2004 Boston Red Sox Post-Season Results

Won AL Division Series over Anaheim Angels (3-0)
Won AL Championship Series over New York Yankees (4-3)
Won World Series over St. Louis Cardinals (4-0)

2004 AL Division Series Results

Game 1: Boston Red Sox 9, Anaheim Angels 3
Game 2: Boston Red Sox 8, Anaheim Angels 3
Game 3: Boston Red Sox 8, Anaheim Angels 6

Note: Home team shown in bold text

Series Synopsis

As the wild card contender, Boston's magical 2004 postseason begins with a three-game sweep of the West Divison-winning Anaheim Angels. Boston wins the first two games easily at Angels Stadium then comes back to Fenway Park to finish the job. Designated hitter David Ortiz bats .545 with two doubles, a home run, and four RBI, while teammate Manny Ramirez hits .385, also with two doubles and a home run in addition to seven runs pushed across the dish. Boston's sweep also extends its postseason winning streak against the Angels to six game dating back to Game Five of the 1986 ALCS.

Series Highlight

Boston jumps ahead 6-1 in Game Three after five innings at Fenway park and it appears as through the Red Sox have easily punched their ticket to the next round. However, with two outs in the seventh, the Angels score five runs, thanks in part to a grand slam by Vladimir Geurrero, to knot the game at six. The game goes to extra innings and in the top of the tenth, Anaheim puts catcher Bengie Molina at third base with two outs and Chone Figgins at the plate; however, Derek Lowe, in relief of closer Keith Foulke, induces a ground ball to short that ends the threat. Then, with a runner on and two outs, Angels manager Mike Scioscia lifts Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez, who had pitched 2-2/3 innings of relief, in favor of southpaw Jarrod Washburn to face the left-handed Ortiz. The move backfires as Ortiz hits the first and only pitch from Washburn into the seats over the Green Monster in left field for a series-clinching, two-run home run.

2004 AL Championship Series Results

Game 1: New York Yankees 10, Boston Red Sox 7
Game 2: New York Yankees 3, Boston Red Sox 1
Game 3: New York Yankees 19, Boston Red Sox 8
Game 4: Boston Red Sox 6, New York Yankees 4
Game 5: Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 4
Game 6: Boston Red Sox 4, New York Yankees 2
Game 7: Boston Red Sox 10, New York Yankees 3

Series Synopsis

The collective frustration of Red Sox Nation is lifted as Boston completes an improbable comeback against its divisional rival, the New York Yankees, winning the ALCS in the seven games after being down 3-0 in the series after a 19-8 blowout in Game Three. Designated hitter David Ortiz is named series MVP with three home runs and 11 RBI, including walk-off hits in Games Four and Five. It marks the first time in baseball postseason history that a team has rallied to win a series down three games to none; in fact, it is only the third time in modern sports history that any team has won facing such insurmountable odds.

Series Highlight

In Game Four, Boston is down 4-3, three outs from elimination at Fenway Park, and facing New York closer Mariano Rivera, one of the best all-time. First baseman Kevin Millar, however, leads off the bottom of the ninth with a five-pitch walk. Dave Roberts is immediately sent in to pinch-run for Millar, and everyone knows right away that his assignment is to steal second base. Rivera makes a few throws to first but eventually throws to the plate as Roberts takes off for second, narrowly reaching the bag ahead of the tag from Derek Jeter. Bill Mueller then hits a single between the legs of Rivera and through the middle of the infield, allowing the speedy Roberts to score well ahead of any throw home. The game continues as both teams find themselves with opportunities to score but unable to push a run across the plate. Finally, in the bottom of the 12th inning with the game just over five hours old, Ortiz sends the faithful home happy with a two-run blast to right for a 6-4 victory as Boston begins its unlikely comeback.

2004 World Series Results

Game 1: Boston Red Sox 11, St. Louis Cardinals 9
Game 2: Boston Red Sox 6, St. Louis Cardinals 2
Game 3: Boston Red Sox 4, St. Louis Cardinals 1
Game 4: Boston Red Sox 3, St. Louis Cardinals 0

Series Synopsis

After 86 years of frustration, Boston and its fans celebrate a World Series championship and exact some revenge by sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in four games. Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez earns MVP honors, batting .412 with a home run and four RBI, while three of Boston's four starters in the series earn a win. St. Louis, which had beaten Boston in two previous World Series meetings, never holds the lead at any point in the series as the offense bats just .190 against the Red Sox pitching staff.

Series Highlight

In Game Three at Busch Stadium, Ramirez leads off all scoring with a two-out solo blast in the first inning off Cardinals starter Jeff Suppan to give Boston a quick 1-0 lead. St. Louis answers in the bottom of the first off Pedro Martinez; after a groundout, an Albert Pujols single sandwiched between two walks loads the bases with one out. Jim Edmonds then lifts a fly ball to left field that Ramirez catches; Larry Walker then tries to score from third but the Red Sox slugger throws a strike to the plate to double off Walker at home. It is the only instance in series history that a player has hit a home run and thrown a runner out at the plate in the same inning. Boston cruises to an easy 4-1 win, with the only St. Louis run scored on a home run by Walker with one out in the ninth.