BOSTON STRONG -
THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION
 2013 ALDS, GAME #3
Lobaton's walk-off HR
beats the Sox

October 7, 2013 ... Jose Lobaton's walk-off homer in the ninth delivered the Rays a 5-4 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.  The blast came off Red Sox closer Koji Uehara, with two outs, and kept the Rays' postseason alive. They still trail the series, 2-1, but the win forced Game 4, which will be played at Tropicana Field.

Finally, the Rays have created some adversity for the Red Sox in the American League Division Series.  There was no champagne in Boston's clubhouse after this one, but there were also no long faces.  All season long, the Red Sox have thrived on erasing the memory of a tough loss by coming up with a big win.  It was a swift momentum change, considering that the Red Sox, down by a run entering the top of the ninth, came back and tied it. 

EVAN LONGORIA

It was a thrilling contest, one in which the Red Sox lead 3-0 going into the bottom of the fifth behind Clay Buchholz, who has pitched like an ace throughout his injury-shortened season.  But Evan Longoria gave the Rays the timely hit they had been lacking through the early portion of the series, launching a game-tying three-run homer to left that turned the crowd at Tropicana Field into a frenzy.

If not for the rocket by Longoria, Buchholz would have been lauded for a gritty effort in which he made several big pitches with men on base. The righty had to work hard in his six innings, giving up seven hits and three runs. Buchholz walked three, struck out five and threw 104 pitches.

When David Ortiz reached for the fourth time in his four plate appearances with a walk to lead off the eighth, Farrell elected to pinch-run for the slugger. Quintin Berry stole second, barely, getting the benefit of the close call from second-base umpire Mike Winters.  But the Red Sox couldn't get him home, thanks to a groundout by Mike Napoli, a strikeout from Saltalamacchia and a popup by Stephen Drew.  When Ortiz's spot came up later in the game, Mike Carp pinch-hit for Berry and struck out.

The Rays at last forged in front in the bottom of the eighth in a tough defensive inning for the Red Sox.  James Loney opened the rally with a walk against Franklin Morales.  Desmond Jennings dropped down a perfect bunt, and the Red Sox couldn't get anybody to first base in time to get an out.  Matt Joyce gave the Red Sox a gift by popping up a bunt, and Saltalamacchia made a tremendous catch in front of the backstop.  But Yunel Escobar, facing rookie Brandon Workman, hit a grounder up the middle that Drew fielded, only to collide with Dustin Pedroia. There was no play, loading the bases.  The go-ahead run was on a hard grounder to first baseman Napoli, who might have had a play at the plate, but he lost the handle on the ball and had to settle for the out at first.

Will Middlebrooks started the tying rally in the ninth with a walk against closer Fernando Rodney. Jacoby Ellsbury (3-for-5, .571 in the ALDS) blooped one over third base and into short left field for a single, his third hit of the night.  Shane Victorino dropped down a good bunt, moving the runners to second and third with one out.  Pedroia did what he needed to do, hitting a grounder to deep short that got the tying run home. 

Farrell then went to the man who has been his biggest weapon all season. Uehara has gone weeks this season without allowing so much as a baserunner, let alone a home run.  So it was a little stunning to see Lobaton attack his misplaced 0-1 splitter and belt it over the wall, setting off walk-off euphoria at home plate for the Rays.

Veteran infielder John McDonald is not on the postseason roster but is traveling with the team and working out before games and during batting practice. One of his projects has been working with rookie infielder Xander Bogaerts.  The walkoff loss was the first for the Red Sox since Aaron Boone's home run off Tim Wakefield in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Yankees.  Quintin Berry, who stole second in the eighth inning, is 27 for 27 in stolen bases in the majors, counting the postseason.

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