Young Red Sox Fan Waves Prince Fielder and Tigers Goodbye Following Epic Boston Comeback
By Mike Cardillo
The Red Sox evened the ALCS at one game apiece with a come from behind 6-5 win over the Tigers Sunday night at Fenway Park.
David Oritz struck the big blow — a eighth-inning game-tying grand slam. Detroit first baseman Prince Fielder then did his part to help the Red Sox in the bottom of the ninth.
First he was unable to snare José Iglesias’s throw from short allowing Jonny Gomes to reach and advance to second to leadoff the inning. It only got worse for Fielder during Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s at-bat. The Detroit first baseman couldn’t to catch a pop-up near foul territory. He claimed fan interference. Replays showed it clanging off his glove, although the fans were awfully close to the play.
The next pitch from Rick Porcello was in the dirt and kicked to the backstop, allowing Gomes to scoot over to third. Saltalamacchia promptly ended it with a single.
All-in-all, an absolutely shocking turn of events at Fenway. If you’re more into the analytical approach to baseball, it’s no less incredible as backed up by this Fangraph’s win predictability chart.
Naturally Boston sports fans got to experience a Tom Brady-led Patriots comeback earlier in the day and then this walkoff win at Fenway to cap their weekend. There’s little doubt that kid waving in Fielder’s face is definitely wearing a Brady jersey under his hoodie.
The Red Sox didn’t score their first run in the ALCS until the sixth inning of Game 2 Sunday night, yet they head to Detroit feeling good about themselves and the series tied.