2004 BOSTON RED SOX
THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE ...

This page is dedicated to
Victoria Snelgrove
(October 29, 1982 - October 21, 2004)
 

"We are not the cowboys anymore," Johnny Damon declared. "We are just the idiots this year. We feel like we can win every game, we feel like we have to have fun, and I think that's why this team is liked by so many people out there."

With Curt Schilling on board, and a Ford advertisement running on TV saying he was coming to Boston to end an 86-year-old curse, the year started after an exceptionally active hot stove season – though some of the moves never came to pass (for instance, the near-signing of A-Rod at the end of 2003, which left Nomar Garciaparra wondering what the Red Sox thought of him). To prove a point to Manny Ramirez, they put him on waivers, but nobody claimed him.

The Red Sox had tried to sign Alex Rodriguez and he wanted to play for Boston so badly that he’d been willing to dramatically restructure his contract with the Rangers. In dollar terms, he was willing to take a pay cut of $25 million to play for the Red Sox, but it was so huge an amount that the Players Association refused to approve it. The New York Yankees worked out a different deal, one that was more palatable to the MLBPA.

Nomar was a little scarce in spring training. Though conspiracy theories flourished because no one actually saw it happen, Nomar suffered a serious injury to his right Achilles tendon on March 5th, saying he’d been hit by a ball during batting practice. He ultimately needed to go on the DL on March 31th – almost at the last minute, just as in 2001. His first game back was June 9th. After the crushing, seemingly-avoidable loss to the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS, the rivalry reached its peak with one pair of tickets to a spring training game between the two teams see on eBay priced at for $500.

The Red Sox reportedly sold 2,400,000 regular-season tickets before the games began. And the most sought-after seats in the house were the newly-installed ones atop the Green Monster.

It was a team that played with abandon, led by free spirits like Manny Ramirez, Kevin Millar, and Johnny Damon, who dubbed himself and his team “a bunch of idiots”. At season’s end, David Ortiz (41) and Manny (43) each had more homers, to set a club record, surpassing teammates Ted Williams (43) and Vern Stephens (39) in 1949.  They struck more than 100 RBIs (Papi was 139 to Manny’s 130), and averages over .300. Only Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig combined on stats like those 73 years earlier.

Curt Schilling was dominant, going 21-6, with a 3.26 ERA. Pedro Martinez, who would be playing in his last significant games, not only in a Red Sox uniform, but in his major league career, won 16.  Derek Lowe won 14, Tim Wakefield 12, and Arroyo 10. Keith Foulke saved 32 games, with a 2.17 ERA. Mike Timlin was a superb setup man, appearing in 76 games. And so the Red Sox had another run at the postseason and the chance to make up for the frustrating and avoidable walk-off loss in 2003.

The Sox started the season in Baltimore and split the four game series. On April 6th, in their Sox debuts, Curt Schilling manhandled the Orioles for six innings before Keith Foulke capped three innings of perfection for his first Boston save. The prized right-handers helped power the Sox past the O's, 4 to 1.

Then on the next night, April 7th, Johnny Damon matched a career high with a five-hit outburst and joined Bill Mueller and Manny Ramirez in banging out two-run hits, as the Sox struck for seven runs in the second inning in a 10 to 3 win.

The Sox welcomed the Blue Jays to christen the new season at Fenway. After losing the opener, Pedro Martinez limited the Blue Jays to one run on four hits, two walks, and a hit batsman as he led the Red Sox to  a 4 to 1 victory on April 10th.

David Ortiz started early with his knack for hitting walk-off, game winning home runs.  On April 11th, he knocked out a two run homer in the bottom of the 12th inning into the new Green Monster seats to walk away with a 6 to 4 win over the Blue Jays.

The Red Sox won six of their first seven meetings against the Yankees. It started on April 16th, as the Sox rode Tim Wakefield's solid start with home runs by Bill Mueller, Manny, and Doug Mirabelli in the opener of the four game Patriots Day weekend showdown for a 6 to 2 win.

Manny Ramirez slugged his 350th career homer, the next night, with a blast over the wall off Mike Mussina on April 17th, for a 5 to 2 win. The bench chipped in on April 19th, when Gabe Kapler helped propel the Sox to their third victory of the four-game showdown by singling home Dave McCarty with the decisive run, with two out in the eighth, giving the Sox a 5 to 4 victory.

In Toronto, Pedro bettered the American League's reigning Cy Young Award winner, Roy Halladay, as he harnessed the Blue Jays to lead the Sox to a 4 to a victory on April 20th. Doug Mirabelli launched a pair of homers to knock in three runs and spearhead a 4-2 victory over the faltering Jays on April 21st.

After taking 2 of 3 in Toronto, the Sox headed to Yankee Stadium and swept the Yankees. Kevin Millar, Mark Bellhorn, and Bill Mueller led the way as they homered, to knock in five runs, in an 11 to 2 whupping, in the opener of a three-game showdown on April 23rd.

The most dramatic win happened on April 24th, in the 12th inning of 2 to 2 standoff. Manny Ramirez set the table when he doubled to right-center. He motored to third on a ground out and scored when Mark Bellhorn whistled a sac fly to center, giving the Sox a 3 to 2 win. Then Manny helped to secure Boston's grip on first place in the AL East by providing Pedro Martinez all the support he needed with a jolting, two-run homer in the fourth inning of the series finale, on April 25th.

The Sox returned home to sweep the Devil Rays. On April 28th, Curt Schilling thoroughly dominated the Rays to propel the Sox to a 6-0 victory.

A doubleheader sweep and a lights-out return by Byung Hyun Kim highlighted April 29th's two wins. Kim's one-hit performance was rewarded with a 4-0 Sox win, the team's third straight shutout, in the first game. David Ortiz provided the necessary muscle in the game with a two-run homer. The Sox raised their record to 15-6 after beating the Rays in the second game, 7 to 3, their sixth straight win and ninth in the last ten games. They finished April with a 1 1/2 game lead over Baltimore.

The Sox opened the month of May with five straight losses, but it didn't turn out badly, as they finished the month with a 16-14 record.  Still, considering that Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon had not yet played a game due to injuries, they were in a good spot.  Injured Bill Mueller was replaced by rookie Kevin Youkilis, who ended the month of May batting .318 and scoring 15 runs in just 13 games. And in a 10 day stretch at the end of May, Manny Ramirez would hit six homers.

But the month started as the Sox slipped in Texas and Cleveland, winning only 2 of the 7 games played. David Ortiz was batting .125 (3 for 24) since late April but responded by slugging a solo shot and a three-run blast against the Indians on May 5th. Bill Mueller snapped a 5-5 deadlock when he muscled a three-run homer to send the Sox toward a 9 to 5 victory.

In the next game, May 6th, Pedro Martinez outdueled C.C. Sabathia, allowing only one hit and three walks after the first three batters nicked him. Manny Ramirez homered in the sixth inning to tie the game. With the score deadlocked, 2-2, Pokey Reese doubled in the go-ahead run in the 5 to 2 win.

Back at Fenway, after Tim Wakefield gutted out eight innings against the Royals, as Sox batters chipped away at a 6-2 deficit. The game ended in a magical ninth inning, culminated by a line-drive double to the right-field corner by Jason Varitek that scored Manny for a walk-off 7 to 6 win on May 7th. Then Curt Schilling became the first Sox pitcher to throw a complete game this season in a 9 to 1 win over the Royals at Fenway Park on May 8th.

The Sox took 2 of 3 from the Royals, but lost 2 of 3 to the Indians. In the game they won, there was a feel-good moment on May 11th. When the Red Sox ran onto the field before the game, Manny Ramirez ran to his position waving a small American flag because he’d become a naturalized U.S. citizen the day before.  During his first at-bat, the song “Proud To Be an American” played over the PA and Manny received a standing ovation.  It wasn’t uncommon for his teammates to play a joke on him, letting him run out to his position in left field while they all held back, and then seeing him realize he was the only one on the field. Manny went on a home run tear in 2004. 

In the game, it was pinch hitter David McCarty's 200-foot triple to right in the eighth that allowed the go-ahead runs to score in the Sox' 5 to 3 triumph over the Indians. Bill Mueller's key double, earlier in the inning, scored pinch runner Cesar Crespo to tie it. Pedro Martinez fanned 11 in seven strong innings, retiring the final 16 batters he faced.

The Sox headed up to Toronto with a 1/2 game lead in the A.L. East. On May 14th, moments after they squandered a 3-0 lead against the Blue Jays, they struck for six runs in the eighth inning to surge to a 9 to 3 victory. On May 15th, Kevin Youkilis launched his first major league home run in his major league debut and Bronson Arroyo submitted one of his finest pitching performances for the Sox blanking the Jays, 4 to 0.

In Tampa Bay on May 18th, in a dandy performance on a night his knuckler danced, Tim Wakefield befuddled the beleaguered Devil Rays over seven innings to propel the Sox to a 7 to 3 victory. In the next game, on May 19th, Curt Schilling rationed the Rays only one run on five hits and a walk over seven innings to pace the Sox to a 4 to 1 triumph. Schilling picked up the 2,600th strikeout of his career. Only three active pitchers (Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and Greg Maddux) have recorded more strikeouts.

The Sox took four of the seven road games and returned home on May 21st. With the score tied, 5-5, in the eighth inning against the Blue Jays, Manny Ramirez hit a fastball high over the Green Monster and into the night, giving the Sox the lead. They scored five more runs in the inning to win comfortably, 11 to 5. A mammoth two-run tying home run by Manny, in the next game, led the Sox to their second straight win on May 22nd, 5 to 2. It was his 11th home run of the season and 358th of his career, tying Yogi Berra for 62nd on the all-time list.

The Sox swept the Jays on May 23rd. Tim Wakefield helped the Sox by limiting the Jays to two runs on seven hits and walk while throwing only 89 pitches over seven innings in the 7 to 2 win.

Oakland came in next and were beaten in 2 of the 3 games played. On May 25th, a 12 to 2 win, the Sox had five RBIs and four runs by Mark Bellhorn; a double and a two-run homer by Manny; four hits, including two doubles, by David Ortiz; three hits from leadoff man Johnny Damon; Jason Varitek getting on base five times; and rookie third baseman Kevin Youkilis, reaching four times. Then, in the next game on May 26th, with the Sox clinging to a 6 to 5 lead in the sixth, Varitek broke the game open with a three-run blast over the Monster, for a 9 to 6 win.

The Mariners were beaten on May 28th when David Ortiz connected for his second grand slam of his eight-year major league career, propelling the Red Sox to a 8-4 win.

On May 30th, Curt Schilling pitched his heart out before he lost his bid for a perfect game with two outs in the sixth inning. Keith Foulke also tried mightily to extend his perfect streak of 24 straight saves, only to have his magical run blow up on him. But it was David McCarty's majestic swing that won the game, 9 to 7, in the 12th inning.

Dave McCarty was an interesting story.  A utility man who also could pitch, he got a chance to pitch in relief during the home opener. The Sox (31-20) won 7 of their 10 games played in the homestand and finished the month of May tied for first place, before starting June on the west coast.

In Anaheim, the Sox started the month of June by losing two games and losing first place to the Yankees in the A.L. East. But they took 2 of 3 in Kansas City. On June 5th, David Ortiz helped shake the Sox out of their early June swoon when he cranked a first-inning fastball for a two-run homer. The blast propelled his mates toward an 8 to 4 victory. Mark Bellhorn and Kevin Youkilis also hit two-run homers.

The Sox came home to start inter-league play against the San Diego Padres. On June 8th, it was Pedro Martinez and Johnny Damon, with some nice defensive help from Manny and Pokey Reese, who combined to propel the Sox in a 1 to 0 nail-biter. In his finest outing of the season, Pedro (6-3) blanked the Padres on two hits, a walk and a hit batsman over eight innings. Damon rifled a double into the right-field corner, with two outs in the seventh inning, to drive in Gabe Kapler with the game's only run.

Nomar Garciaparra returned to the lineup from the Achilles' injury on June 9th. And on June 10th, with the Sox leading, 3-1, and the bases loaded, Nomar doubled in his first two runs of the season, with a drive high off the Wall to break the game open, as the Sox scored five runs in the inning, en route to a 9 to 3 rout.

On June 11th, David Ortiz gave the Red Sox a 1 to 0 lead with a seventh-inning home run, then singled home Johnny Damon with the winning run in the ninth, in a 2 to 1 win over the Dodgers.

Pedro Martinez improved to 7-3, allowing just one run on seven hits, while walking two and striking out five, in a 4 to 1 win over the Dodgers on June 13th. The Sox concluded their brief homestand, winning 4 of the 6 games, but falling 3 1/2 games behind the Yankees.

The Sox lost the first to games in Denver, but beat the Rockies, 11 to 0, on June 17th, thanks to a second straight sensational start from Derek Lowe, who scattered four singles and four walks over seven innings.

In San Francisco, on June 18th, the Giants lurched to a 7-2 lead before the Sox stormed back in the fifth to seize a 9-7 advantage and go on to a 14 to 9 win. The Sox sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth, before Kevin Millar slugged a three-run homer to cap the win. But the Sox lost the next two games and fell 4 1/2 games off the lead.

The Sox came home to greet the Twins on June 22nd. They cracked three homers, including an emphatic grand slam by Nomar, to complement seven strong innings by Curt Schilling, in a 9 to 2 victory.

The Sox lost the next two games to the Twins and then faced the Phillies on June 25th. Boosted by a splendid performance from Pedro, Kevin Millar's five RBIs and a great catch by Manny, the Sox throttled the Phillies, 12 to 1, in an eight-inning, rain-shortened affair.

The Sox took the series with Philadelphia on the heels of a 12 to 3 win on June 27th. Manny and Nomar hit back-to-back ground-rule doubles, each scoring two runs. David Ortiz hit a two-run homer and Mark Bellhorn's three-run homer concluded an offensive showing big enough to end the homestand at 3 wins and 3 losses.

With the Yankees 5 1/2 games ahead of them, the Sox traveled to New York for a mid-season showdown and lost all three games. Then they lost two of the three games they played in Atlanta with the Braves, leaving them 8 games out of first, as July began. But on July 3rd, Curt Schilling shackling the Braves, 6 to 1. He pitched his second complete game of the season, scattering six hits and a walk in allowing the lone run.

The Sox came back with a vengeance, returning home before the All Star break. They swept the Athletics and took 2 of 3 from the Rangers. On July 6th, Johnny Damon's 5 for 6, Bill Mueller's three-run homer, Kevin Millar's three hits and two RBIs, Nomar Garciaparra's two RBIs and Tim Wakefield's seven shutout innings, meant an 11 to 0 shutout win against the A's. 

In the next game, on July 7th, Mark Bellhorn's first-inning home run and a five-run second inning, triggered by Nomar's home run to dead center field, gave Pedro a sufficient cushion to cruise to his ninth win, 11 to 3.

The Red Sox staged an electrifying 8 to 7 walkoff victory, in the 10th inning, on July 8th. Johnny Damon ignited the winning rally by singling to left with two outs in the 10th. Then came Bill Mueller, who laced a fastball to the gap in left. Damon began sprinting from first and narrowly beat the throw home before his teammates mobbed him and the crowd exalted to the strains of "Dirty Water."

Then it was one heck of a performance by Bronson Arroyo, who held the most potent offensive team in the majors, the Texas Rangers, to three hits over eight innings in a 7 to 0 win on July 9th. He had plenty of offensive support from Damon, who went 4 for 5 with a pair of solo home runs.

On July 10th, the Sox banged out a season-high 21 hits and steamrolled the Rangers, 14 to 6. Manny (4 for 5) paced the Sox by slugging a pair of two-run homers and an RBI single on his way to the All-Star Game. But he had plenty of help, particularly from Nomar (4 for 5 with a two-run homer and RBI double) and Damon, who singled to start three rallies and scored three times. Mark Bellhorn also went 4 for 5 with a two-run homer and an RBI double, while Jason Varitek chipped in a two-run homer of his own. The Sox entered the All Star break in 2nd place, 7 games behind the Yankees.

In the All Star Game Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz  become the first Sox teammates to hit home runs in an All-Star Game, won by the American League for the seventh straight time, 9 to 4. Manny hit the first home run off Roger Clemens, a two-run drive into the left-field seats. Ortiz, who was eliminated in the first round of the Home Run Derby, entered the game as a pinch hitter for Manny. He remained in the game and drove a 423-foot home run into the second deck with a man aboard in the sixth.

After the break the Sox traveled back out to the west coast and split with the Angels and with the Mariners. On July 16th, the Sox beat the Angels, 4 to 2, with a strong performance from Pedro (six innings, two runs, eight strikeouts) and solo home runs by Nomar and Gabe Kapler.

On July 18th, Curt Schilling limited the Angels, to three hits and a run in eight innings in a 6 to 2 win that gave the Sox a split of their four-game series. In Seattle the Sox won just one game on July 20th. It was a gut-wrenching 9 to 7 triumph of endurance over the Mariners in which Keith Foulke struck out three straight batters in the ninth, after putting the tying runs on base with no one out.

The Sox came home and lost two games to the Orioles, but won the last matchup in the second game of a July 22nd doubleheader, 4 to 0, as Tim Wakefield reeled off one of his finest outings of the season. He scattered eight hits and walked none.

Then it was the Yankees at Fenway. July 24th was the game which may have begun to cement the spirit that kept them in contention all year long. After a Bronson Arroyo pitch hit A-Rod, there was some jostling with Jason Varitek, whose glove ended up shoved into A-Rod’s face.  Benches emptied and punches were thrown, and after 23 consecutive saves, reliever Mariano Rivera gave up a game-winning three-run homer to Bill Mueller, in the bottom of the ninth, for a Red Sox 11 to 10 come-from-behind walk-off win.

Then on July 25th, the next night, Derek Lowe pitched 6 2/3 innings of good baseball under pressure-packed circumstances. The Sox crushed Yankees pitching for 13 hits, including three homers, the big blow a three-run Pesky's Pole shot by Johnny Damon. Kevin Millar, with three hits and four RBIs, was the star of the homestand, going 14 for 20, and 10 for 13 against the Yankees with four homers and eight RBIs.

NOMAR GARCIAPARRA

In Baltimore, the Sox continued their win one. lose one trend by splitting their two games. On July 26th, the Sox obliterated the Orioles, 12 to 5. Gabe Kapler ignited three rallies and scored three times. Jason Varitek knocked in three runs and David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Kevin Millar each drove in two.

The Sox moved in to Minnesota and lost 2 of the 3 games to fall 9 1/2 games behind the Yankees. Bronson Arroyo spun another gem on July 30th. As a measure of his masterful command, he fired 70 of his 98 pitches for strikes in the 8 to 2 win.

Then, at the trading deadline, on July 31st, as part of a complicated four-team trade, Sox icon Nomar Garciaparra wound up on the Cubs, and the Red Sox added Orlando Cabrera at short and Doug Mientkiewicz for backup at first. Theo Epstein also traded a minor-leaguer to the Dodgers for Dave Roberts.

When Cabrera, who had won a Gold Glove at shortstop in 2001, was told that he was to replace a Red Sox icon, he was concerned. His friend Pedro Martinez, told him never to read a newspaper during the season and he'd be fine.

Cabrera, who had been with the Expos, was amazed at the resources available to the Red Sox players. After an at bat, he was able to watch a replay of it on a computer, located in the tunnel leading to the locker room.

August started with 2 of 3 wins in Tampa and 2 of 3 in Detroit. On August 2nd, the Sox got all the production they needed David McCarty and Kevin Youkilis. McCarty swatted a three-run homer and Youkilis contributed a two-run double in the fifth for a 6 to 3 win.

Then the next night, August 3rd, Curt Schilling scattered six hits, going the distance as he improved to 13-5 with a 3.38 ERA in a 5 to 2 victory. Bill Mueller emerged from a 2-for-23 slump to knock in three runs and Jason Varitek had a two-run homer.

In Detroit, Pedro Martinez provided a source of possible inspiration as he humbled the Tigers for seven innings en route to a sorely needed 7 to 4 victory, on August 7th.

The Red Sox finished 6-5 on the four-city tour and outblasted the Tigers, 11 to 9, on August 8th. The Sox rallied from deficits of 1-0, 3-2, and 6-3, as they banged out 14 hits, including the homers by Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz. The Sox fell to 10 1/2 games behind the Yankees and one game off the wild-card lead, as they headed home.

The Sox then caught fire at Fenway and went on a 17-3 run for the rest of the month, to creep to 3 1/2 games from the A.L. East lead. It started with the Devil Rays on August 10th.  The Sox put up a five-spot in the sixth in an 8 to 4 win, that was a sufficient cushion for Bronson Arroyo, who went 6 2/3 innings for his fifth win.

On August 11th, Kevin Millar went 4 for 4, including a three-run home run in the first inning that propelled the Sox to a 14 to 4 rout of the Rays. Jason Varitek's four RBIs matched his career high. In his last dozen games, he batted .400 (14 for 35), with 3 home runs, 9 RBIs, and 10 runs scored.

Pedro Martinez twirled his first shutout in four years, a 6 to 0 laugher over the Devil Rays on August 12th. The victory gave the Sox sole possession of the top spot in the wild-card standings.

Against the White Sox at Fenway on August 14th, David Ortiz slugged a dramatic solo homer, with one out in the eighth inning, to snap a 3-3 tie and propel the Red Sox to a 4 to 3 victory.  The homer was Ortiz's second of the game and 30th of the season, as he shared his special night with Manny Ramirez, who also swatted his 30th homer of the year.

There was nothing routine about the Red Sox' 8 to 4 win over the Blue Jays on August 16th at Fenway. There was a wet infield from a steady and sometimes heavy rain that led to two errors by Orlando Cabrera. Keith Foulke's two-inning save was a sign of things to come.

Manny Ramirez led the charge out of the dugout in the first inning against the Blue Jays, on August 17th, only for the rest of the starters to remain in the dugout while Manny jogged to left field believing his teammates were right behind him. Even when Manny discovered the joke was on him as he stood alone in the field, his teammates lingered in the dugout and laughed. But the best came later, when Orlando Cabrera doubled off the Green Monster, with one out in the bottom of the ninth, to knock in Johnny Damon for an electrifying 5 to 4 walkoff triumph.

It all was good for the Red Sox on August 18th, as Tim Wakefield dazzled the Blue Jays with his revitalized knuckleball, leading the way in a 6 to 4 series sweep.

In Chicago, the Sox swept another series. Curt Schilling dominated the White Sox with one of his finest performances of the season on August 20th. Manny Ramirez shrugged smacked the 16th grand slam of his career and Orlando Cabrera cranked a three-run homer to help the Sox glide to a 10 to 1 victory.

On August 21st, the Sox rallied behind the mighty bats of Manny and Jason Varitek, for their fifth straight victory, as they snuffed the White Sox, 10 to 7. Manny knocked in five runs with a three-run homer and a pair of singles, and the white-hot Varitek, scorched his 16th and 17th jacks of the season.

Manny and David Ortiz, made all the difference by cracking dramatic back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to overcome a 5-4 deficit and lift the Sox to a sweeping 6 to 5 victory and a sweep over the White Sox on August 22nd.

Then, in Toronto, after losing the first game of the series, the Sox rebounded on August 24th. Doug Mirabelli drilled a three-run homer and Manny picked up his 99th and 100th RBIs as the Sox, mixed with some timely relief from Mike Timlin, took a 5 to 4 victory over the Blue Jays.

The shortest route to victory for the Red Sox on August 25th, was the long ball, the Sox knocked out four homers, three of them in a five-run fourth inning, en route to an 11 to 5 drubbing of the Blue Jays. Backed by Curt Schilling (16-6)  the Sox wrapped up their six-game road trip with an impressive 5-1 record, paced by homers from Manny, two by David Ortiz, and Orlando Cabrera.

Back to Fenway and the Sox continued to dominate. They started by sweeping the Tigers. On August 26th, the surging Sox stifled the Tigers, 4 to 1. Orlando Cabrera singled to extend his season-high hitting streak to 11 games, a span in which he had hit .413. 

The Red Sox played flawlessly behind Derek Lowe, on August 27th, helping him lead them to their 10th victory in 11 games, by edging the Tigers, 5 to 3. Lowe helped the Sox improve to 18-7 in August by scattering seven hits, striking out seven, and not allowing a walk.

With Pedro masterful, the Sox rollicked to a 5 to 1 victory on August 28th. Pedro led the way to the latest victory by climbing into 20th place on the all-time strikeout list. He limited the Tigers to one run on four hits, two walks, as he 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA. Nasty as ever under pressure, Pedro surrendered only one hit with runners on base and allowed only one Tiger to reach third.

A brilliant performance from Tim Wakefield gave the Sox a 6 to 1 victory over the Tigers, on August 29th. He allowed one run on three hits over eight innings and surrendering only a solo homer. The Sox capped their first four-game sweep of the season.

The Sox concluded August by beating the Anaheim Angels on August 31st at Fenway. Manny Ramirez slammed a three-run home run in the first and solo shot in the second, to send the Sox on their way to a 10 to 7 defeat of the Angels, their closest pursuers in the wild-card race.

The Sox started September with a 12 to 7 win over Anaheim on September 1st, that widened their lead to 3 1/2 games over the Angels in the wild-card race. Johnny Damon had four hits, was on base five times and Kevin Millar, who bashed a three-run home run in the sixth. Mark Bellhorn doubled home two runs and scored twice and Orlando Cabrera (.379 in his last 16 games) tripled and doubled.

On September 2nd, the Sox completed a stunning, three-game sweep of the Angels, 4 to 3.  Derek Lowe led the way as he went 7 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk. Johnny Damon and Mark Bellhorn continued to mash as Damon went 3 for 4, and Bellhorn went 2 for 4.

Pedro (15-5) kept the good times rolling by blanking the Rangers, 2 to 0, on September 3rd, on four hits and a walk over seven innings. The Rangers reached third base only twice against Pedro. The victory vaulted the Sox 4 1/2 games ahead of the Angels and seven games ahead of the Rangers in the wild-card race. The Sox also reduced their lead to  2 1/2 games behind the division-leading Yankees.  The Sox, whose ten-game streak was the longest active run in the majors, also won a 11th straight game at home. The Sox ended their best run in a decade the next night when they lost to the Rangers, 2 to 0. The Sox hit a sizzling .316 and registered an ERA of 3.40 during the streak.

The Sox concluded the homestand with a 6 to 5 win over Texas on September 5th. In winning 9 of 10 games while parked here, with four straight over the Tigers, a three-game sweep of an Angels team, and two of three from the Rangers, the Sox had hit a sizzling .316 and registered an ERA of 3.40.

The Sox next took off for the west coast and swept the Oakland A's. On September 6th, the Sox came back for to an 8 to 3 victory. Ramirez and Ortiz, made a tie-breaking rally possible by launching consecutive homers in the fourth inning. Bill Mueller and Dave Roberts uncorked the big hits, a pair of RBI doubles after a leadoff single by Orlando Cabrera, put the Sox on top.

The surging Sox they turned a solid outing from Derek Lowe and plenty of pop from their Johnny Damon-led lineup into a 7 to 1 cakewalk over the A's on September 7th. Damon sparked the Sox attack by smacking a home run leading off the game for his 15th homer of the season. Gabe Kapler followed the leader by clubbing a two-run homer in the second inning and adding an RBI single in a game-breaking three-run sixth inning.

LOWE, SCHILLING, PEDRO, ARROYO, WAKEFIELD

The streaking Sox, behind the latest mastery by Pedro Martinez, won their 20th game in 22 tries and completed a staggering three-game sweep, 8 to 3, on September 8th. With the victory, the Sox climbed within two games of the division-leading Yankees and expanded their lead over the Angels in the wild card race to five games.

The Sox came back to earth by next splitting a series in Seattle, winning 2 of the 4 games. But on September 10th, Manny and David set a franchise record by homering in the same game for the 12th time this season, as they helped Curt Schilling blow away the Mariners, 13 to 2.

The next night, September 11th, Manny and Bronson Arroyo led the way in dispatching the Mariners, 9 to 0. The victory vaulted the Sox six games ahead of the Angels in the wild-card race. Arroyo blanked the Mariners on four hits over seven innings and Manny belted his 41st home run of the season, to join Jimmie Foxx as the only Sox hitters to slug at least 41 homers in two seasons.

Back at Fenway on September 15th, after losing the night before, the Sox survived an unsightly 8 to 6 battle with Tampa Bay. They did it by grinding, using 15 field players and six pitchers, and by getting two-run homers from Mark Bellhorn and Kevin Millar. 

Curt Schilling (20-6) became baseball's first 20-game winner of the season by stifling the Rays amid an 11 to 4 rout on September 16th. Kevin Millar and Johnny Damon each homered and knocked in four runs to pace the attack.

In New York for the next three games, the Sox only managed to win one on September 17th, falling 4 1/2 games off the Yankees' pace. In that game, Johnny Damon singled off Mariano Rivera with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Sox to an electrifying 3 to 2 victory.

The Sox came home and lost their third straight game to Baltimore. But then, two of the most exciting games of the season happened on the back-to-back nights. In both those games, after blown ninth inning saves, the Red Sox mounted terrific come-from-behind wins to keep their pennant hopes alive. The Sox had it, gave it away, and then got it back on a two-out, two-run single by Mark Bellhorn on the first night on September 21st.

Then on the next night, September 22nd, after Keith Foulke blew a 6-5 lead in the ninth inning, the Sox rescued him when Orlando Cabrera homered leading off the bottom of the 12th for a rousing walk-off 7 to 6 victory. Cabrera had just flown back to Colombia to help his family with a medical issue and traveled all day to get back in time to play in the game.

After losing the first game to the Yankees, who next came to Fenway Park, the Sox rebounded on September 25th with a stirring, 12 to 5 victory. Manny Ramirez doubled home the decisive run, while Keith Foulke rebounded from three straight shaky outings, to retire the final four Yankees in order.

Then the Sox concluded the regular season series with the Yankees on September 26th. Curt Schilling posted one of his finest pitching performances of the season, allowing one hit to the Yankees over seven innings en route to an 11 to 4 victory.

They clinched the wild card with a win in Tampa Bay on September 27th. Manny unleashed a gargantuan 458-foot blast and a solo shot from Jason Varitek to help seal the victory. The next night, September 28th, in the 11th inning, Kevin Millar swatted a two-out, two-run homer for a 10 to 8 walk-off victory.

The Sox finished the regular season in Baltimore. On October 1st, David Ortiz put the game out of reach in the ninth, 8 to 3, with a three-run blast, his 41st of the season, giving him 139 RBIs.

However, splitting the last two series with the Yankees, who kept on winning themselves, took the wind out of the team's sails because they could not make up any ground.  Therefore, in the end, they were never really a threat to win the A.L. East and settled for a wild card berth to get them in the playoffs.

Entering the Playoffs, the Wild-Card winning Red Sox drew the Anaheim Angels for the first round.  The Angels were season rivals, playing the Red Sox to a close game each and every time they faced each other.  If good competition in the first series wasn’t enough, the Red Sox had to play the first two games on the road.  

All of this buildup thankfully turned out to be for not, since the Red Sox won these road games with ease, 9 to 3 and 8 to 3.  This was a promising sign for fans, because a 2-0 series lead, coming back to Fenway was almost a guaranteed win in this short first round series.  

They closed out the sweep, taking 10 innings to do so, with a 2-run David Ortiz home run.  This was only the start of Ortiz’s 2004 heroics.  The Red Sox closed out the Angels without much trouble and had to sit eagerly awaiting the victor of the Yankees vs. Twins series.  

Riding the momentum of their extra inning series win over the Angels, the Red Sox went to New York for the first two games of the series.  The Yankees won both games and sent the Sox back to Fenway in serious trouble.  At this point, fans still held onto little hope that they could come home and even the series.  

Soon after the first pitch was thrown in the third game, this hope was stolen away as the Yankees jumped to an early 3-0 lead after the 1st.  It didn’t get any easier for Red Sox fans as the game went on.  The Yankees took a 3-0 series lead with a commanding 19 to 8 victory.  The fans had essentially given up on the season because the team could never come back from a 3-game deficit, but they had to do it against the team that beat them in the same spot one year ago.

Just because the fans called it a season doesn’t mean that’s how they felt in the Red Sox clubhouse.  One player in particular is remembered for his quote on the field before Game #4. Infielder Kevin Millar kept saying “Don’t let us win tonight”.

Things were looking grim for the Red Sox towards the end of the game. They were headed into the bottom of the ninth inning trailing 4-3 when Millar stepped to the plate.  Facing the Yankees star closer, Mariano Rivera, he was able to draw a walk and get the buzz back in Fenway Park. As soon as he got on base Dave Roberts came in to pinch-run.  This set the stage for one of the most memorable moments of the entire 2004 season.  

With Roberts on first, Bill Mueller came up to bat.  On the first pitch, with no surprise, Roberts took off for second, barely sliding in safely.  

This left Mueller at the plate with the tying run now on second base.  After fighting off the next couple of Rivera’s offerings, he finally connected with a line drive base hit which scored Roberts from second.  The fireworks didn’t end here though. Flash to the bottom of the 12th.  ALDS hero David Ortiz came up to bat with one runner on base.  The walk off hero from the week earlier did it again, he sent one over the right field fence for a 2-run walk off homerun.  The Red Sox won and their historic comeback had officially begun.

Next was Game #5, the last game in the series at Fenway Park.  Looking like the Red Sox of old, they fell again to an early deficit, surrendering a 4-2 lead.  One more time they had to call on Big Papi to get them back in the game.  In the bottom of the 8th inning David hit another homerun to bring the Yankee lead down to 4-3.  Later in the inning, Jason Varitek sent a sac fly to center and scored Roberts from third to tie the game at 4-4.  Just like the night earlier, the drama went late into the night with another extra innings game.  

This time it took all the way until the 14th when, David came back to the plate.  With runners on first and second base all the Red Sox needed was a base hit and they had won.  This is exactly what they got when Ortiz sent a ball up the middle and rolling into center field.  The ball rolled just deep enough for Johnny Damon to score from second and give the Red Sox a 5- to 4 win.  In terms of momentum, this win was by far the most important.

Game #6 forever will be known as the "Bloody Sock" game. It brought in another key player in this improbable comeback, Curt Schilling.  Schilling started Game 1 but the results were less than spectacular.  If this wasn’t enough to worry about for Red Sox fans, Schilling also had surgery on his ankle between the starts.  Everyone doubted Schilling's ability to go out and perform successfully.  

Schilling went out and threw 99 pitches over 7 innings while only allowing one run and four hits.  He later admitted that throughout the game his entire shoe was filling up with blood.  He said at points he was constantly readjusting his footing to make sure his shoe was tight.  All the blood pooling up had caused half his foot to go numb.  The team rallied behind Schilling's performance, sealing the victory, 4 to 2, and forcing a deciding game, the next night back at Yankee Stadium.  

Game #7 brought back all those feelings of doubt for Red Sox fans.  This was the exact situation the year prior where the Red Sox were eliminated by the Aaron Boone homer.  Red Sox nation was conditioned to expect the worst.  Just when they were getting close they would shoot themselves in the foot and lose the series.  

These worries didn’t last long however, thanks to another David Ortiz homerun and a 2-0 Red Sox lead after the first. The rally didn’t stop there. In the second, Johnny Damon hit a grand slam to extend the lead to 6-0. From there the Red Sox never looked back, going on to seal a commanding 10 to 3 victory and a spot in the 2004 World Series.

The Red Sox handled the World Series with convincing victories.  They swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games, winning each by two runs or more and never trailing for one inning.  The Cardinals simply were never in it.  En route to eight consecutive postseason wins, the 2004 edition of the Red Sox simply destroyed a Cardinal team that won a major league high 105 games. The Sox did not trail for a single inning of the four-game sweep. No Cardinal pitcher lasted more than six innings and St. Louis' vaunted row of sluggers was smothered by the likes of Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, closer Keith Foulke, and Lowe. The Cards batted .190 in the Series.

Mark Bellhorn hit a go-ahead eighth inning homer to break the tie in Game #1, and Curt Schilling had his ankle sutured up again for a gritty Game #2 performance.  Cardinal mistakes, highlighted by Jeff Suppan's baserunning gaffe, made Game #3 a vintage Pedro Martinez pitching performance, a memorable final game for him in a Red Sox uniform. Game #4 was a four hit shutout for Derek Lowe and also marked his final game in a Red Sox uniform.  Manny Ramirez, who hit .412 with a homer and four RBIs against the Cardinals, was named World Series MVP, almost exactly one year after the Sox put him on waivers.

The sweep marked the first time in 86 years that the Boston Red Sox had been crowned the World Series Champions. No more "Curse of the Bambino". No more taunts of "1918."  And now it's time to toast Ted Williams, Tom Yawkey, Sherm Feller, Dick O'Connell, Frank Malzone, Haywood Sullivan, Joe Cronin, Eddie Collins, Tony Conigliaro, Ned Martin, Ken Coleman and the thousands of others who toiled for the team, but died before seeing their Sox win a World Series.  The suffering souls of Harry Frazee, Bill Buckner, Grady Little, Mike Torrez, Johnny Pesky, Joe McCarthy and Denny Galehouse can finally be forgiven.

The Red Sox were champions of the world.