Boston Red Sox: 3 takeaways from the ALDS

ST PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 08: Enrique Hernandez #5 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a game tying solo home run during the fifth inning of game two of the 2021 American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on October 8, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 08: Enrique Hernandez #5 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a game tying solo home run during the fifth inning of game two of the 2021 American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on October 8, 2021 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)
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Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez
BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 10: Christian Vazquez #7 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a game winning walk-off two run home run during the thirteenth inning of game three of the 2021 American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on October 10, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

 The Boston Red Sox are headed to the ALCS!

If the first three games of the ALDS between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays hadn’t been dramatic enough, the Sox winning Game 4 in walk-off fashion was the icing on the cake. This series had it all. A grand slam. Two five-run innings. A game that required 13 innings to finish. With just a swing of the bat, it was over and on to the ALCS for Boston.

I think the Red Sox learned a lot about their team during this series. As incredible as the season was, the previous four games were something else. Boston was able to fall behind and come back swinging punch for punch. When others wanted to call the series a wrap after Game 1, the Red Sox were just warming up. They won the series with a tough bullpen and power behind the bats.

Since the Game 1 loss, there was no quit in the Boston lineup. Every inning was exciting to watch them bat, even when they had two outs against them. Sure, there was a hiccup from time to time, but the entire pitching staff made Tampa Bay fight for every run that was scored. Here are my three main takeaways from the ALDS.

Schedule