Red Sox History: Reviving bad memories of Red Sox – Yankees duels

Grady gives Red Sox fans a historic blunder

In 2003 the Red Sox had new ownership, and baseball had an expanded opportunity for reaching the pennant with a playoff system. Boston won 95 games, but the Evil Empire won 101 games. Both teams were solid. Playoff time and, of course, drama – high drama.

In Boston, Pedro Martinez was against Roger Clemens for game three, and the dustings started. Benches cleared, and Zimmer thought he was young again and charged after Pedro. Pedro showing no respect to the elderly, pushed Zimmer aside. Still, the Yankees won.

The series came down to game seven, and Boston grabbed a lead in New York.  That evaporated in the eighth when manager Grady Little didn’t pull a tiring Martinez. New York ties it up, and on it goes.

In a memory far too fresh in many dark corners of Red Sox minds is Aaron Boone in the bottom of the eleventh. Boone takes Tim Wakefield deep, and the Curse of the Babino continues, but only for one more year.

Little’s patience with his ace resulted in his firing. Some of the hits were cheesy, but maybe a fresh arm would have had better luck? That is all an unknown, and this was quite similar to having Galehouse start that 1948 playoff game.