if there has to be a scapegoat, it's Francona for not having a pinch-hitter although the only guy he really could have put in was Olerud and then you're stuck with no second baseman if the game goes into extra innings. either way, it worked out that it was Cora in that position and I'm sure Francona knew as well as all of us did that he wasn't the ideal guy there anyway, that would've been Ortiz
besides, Damon was one single away from tying the game and he didn't fare any better either