NEW ENGLAND-CAROLINA GAME ONE: INSTANT CLASSIC

Extra frames needed as one impressive bullpen fails to hold a lead, a theme that would be repeated in the divisional round

Fenway Park was abuzz with excitement. The Grapefruit Division champion New England Yankee Stompers (94-68) were in the playoffs for the first time in three years (after falling to the Pottsylvania Creepers in a seven-game World Series in 2012). Their opponent, the Cactus Division wild-card winning Carolina Wildcats (98-64) came in after a sweep of the wild card series but with extra wear-and-tear; they played their games while New England recuperated and rested heading into the division series.

New England ace Jon Lester (17-12, 2.90 in the regular season) got the call in his home park to face another lefty, Carolina’s Scott Kazmir (17-5, 3.31; didn’t appear in wild card series). They both started strong in the cold, northeastern fall weather; through five innings neither faced more than four batters in an inning more than once, and both of those were in the second. The top half of that frame became promising for Carolina when Yasmani Grandal drew a one-out, four-pitch walk and stole second base. The steal, after he beat out a double play ball to allow the only run to score in a wild card game, had observers wondering what had gotten into the beat-up catcher this late in the season to perk up his speed.

Grandal was stranded at second, however, as a line out and harmless grounder sent Kazmir back to the mound. The veteran lefty proceeded to get two quick outs before Ian Desmond stung an 0-1 pitch over Austin Jackson’s head in left field for a double. Rusney Castillo stepped up and bested the Carolina bats by cashing in for his Yankee Stompers, lining a first-pitch changeup to right-center for an RBI single.

NEW ENGLAND 1, CAROLINA 0

It would be the sixth inning before either side put a man past first base. Carolina finally got to Lester: Jackson led off with a single and raced around to score on a double by Brandon Crawford. The inning could have been bigger, but Crawford was gunned down attempting to stretch the hit into a triple. Adam Jones dumped a soft single to center on which Crawford may have been able to score had he remained at second. In any case, it was all tied up.

CAROLINA 1, NEW ENGLAND 1

The visitors kept the momentum from their tying run, shutting down New England in the bottom half despite a leadoff double and walk. The Yankee Stomper fans were ready to explode with Miguel Cabrera at the plate, two on and no one out, but he grounded into a twin killing (a foretelling of his performance the entire postseason, maybe?). The Wildcats kept pressure on and broke the tie in the seventh (Josh Donaldson just kept a solo shot fair inside Pesky’s Pole) before adding to the lead in the eighth (Crawford singled with runners on first and third; Jackson scored easily and Jose Altuve came across from first when Corey Dickerson, trying to throw him out at third, missed the target completely).

CAROLINA 4, NEW ENGLAND 1

With just six outs left for the hosts and Carolina’s imposing bullpen warming, some fans started to head for the exits. Those still in the park, however, were treated to a comeback by the home squad.

Joakim Soria was handed the ball in the bottom of the eighth, tasked with preserving the three-run advantage so Wade Davis could close it down in the ninth. James Loney pinch-hit for Xander Bogaerts and grounded the ball up the middle…off the glove of Altuve for a base hit. Crowd favorite Dustin Pedroia picked a good time to get into one—his shot barely cleared the Green Monster, and just like that it was a one-run game! Soria finally recorded an out—two to be exact, including a strikeout of Cabrera—but hung an 0-1 curve to Corey Dickerson. It was a no-doubter to straightaway center, and a tie ballgame headed to the ninth!

NEW ENGLAND 4, CAROLINA 4

Dellin Betances replaced Lester (8 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 8 K) to start the ninth. He set the Wildcats down, 1-2-3, but not without a scare: Eric Hosmer’s drive was caught at the fence. Soria remained in the game for the bottom half and recorded an out before issuing a walk, which brought on Davis. The former starter was slow in his first approach to the plate and Castillo stole second. Matt Wieters and Loney both met the same fate, wicked two-strike cutters, and the potential winning run was stranded on second base.

The escape by Davis seemed to energize Anthony King’s hitters. They put a man on in the 10^th and threatened in the 11^th, putting runners on first and second with one away, but Betances dug deep to keep the contest knotted at four.

It finally paid off for the tall righty and his teammates: Dickerson, leading off the bottom half of the 11^th, took the count full against Davis and saw a pitch he liked. The crack of the bat sent the tens of thousands in attendance to their feet, straining their eyes as Yasiel Puig treaded nearer and nearer the short fence in right field. Finally the Cuban phenom ran out of room! A walk-off solo homer, Dickerson’s second blast of the night! Longtime Fenway patrons became misty-eyed, recalling a similar scenario involving a man named Fisk, and the New England Yankee Stompers players mobbed Dickerson while Carolina could only shrug their shoulders and prepare for game two the next night.

FINAL: NEW ENGLAND 5, CAROLINA 4 (11)

(Andy Cross, The Denver Post)