The Miracle of the 2004 Boston Red Sox

By: Chad Henry

Two years later, in 1920, the RedSox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees and the curse of The Bambino was born. Boston would not win another World Series until 2004.

The 2004 season was magical for BoSox players and fans. It featured star players such as David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, Curt Schilling, and Pedro Martinez. It was a run unlike any other in history.

In the years preceding 2004, the Boston Red Sox had come close to reaching the World Series. In fact, the previous season, in 2003, the Sox were nearly defeated by the eventual champion New York Yankees in the AL Championship Series.

It looked like they were going to fall again to the Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship Series. After sweeping the Anaheim Angels in the Divisional Playoff Series, the Sox found themselves down three games to none. The curse was alive and well and only a miracle would save the 2004 season.

The Yankees had a chance to sweep the Sox in Game Four that was played on Boston's Fenway Park. It looked like the Yankees were going to do just that when they carried a one run lead into the bottom of the ninth.

The Red Sox managed to tie the game and send it to extra innings. Three innings later, in the bottom of the twelfth, David Ortiz won the game when he hit a two run home run.

The next night David Ortiz would again play the hero. Boston had managed to tie the game again, this time in the bottom of the eighth. Then in the bottom of the fourteenth inning, Ortiz ended the longest game in American League Championship Series history with a walk-off single.

The next game, played in Yankee Stadium, seemed to be a must win for the Yankees. With their two extra innings wins, the Red Sox had begun to turn the tide of momentum in their favor.

The RedSox sent their ace pitcher, Curt Schilling, to the mound. The Sox took control of the game in the top of the fourth when they scored four runs. They held on and won the game four to two.

The series was all but over and so was the Curse of the Bambino. All that was left was for the Bo-Sox to actually play game seven.

Boston scored eight runs in the first four innings and rolled to a ten to three win. They were heading to the World Series to play the St. Louis Cardinals.

Boston rode their wave of success and swept the Cardinals in four games. Their winning streak of eight straight games set a record. The miracle was complete, the curse was broken, and the Boston RedSox of 2004 were World Series Champions.

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