Jon Lester stood in front of a pack of reporters and cameramen, wearing a sharp suit with nowhere to go but home.
Someone asked the Boston Red Sox pitcher what he will remember most about this season, and without hesitation he whispered a one-word answer.
“September.’’
The Red Sox completed their late-season collapse in horrific and historic fashion Wednesday night, falling out of the playoff chase by allowing two ninth-inning runs in a 4-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.
Boston held a nine-game lead in the AL wild-card race after Sept. 3, but a 7-19 September swoon left them tied with Tampa Bay entering the final day of the regular season.
Only minutes after this game ended, the Rays completed their comeback from a 7-0 deficit with an 8-7 win over the New York Yankees in 12 innings.
Boston became the first team to miss the postseason after leading by as many as nine games for a playoff spot entering September, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“We’ll go down in history as one of the worst collapses in history, so it definitely doesn’t feel good to be part of that,’’ left fielder Carl Crawford said. “We had high expectations, and to fall short the way we did is definitely disappointing for us.’’
Boston’s 7-20 record for the month is its worst September since an identical mark in 1952.
“It’s just shocking. We should be playing a one-game playoff right now,’’ Lester said. “It’s just one of those things. It wasn’t meant to be. It wasn’t our year.’’
Even if Tampa Bay lost, the Red Sox faced the prospect of a quick turnaround following a long night at Camden Yards that included a rain delay of 1 hour, 26 minutes in the middle of the seventh inning.
When the rain came, Tampa Bay trailed 7-0. By the time play resumed, the Rays and Yankees were tied at 7 heading into the 10th inning.
The Orioles won it in the ninth against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon (4-1), who struck out the first two batters before giving up a double to Chris Davis. Nolan Reimold followed with a double to score pinch-runner Kyle Hudson, and Robert Andino completed the comeback with a single to left that a sliding Crawford couldn’t glove.
“I was just overthrowing the ball, not really focusing on location,’’ Papelbon said. “I felt great. I felt great all year.’’
It was only his third blown save of the season and only defeat.
“I don’t think is going to define me as a player. I don’t think this is going to define this ballclub this year,’’ Papelbon said, his voice breaking. “I don’t know about everyone else in this clubhouse, but whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.’’
Jim Johnson (6-5) worked the ninth for Baltimore.
