ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — The sudden quiet under the dome at Tropicana Field was shocking.
For nine raucous innings, cowbells clanged, music blared and Tampa Bay fans partied, quite certain that a win tonight in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series would send their Cinderella Rays to the World Series.
There was just one problem. Somebody forgot to inform the remarkable, resilient, suddenly resurgent Boston Red Sox that this series was over. And when Game 6 ended with a Jonathan Papelbon cooly closing out a 4-2 Boston victory, the only noise being generated came from the red-clad faithful bunched behind the Boston dugout.
Now it all comes down to tonight’s Game 7, featuring Boston starter Jon Lester and the Rays’ Matt Garza. The winner hosts Philadelphia in Game 1 of the World Series beginning Wednesday night.
The Red Sox’s postseason story is one of true grit and clutch performances from creaky heroes.
Starter Josh Beckett, struggling since the end of the season with a painful oblique injury, battled for five innings. Deftly mixing curveballs and changeups with a 92-93 mph fastball, Beckett allowed just four hits and walked just one. True, two of the hits allowed were solo homers – to B.J. Upton in the first and Jason Bartlett in the fifth – but he gave Boston what it needed.
So did veterans Jason Varitek and David Ortiz.
The game was knotted 2-2 entering the decisive sixth inning. With two outs, Varitek sliced a home run to right-center off Tampa Bay starter James Shields. Varitek’s homer, his first hit after a 15 at-bat drought, put Boston in front 3-2.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
