Tom Brady led the Patriots to victory with a last minute, 70-yard drive in the afternoon. David Ortiz led the Red Sox to victory with a grand slam that defied all odds at night. It’s a routine that Boston sports fans have gotten used to over the past decade, but not something to take for granted. Though legends may live forever, they don’t play forever. This is the Golden Age of Boston Sports. Don’t ever forget it.

The Most Improbable Of Comebacks

Here are the win expectancy charts for the Patriots and Red Sox on Sunday, courtesy of fangraphs:

 

This is Big Papi’s F’n City

It’s been said before, but it’s worth repeating: There’s something special about this Red Sox team.

This is a team that never quits, and never surrenders at-bats. This is a team that refuses to take itself out of a game.

There was every reason for the Red Sox to lay down on Sunday night. They became the first team in postseason history to get no-hit through five innings in two consecutive games. After Anibal Sanchez struck out 12 batters in six innings in Game 1, Max Scherzer struck out 13 men in seven innings in Game 2. Every hitter looked helpless, and as if he had never seen a slider before. Including Ortiz, who was 0-3 with two strikeouts prior to the eighth inning.

But then Will Middlebrooks, who was 3-17 in the playoffs, scorched a double off the Green Monster. Lefty Drew Smyly replaced Jose Veras, and promptly walked Jacoby Ellsbury after a lengthy at-bat. Tigers manager Jim Leyland, doing his best Joe Maddon impersonation, lifted Smyly for right-hander Al Alburquerque after just one batter. Shane Victorino struck out swinging, and Dustin Pedroia batted a ground ball through the right side of the infield to load the bases.

The table was set for Ortiz, who was 6-22 in his career against closer Joaquin Benoit. He swung at the first pitch he saw, and the game was tied within an instant. Everybody in the ballpark, from those in the owner’s box to those in the bullpen knew they had just witnessed Big Papi playoff magic. Ortiz now has 15 career postseason home runs.

Tigers Flaws Did Them In

When the October air gets crisper, a team’s weaknesses don’t go away. They are often magnified, as was the case with the Tigers on Sunday night.

The Tigers bullpen had the fourth worst ERA in the American League this season. Despite combining for three scoreless innings in Game 1, one had to figure it was only a matter of time before the relentless Red Sox lineup exposed the soft underbelly of the Tigers middle relief core.

Veras, Smyly, Alburquerque, Benoit and Rick Porcello surrendered five runs in the final two innings on Sunday, and were hit hard. There’s a reason Leyland turned to Scherzer to pitch in middle relief against the A’s in Game 4 of the ALDS when his team was facing elimination.

The Tigers infield defense didn’t provide much support, as a bevy of misplays in the infield allowed Jonny Gomes to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

“Red Sox legend” Jose Iglesias (BARF), entered the game as a defensive replacement for Jhonny Peralta in the eighth inning. Gomes hit a routine ground ball to shortstop to lead off the ninth, and Iglesias’ throw sailed wide of first base. (Prince Fielder should’ve stopped it, but it was scored as an E6 … so there.)

Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who has struck out eight times this postseason, stepped up next. He hit a foul pop-up on the first base side that landed in the seats after Fielder couldn’t handle it.

Porcello uncorked a wild pitch, and Gomes advanced to third base. Then with the infield in, Saltalamacchia hit a ground ball that scooted past Iglesias into left field to end the game.

In the irony of all ironies, it wasn’t Miguel Cabrera who cost the Tigers defensively on the left side of the infield at the end of the game. It was Iggy  INGlesias.

Red Sox Bullpen Continued Its Playoff Dominance

Red Sox relievers combined to throw three and one-third scoreless innings in Game 2, and didn’t allow the game to get out of hand.

Brandon Workman retired Austin Jackson to conclude the sixth inning, leaving Omar Infante stranded in scoring position. Felix Doubront, in his first career postseason appearance, tossed an inning and one-third scoreless frames. Koji Uehara was spectacular in the ninth (per usual), retiring the side in order on nine pitches. Eight of Uehara’s nine pitches were strikes.

The bridge to Uehara no longer seems to be a concern. Craig Breslow and Junichi Tazawa haven’t allowed a run this postseason. The Red Sox have the advantage at the end of games over the Tigers.

Clay Buchholz Wasn’t Impressive

If there is one negative from Game 2, it’s that Buchholz wasn’t sharp. His breaking pitches lost bite in the sixth inning, and he allowed four runs in the frame.

Cabrera appears to be over whatever was ailing him in September, as he smashed a home run into the Monster seats to lead off the inning. Victor Martinez followed with an RBI double, and Alex Avila hit a two-run home run to cap it all off. It was an offensive onslaught.

Tigers starting pitchers have only allowed one-run in 23 consecutive innings. Buchholz was unable to match Scherzer on Sunday, and John Lackey has a tall task ahead of him when he squares off against Justin Verlander in Game 3 on Tuesday.

Looking Ahead

Verlander has rebounded from his worst statistical regular season since 2008, throwing 15 scoreless innings in the playoffs with 21 strikeouts. He will be opposed by Lackey in Game 3, who has a career 3.83 ERA at Comerica Park.

The Red Sox had to steal a win this weekend, as facing Verlander with a 2-0 series deficit would’ve been a terrifying sight.

But after witnessing the resurrection of the Red Sox offense, Tigers pitchers are the ones who should be terrified on Tuesday. Even if Verlander is dominant, just as Scherzer was in Game 2, it is unlikely he will be able to go the distance against the team with the highest on-base percentage in the league. The weak Tigers bullpen will probably have to finish the Red Sox off, which is a difficult task indeed.

Photos via Elise Amendola/AP, Jared Wickerham/Getty Images and Matt Slocum/AP

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