One for the money

Sox set up a winner-take-all Game 7 by doubling down the upstart Rays

October 19, 2008|Amalie Benjamin, Globe Staff

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It all came down to doing things right. Not only did the Sox get solid starting pitching from Beckett, but they followed that with perfection from their bullpen, including two innings from Okajima. Other than that clutch hitting, the Sox found just enough runs to win, just enough momentum to give themselves another day and another game.

How else could this team get to the World Series? Though they do still need one more win, even the Sox can recognize how good they have it. How good they've made baseball for themselves.

It was on the bus the other day, heading from Fenway Park to the airport after their miraculous Game 5 win, that Kevin Youkilis reflected on all that he's been a part of - three comebacks from the depths of elimination - to Varitek, sitting next to him.

"I said, 'We're so spoiled,' " Youkilis said. "It's amazing. It's really amazing the games we play, and how much fun it's been. When we're all old and our children are all grown up, we'll sit around and meet up and talk about games like the game the other day. It's a wild ride, and we're very spoiled."

Amalie Benjamin can be reached at abenjamin@globe.com.