2007 ALCS Game 6 - Drew Came Through

This couldn't have worked out better. Though the final score was 12-2, the game was won on a first inning grand slam hit by none other than the much hated-on J.D. Drew. After consecutive strikeouts of Manny and Lowell, many of the Fenway faithful looked on as Mr. Drew, the poker face personified, came to the plate and then drove a 3-1 fastball to the deepest part of the park and into the camera net. From then on the Indians were behind the 8-ball, and anyone who could see inside the Cleveland dugout could tell they were psychologically defeated early. The chants of "Faaaauuuuuuustoooooo" were echoing across Fenway throughout much of his entire 2+ innings of work (if that's what you want to call it). Carmona's look after giving up the bomb to Drew (see below) is priceless.



So then, it comes down to tonight's final and deciding Game 7, featuring Jake Westbrook for the tribe throwing against Daisuke Matsuzaka for the Sox. Many fans believe it is exactly this type of backs-to-the-wall situation for which Boston got Matsuzaka, and with good cause. His exploits in elimination games in Japan are legendary, starting as a teenager in Kokoyakyu, and I'm sure many a Japanese fan will be watching and rooting for him tonight...

...so will lots of people in Boston.