2013 MLB Playoff Tournament

Down three games to zip Boston needed to pull out a miracle like they did in the 2004 ALCS vs the Yankees.  Jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first was just the right tonic for what ailed them.  Unfortunately, 4th starter Jake Peavey, was bleeding out runs as fast as the Red Sox could score them.  By the completion of 3 innings of play the Sahx found themselves down 4-3.  Still there was hope, because the the Dodgers had Chris Capuano on the mound and he had already given up 3 runs over the first 2 innings.  Then the unexpected happened.  Capuano channeled his inner "Regular season Kershaw" and began posting goose eggs for the next 5 innings.  He would finish with a linescore that showed 3 runs over 7 innings with 8 K's and no walks.  Talk about a clutch performance is a huge situation.  The 8th and the 9th inning belonged to the Dodger pen, which Boston manager A.J. Thomas called, "the real series MVP".  Paco Rodriguez and Chris Withrow combined to shutdown the Bosox in the 8th and the series MVP Kenley Jansen came on in the 9th to fan Pedroia and Carp before getting Saltalamacchia to pop out to Adrian Gonzalez at first, to end the series.  Jansen would save all 4 games in the series, which tells you how close the games were.  He would also net 8 saves in the Dodgers 11 post season wins, as LA would go an incredible 11-1 en route to the World Championship.  Completely lost in the shuffle was the 3-4 day Andre Either had at the plate and the two huge homers hit by Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig (2-3).

The series headed 3,000 miles to the left coast and the pressure was firmly on the shoulders of Boston starter John Lackey to stave off a 3-0 deficit.  After being staked to a 1-0 lead in the first Lackey had a mini-meltdown, which allowed LA to post a 3 spot in the bottom of the second.  AFter an error by Middlebrooks on a AJ Ellis grounder Andre Either followed it up with a single to put runners on the corners for Juan Uribe who launched a gap shot that turned into a bases clearing double.  A Mark Ellis seeing eye single plated Uribe and just like that the Dodgers were up 3-1.  Two innings later LA would tack on another run with a perfectly executed squeeze play by Ryu.  With the score 4-1 after 5 innings of play the Bosox were now in a deep hole.  Thankfully for them Ryu began to lose it in the 6th.  With two out and Napoli on 1st Middlebrooks and Ross hit back to back safeties with the latter scoring Napoli to make it 4-2.  After an intentional pass to pinch hitter Berry, Jacoby Ellsbury singled home two to tie tie game a 4-4.  In the home half of the 7th LA would score the go ahead run via a two out Uribe single with 2 out.  The rest of the way the Dodger pen put the Sahx batters on complete lock-down.  First Ronnie Belisaro, who would get the win, closed out the final two outs in the 7th to clean up Ryu's mess.  JP Howell tossed a perfect 8th to setup Kenley Jansen, who saved his 3rd straight World Series game to give the Dodgers a commanding lead in the series.

GAME 2
Greinke vs Buchholz
Dodgers 5, Red Sox 3

 
Zack Greinke, who was throwing shutout ball for 5 innings, was chased from the bump after giving up 3 runs in the 6th.  Greinke fanned 10 in 5 2/3 innings of work, which is a fantastic, but not when it causes you to throw 122 pitches and not make it out of the 6th.  Down 3-2 the Dodgers busted out for a 3 run inning of their own in the 7th.  RBI singles by Puig and Hanley Ramirez, book-ended an RBI double by A-Gone.  The Dodger pen, which has been stellar this post season battened down the hatches and didn't allow a run in relief of Greinke.  J.P. Howell would wind up with the win after thowing just 5 pitches to one batter to get out of the jam Greinke setup in the 6th.  Withrow, Rodriguez and Wilson did yeoman's work setting up Kenley Jansen who pitched a perfect 9th for his 6th October save.  Dodger hurlers would fan 16 Red Sox batters.  Batters 2-5 in the LA lineup all had muli-hit games, with Han Ram going 3 for 5.
Dodgers lead series 2-0

The incomparable Clayton Kershaw fanned 10, while walking just 1 and allowing 2 run over 8 innings, but he would not stick around to gain a decision.  His opposing number, Jon Lester also gave up 2 runs, but Lester lasted just 5+ innings.  That force Red Sox manager A.J. Thomas to go to the pen early, which seems to always spell doom in the end.  With neither team scoring since both exchanged solo runs in the 4th the game went to extra innings.  It didn't take long for the Dodgers to break the deadlock.  Adrian Gonzalez launched a double off the wall in right center to score Yasiel Puig, who led the inning off with a walk  Puig, who was on base all day (2 doubles, a single and a walk), motored around those bases like a young Carl Lewis.  Kenley Jansen would come on in the 9th to get his 5th save of the post season.  Reliever Ronnie Belisario, who pitched a scoreless 9th got the win.

Game 6 - Detroit did not remain stunned for very long though, as they led off Game 6 with a 3-run first inning. Jacoby Ellsbury answered back with a lead-off triple, and was soon brought in by Dustin Pedroia on a ground ball to the Detroit SS, Jose Iglesias who opted to get the easy out at first. After an uneventful 2nd and 3rd, the Red Sox took action scoring 3 in the 4th and taking the lead, 4-3. Clay Buchholz managed to hold the lead through the 5th and 6th, but gave up the tying run in the 7th on an Austin Jackson double, which drove in Omar Infante. Tigers' powerhouse, Miguel Cabrera drove out the starter with a single-shot in the 8th to bring his team ahead 5-4. The 8th inning was seemingly over for the Red Sox as Stephen Drew lifted a lazy fly ball to right field. 9-Time Gold Glove Award Winning Right Fielder Torii Hunter, lost the ball in the stadium lights and gave Drew a standing double on his error. Xander Bogaerts took advantage of this, and hit a double of his own off The Green Monster to tie the game. After a scoreless 9th inning, the two teams found themselves in the first extra-inning game of the series. Craig Breslow and Junichi Tazawa managed to set down the heart of the Detroit lineup in the top of the 10th after a lead-off double by Torii Hunter that very nearly redeemed him in the eyes of Tigers fans. Ace reliever, Joaquin Benoit led off the bottom frame of the 10th by beaning David Ross who took his base. This pissed off the fiery Jonny Gomes from the on-deck circle, and he took out his anger on the 0-1 pitch, launching the ball down the left field line for the walk-off, 2-run shot. (Hmmm, where have I heard that one before? A Red Sox, Game 6, extra-innings, walk-off home run down the left field line in Fenway...?) 

Game 5 - With Lester back on the mound for Boston and Sanchez returning for Detroit, the Red Sox were praying that this would not be a repeat of Game 1. The first couple innings seemed to be just that, however, as the beginnings of another pitchers' duel was forming. Until Tiger's starter Anibal Sanchez got injured striking out David Ross. Boston took advantage of Sanchez's injury and amassed 3 runs at the end of the 6th inning. The Tigers were not left behind though, as they too had 3 runs at the end of 6 as a result of a 3 run 5th inning. The two teams remained tied until the top of the 9th when the Boston bats exploded. Most notably, Mike Napoli's, who hit a 2-out grand slam. Craig Breslow didn't mess around in the bottom frame, setting down the three stunned Tigers batters in a row.