Déjà Vu All Over Again?

By Andy Spear
Love of Sports Corresppondent

It just doesn’t happen.

You can look it up. Teams just don’t come back and win playoffs series when they’re down 3-1.

That is, unless your team begins with “Boston” and ends with “Red Sox.” Only 10 major league teams have ever come back from being down 3-1 or 3-0 in a seven-game series. Three of those teams are named the Boston Red Sox.

In 1986, the Angels led the ACLS three games to one with a three-run lead in the ninth inning, needing only two more outs to move on to the World Series. The Red Sox won in 11 innings, then easily win Games 6 and 7.

In 2004, the Yankees led the ALCS 3-0 and went into the ninth leading 4-3 with ace closer Mariano Rivera ready to send their mortal enemies fishing for the winter. Not so fast. The Red Sox again extend the series with an extra inning win, then go on to win the next three to advance.

Last year, it’s the Indians with a commanding 3-1 series lead. One more time, the Red Sox win three in a row, this time outscoring Cleveland 30-5 in those final trio of games.

So, here we are again. Just like last year, after winning Game 1, the Sox managed to lose the next three. Then they dig themselves a huge hole to climb out of, trailing 7-0 going into the bottom of the seventh. Not only are they down on the scorecard, but they’re down emotionally too.

They’ve been badly outplayed, outpitched, outhit and outrun every game, including this one. The Rays’ lockerroom’s wrapped in plastic, with the champagne chilled and ready to be sprayed.

I admit it, I gave up on the game and went to bed. So did much of the Red Sox Nation, so I cut myself some slack. Upon waking, I sleepwalked my way through another morning ritual, making coffee and making toast before turning on the TV to watch my highlights.

I expected the lead story to be the Rays’ celebration. Even after showing Big Papi’s seventh inning home run I sipped and waited for the anticlimactic ending – Rays win.

Then there was video evidence of Coco Crisp tying the game in the eighth.

“No way,” I said to myself - and to my dog sitting beside me. Finally, it was J.D. Drew winning it in the ninth. “Holy s—t!” I screamed, sending my dog into panic mode and running into the bedroom.

So, where do we go from here? Besides Tampa Bay, that is. Hey, I’ve stuck with the Rays when pretty well everyone else was trying to stick pins in their balloon as early as September, and I’m not about to jump ship now.

Last year, the Sox had the advantage of hosting the Indians at Fenway for Games 6 and 7. This year, that advantage is gone. The Red Sox record on the road, on artificial surface and at Tropicana isn’t good. With exception to Ortiz’s home run Thursday, he hasn’t hit a thing. They don’t have Mike Lowell, their leadoff men can’t reach base safely, their catcher looks out of his league trying to throw out the Rays’ speedsters and starting Game 6 will be a very vulnerable Josh Beckett and his 16.62 playoff ERA.

The Rays will counter with James Shields, who despite losing Game 1 pitched well at home (two runs over 7.1 innings). All the name players are hitting for Tampa; Crawford, Pena, Longoria, Upton. The team’s running wild with double steals and steals of third.

The relief corps blew a tire, but they have a day off and are returning home with plenty of time to patch the tire.

Will it be déjà vu all over again?

Not this year. Sorry Boston.