Red Sox DH David Ortiz’s grand slam in the 2013 ALCS
The Red Sox proved a lot of people wrong in the 2013 season. After a forgettable 2012 season, the Red Sox were projected to finish last in the AL East. Although, with new skipper John Farrell at the helm, the Red Sox went on to win the division, and eventually the World Series.
With the city of Boston relying on the Red Sox for a championship after the bombing, David Ortiz put the city on his back in game two of the ALCS. The Tigers were up 5-1 in the eighth with two outs and the bases loaded, and Ortiz delivered with one of the most memorable grand slams in Red Sox history.
Watching Torii Hunter dive over the right field wall as Officer Steve Horgan throws his hands up in excitement is a picture perfect moment. I remember knowing that Papi was going to hit one out, and I think every Red Sox fan felt the same way.
This particular moment encompasses the entire 2013 season and shows that something bigger than life was guiding Boston to a championship. There is no one better to produce in this situation than David Ortiz, and I am fully convinced that this moment is what sealed David Ortiz as a Boston legend.
These moments capture what being a Red Sox fan has been like since the year 2000. There are certainly many more beyond these five, and the five honorable mention, but if you were to ask a Red Sox fan to give one iconic moment, there’s a good chance they’d pick one of these five.