I t was never going to happen Most Boston Red Sox fans had accepted it by 2004 The Red Sox had won five World Series titles between 1903 and 1918 Then they sold slugger Babe The Bambino Ruth to the rival New York Yankees in 1920 They had not won a World Series since As for the hated Yankees They won 26 titles from 1920 through 2004 It was called the Curse of the Bambino The curse was in full effect for the 2003 American League AL playoffs After each won in the AL Division Series ALDS the Red Sox and the Yankees met in the AL Championship Series ALCS to determine who went to the World Series It was a back-and-forth series Every game except one was decided by three runs or less After six games the Red Sox and Yankees had each won three It would all come down to the decisive seventh game at Yankee Stadium in New York Manny Ramirez left and David Ortiz celebrate after Ortiz hit a two-run Manny Ramirez left and David Ortiz celebrate after Ortiz hit a two-run homer against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS homer against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS t CHAMPS AT LAST 5
Dave Roberts slides into home plate to score the tying run in the ninth inning of Game 4 in the 2004 ALCS Then something amazing happened Yankees ace closer Mariano Rivera walked Red Sox first baseman Kevin Millar Moments later pinch runner Dave Roberts stole second base When third baseman Bill Muel ler singled to center Roberts touched home for the tying run The Red Sox were back in it The game went into extra innings Finally in the bottom of the 12th Boston’s powerful designated hitter David Ortiz blasted a two-run home run to give the Red Sox the win They would live another day The Red Sox then edged the Yankees 5 4 after 14 innings in Game 5 The series returned to CHAMPS AT LAST 7
