Oct 07 2008
Red Sox beat Angels in walk-off fashion…punch ticket to ALCS
Rookie Jed Lowrie has filled in nicely at short stop for the Red Sox in 2008.
The Boston Red Sox and Defending 2007 World Series Champions have advanced to the American League Championship Series after beating the Angels 3-2 in walk-off fashion. This year’s Red Sox looks pretty much like last year’s team with a few more new faces and young blood, but the same old dominant pitching and clutch hitting. The new faces for the Red Sox this time around is left-fielder Jason Bay, who had a wonderful series, and scored the winning run in the game to knock out the top-seeded Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Bay went 7 for 17 and hit .412 with 2HR’s and 5RBI”s in the division series. Not bad for a guy getting his first taste of the playoffs. Another unlikely hero and new face to the Red Sox and getting his first taste of the playoffs as well, is short stop Jed Lowrie. Rookie Jed Lowrie who has took over as the everyday short stop with Lugo going down with injury during the season, has filled in well with his slick glove and solid hitting from both sides of the plate. Lowrie went 4 for 11 and hit .346 with 0HR and a big RBI in this division series. Lowrie hit a walk-off single to drive in Jason Bay and punch the Red Sox’s ticket to the American League Championship Series. I am impressed with this kid in only his first big league season.
The story of this season and in the playoffs has been the young kids, from B.J. Upton to Evan Longoria, to Dustin Pedroia and now Jed Lowrie. Speaking of these four young kids, the Red Sox face off against a bunch of these young kids, as they face their AL East foe, the Tampa Bay Rays led by Evan Longoria and Co. This ALCS looks to be an interesting series and should be exciting as the Rays won the season series between these two teams 10-8. My prediction is this series should go to 7 and it can go either way. I would like to see the Cinderella story, Tampa Bay Rays go to the World Series and go for their franchise’s first title. On the other hand, I also would like to see the Red Sox, moving toward ‘Dynasty Status’, try and defend their title against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who has Manny Ramirez and ex-Yankees skipper Joe Torre. Either way, the playoffs is going to be even more exciting as the Championship Series for both leagues begins in the next few days.
