Game 5 Rally, Riots by Ivan

WESTFIELD – In Major League Baseball Thursday night, Game 5 in the series for the American League pennant took place with the Red Sox facing the Tampa Bay Rays. And it was a Thirsty Thursday at Westfield State, so of course people were raging. Again for Red Sox fans, it was a wild one: As soon as the Sox won, the campus went nuts.

The Sox were down 3-1 in the series, facing elimination.

Although I was really hammered, I do know that they won that game. As midnight approached, the game was reaching late innings, and Boston started to rally. Even though the team faced a 7-0 deficit and was on the verge of being eliminated, Sox fans still had faith.

In the bottom of the seventh Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir was relieved, and the Sox began to rally. A homer from Big Papi brought the game within 3 runs. Then in the bottom of the eighth, the Sox would rally again, with a homer by J.D. Drew and a single by Coco Crisp. With three more runs in the eight, it was now a tie ball game!

In the end the Sox, would pull it off, in one of the greatest comebacks in postseason history. The ninth inning began with Kevin Youkilis getting on base from an infield error by Evan Longoria. Boston was now in scoring position. After walking Jason Bay, the Rays faced Drew again. And again he pulled it off, with a line drive blast to deep right. It was a ground-rule double, Youkilis scores, and the Red Sox win.

It happened at 12:16 am, exactly 5 years (to the minute exactly … freaky) after the infamous walk-off blast from Aaron Boone in the 2003 ALCS. For those of you who do not know… it was the Red Sox and the Yankees that played in one of the greatest AL Pennant games. That year, the Yankees came back to win and go to the World Series. Leaving the Sox fans saddened again for another year.

Lots of Westodians ran outside and were cheering “J.D. Drew,” “Fuck the Yankees,” “Let’s go Sox,” among other things. The Sox didn’t win the pennant or the World Series [yet], but hey, it was something to do. Why not run out there and rage on with the mob of students?

So now what?
It still isn’t over. It wasn’t even a clinching game for Boston. Now they have to go to St. Petersburg, Fla., for the rest of the series.

But hey, why not riot anyways?

The Sox go on to Game 6 of the American League Championship series at 8:07 tonight, Oct. 18. James Shields will get the start for Tampa, as Josh Beckett starts for Boston. Stay tuned to buntology for the results and other game news.