The Date was July 22nd, 2004. The Red Sox were down, having lost two games in a row. They were only 51-42 at this point and went into a double header against the Orioles knowing that they were depleted and had a huge set with the Yankees coming up.
Some may remember this as a dark time. The Red Sox had to turn to a pitcher that had never played in an MLB game before to try to pitch in the first game of the double-header. As they called on rookie Abe Alvarez to pitch in his first big league game, there was a certain feeling of hope in the Red Sox clubhouse. Everyone is the dugout decided to pay homage to Alvarez by wearing their hats like Alvarez tilted to the side.
http://espn.go.com/i/page2/photos/abe_alvarez.jpg
...this was a sign of things to come. On the field that day for the Red Sox, something was magical, the tides would be tilted like the hats worn by the players that day.
In the first inning Alvarez was phenomenal allowing only 3 runs. He was fired up and had the team excited as well. They knew that maybe their season could be saved, with the presence of new blood on the field. It was clear, and the Red Sox bats stepped up to prove it.
Red Sox team leader David Ortiz knew that he had to take things into his own hands.
"I had a feeling man, yeh I just had to hit the ball, like bing bang ya know mang. I just shot up in my ass before the game, so you know me, I was ready to go."
Ready to go he was. In the bottom of the first Ortiz saw the first two men go down and knew what to do as he always has. Ortiz proceeded to hit a high fly ball into center field landing in the triangle. Ortiz knew he had to huslte. He sprinted to first in just under 2 seconds, rounded the base to second where the ball was just being retrieved.. Ortiz sprinted to third base and easily got in with a triple.
In the next at bat Manny Ramirez weakly grounded out to end the inning not scoring Ortiz.
But what the Red Sox saw right there, was a sign from the heavens. That yes David Ortiz just easily legged out a triple, and from there on there was no way the team would let up
"It was really quite amazing", said Sox Ace Curt Schilling. "I think Ortiz just woke up our team right there and said boys let me do this one my self".
Alvarez was feeling it as well. He went out for the second and third innings and pitched two of the greatest frames he has ever tossed. Only allowing one run over those two innings, the Sox were ready to get back in the game.
The score stood 4-1 Orioles as the game went into the bottom of the third. With Ortiz slated to bat again few Red Sox fans were worried about the outcome, but no one I mean no one could predict what would happen next.
Ortiz awaited the pitch from Rodrigo Lopez, he saw the fastball coming, and turned on it. He hit a laser to right field that dribbled around the corner.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona had to shed some light on the subject. "It was a flash.The next thing I knew he had just slid into third base with his second triple of the game. I was shawkkedd. His legs really had great stuff today."
Indeed it was a flash Terry. In two at bats David Ortiz had tripled his total triple count for the year.
The Sox went on to lose the game 8-3. But their season would forever be changed from that day. "Some may cite the July 24th game as the turn around for our season, but it was two days earlier we knew that we can pull this off." said Francona. "David showed us that miracles were possible and it almost brings a tear to my eye thinking about it".
This was a Great Moment in Red Sox History.
