottom of the 12th inning.

Big Papi launched an emphatic two-run home run to win the game. This was the second of Ortiz’s three walk-off RBI during the magical 2004 playoffs. We were in Boston when Big Papi’s jersey was retired by the Red Sox. Watch this video to hear his fans speak about how much they love him.

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