Officially, it was the longest Red Sox game of the year, played in front of the biggest crowd. Unofficially, it was the most dramatic and meaningful game they've played in 2002, so maybe it was entirely fitting that Carlos Baerga produced the winning run.

	“	That was the biggest at-bat of my year. After three years (out of the major leagues), I've been waiting for this. We didn't want to win like this, but they tied the game ... It was awesome. ”
		— Carlos Baerga

As much as anyone, Baerga signifies the new Red Sox -- instantly likeable, relaxed, unselfish, and hard-working. From the day he arrived in spring training as an invitee on a minor league contract, an otherwise humbling predicament for a former three-time All-Star, Baerga had an immediate impact on a clubhouse which last year more closely resembled a kindergarten with its rampant pettiness and whining.

But Friday night, Baerga made his contributions on the field, delivering the game-winning sacrifice fly in the 11th-inning of the Red Sox's 9-8 thriller over the New York Yankees.

The victory gave the Sox a three-game cushion in the AL East, to say nothing of the boost it gave to the team's collective confidence. It also gave Baerga a chance to shine, for which many of his teammates were grateful.

"It was really great to have that happen to Carlos,'' said catcher Jason Varitek. "He's been such an addition for us.''

The Sox had twice blown leads of 6-0 and 8-2 as the Yankees beat up a rusty Boston bullpen in the seventh and eighth to forge an 8-8 tie. In the ninth, the Red Sox had the bases loaded with one out and failed to score.

It looked for all the world like a sure win would turn to stinging defeat. But Baerga interceded in extra innings.

All season long, Baerga has been the Red Sox unofficial head cheerleader, perched on the top steps to encourage teammates, the first to burst from the dugout to congratulate the victors when the game ends, the first to throw a fearsome chest bump at closer Ugueth Urbina in celebration.

Friday, Baerga found himself on the receiving end of the hugs and handshakes for a change. No sooner had Rickey Henderson scored from third than did the rest of the Red Sox spring onto the infield and mob Baerga, with Brian Daubach hoisting him aloft.

"That was the biggest at-bat of my year,'' said a beaming Baerga afterward. "After three years (out of the major leagues), I've been waiting for this. We didn't want to win like this, but they tied the game ... It was awesome.''

	Carlos Baerga watches the flight of his game-winning sacrifice fly.

"Carlos was the right man in the right spot,'' said manager Grady Little. "It turned out good for us.'' So had the decision to invite Baerga, 33, to spring training. They had scouted him in Puerto Rico and impressed by his conditioning and bat speed, took a chance.

Baerga had played in baseball outposts in Korea and Mexico in recent years and tried his hand at broadcasting. But he couldn't shake the nagging thought that his career had ended prematurely.

By his own admission, he had fallen out of shape and lost his focus on the field. Dealt from Cleveland to New York in 1996, he began a downward career spiral that would see him spend two forgettable seasons with the Mets. After international turns, he was cut in successive springs by St. Louis and Seattle before bottoming out in the independent Atlantic League.

Given a last chance to play on his terms, Baerga has savored the experience. More than most, he can appreciate his role, however small.

"It's been awesome,'' he said of his return. "It's been a great experience. People say, `Well, you're not playing every day anymore.' But this is maybe one of the best feelings I've ever had. I want to win. These people (the fans of Boston) deserve to win. I never thought I'd be back in the big leagues. This is a gift.''

He had an obvious and positive effect on Manny Ramirez, with whom he had been teammates in Cleveland in another lifetime. His incessant chatter and joking nature has filtered throughout the dugout.

"They call me 'Crazy Guy,' '' he said a little sheepishly. "I'm always talking in the clubhouse, telling jokes. If we go a couple of innings without a hit, I go over to the bat rack (in the dugout) and try to wake up the bats. I try to make things fun and exciting. If a player is struggling, I tell him he's got two more at-bats coming. I try to be positive. I think that's what players want to hear.''

He's mostly been used as a pinch-hitter, though Friday he was getting one of his occasional starts at DH. He had a hit and a run scored in his first five plate appearances before the fateful 11th.

After chasing Roger Clemens in the fourth, his earliest departure in almost two years, the Sox saw the Yankees chip away and pull even. But the morale never wavered.

"Everybody in the ballpark was down when they tied the game on that sacrifice fly (by Jorge Posada),'' Little said, "except the people in our dugout.''

The 11th inning began with Henderson, who entered the game in the eighth as a pinch-runner for Daubach, invoking unpleasant memories of Ramirez sliding mishap in Seattle, slid head-first into first to beat out a chopper just to the right of the mound. He took second on Shea Hillenbrand's fourth hit of the night, a single to left, then moved to third on Trot Nixon's sacrifice bunt.

Baerga ("I had to make contact, no matter what'') then drilled an 0-and-2 pitch from reliever Steve Karsay into center, with Henderson easily beating the throw and touching off a wild celebration in the infield.

Amid the chaos, the Yankees argued, unsuccessfully, that Henderson had left third base prematurely, but the appeal was denied.

"I don't gotta leave early -- a guy with my speed,'' a defiant Henderson said. "Only slow guys have to cheat.'' The Yankees later tried to argue that Hillenbrand, too, had left second base too early, but by then, the umpires had left the field for good.

"I told these guys before the game that was going to be the biggest game of the series,'' Baerga said. "Facing Roger Clemens, with a chance to go up 2-0, we gotta get this one.''

So Baerga personally made sure of it.

There was, in the minds of the Red Sox, only one negative. "I'm worried about the residual effect,'' intoned Little with mock seriousness. "He'll be talking about this for the next three or four weeks. He's going to be chirping about this for a long time.''

Sean McAdam of the Providence Journal covers baseball for ESPN.com.