BOSTON: The swirl of emotions that so often enveloped Fenway Park last season were present again yesterday, right down to the last pitch.
Dustin Pedroia scored the winning run on a two-out error in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Red Sox stunned the Baltimore Orioles, 6-5, before a crowd of 33,947.
On a night that started with a poignant remembrance of the events surrounding the Boston Marathon a year ago, the Red Sox came back from a five-run deficit and won the game on a wild play.
“You certainly saw that 2013 spirit still exists in the boys with the way we scratched and clawed,” Red Sox starter Jake Peavy said.
Pedroia doubled high off the wall in left-center with one out, just missing his first home run of the season. The Red Sox challenged the call, but it stood after a replay. After Pedroia took third on a wild pitch, the Orioles had Brian Matusz intentionally walk David Ortiz. Righthander Darren O’Day then hit Mike Napoli on the left knee, loading the bases.
Mike Carp pinch hit and drilled the second pitch to left field, but directly at a well-positioned David Lough.
“They were in close,” Pedroia said. “I broke real quick in case it fell, he had a chance to throw me out at home.” As Pedroia scampered back to third, Lough’s throw sailed behind the plate. Pedroia turned around and raced home. It was the first walkoff victory of the season for the Red Sox, who had 11 last season.
“Kind of a crazy deal . . . There was a lot going on,” said Pedroia, who tossed his helmet in the air after he scored and was mobbed by teammates.
Carp had turned his head away, furious that he had hit the ball hard with nothing to show for it.
“My view went from high to low to high again real quick,” he said.
“Look down for one second, turn around, and everybody is going nuts.”
Orioles manager Buck Showalter stopped the umpires as they left the field, but he was told the play could not be challenged.
Agencies
