ALDS Game 2: Red Sox vs Angels

Daisuke Matsuzaka didn't fare as well as Red Sox fans had hoped in his first career postseason start in the Major Leagues. Matsuzaka only lasted 4.2 innings, giving up 3 runs and leaving with a deficit. He struggled with his control throughout.

When Matsuzaka left with a deficit, it felt as if the Red Sox were on the ropes as they had been struggling to put together anything against Escobar since the early going (The Red Sox took an early 2-0 lead thanks to a 1st inning 2-rbi single by JD Drew; but the lead was relinquished by Matsuzaka in the top of the 2nd).

The Angels held onto the lead until the bottom of the 5th inning when Mike Lowell hit a game-tying sacrifice fly. The run may never have scored if not for a young fan in the first row who broke up a foul out to the catcher earlier in the inning.

The score remained tied as Shields and Speier pitched well for the Angels and Javier Lopez, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, and Jonathan Papelbon pitched well for the Red Sox. The Red Sox pen may very well have been the story as they picked up Matsuzaka and kept the Red Sox in the game.

Entering the bottom of the 9th, the game was still tied. Julio Lugo led off the inning with basehit before being moved over to 2nd base by Dustin Pedroia. Youkilis struck out swinging to give the Angels 2 outs in the inning. With David Ortiz coming to the plate and 1st base open, the Angels opted to intentionally walk him. A decision they most likely regret at this point.

Manny Ramirez followed the Ortiz walk and took ball 1 from Angels closer, Frankie Rodriguez. On the ensuing pitch, Manny Ramirez took a gorgeous swing on a Rodriguez offering. Once the bat connected with the ball, the Fenway crowd knew that the game was over.

The homerun was the 1st walkoff with the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez. The 447 foot shot was the 3rd longest of the year at Fenway Park and it gave the Red Sox a 6-3 win and a 2-0 series lead.