| | BOSTON -- No, they didn't change uniforms. And no, that
wasn't Manny Ramirez driving in all those runs.
That really was the Red Sox setting major-league postseason
records with 23 runs and 24 hits against baseball's highest scoring
team since 1950, the Cleveland Indians.
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| Valentin |
And the seven RBI? Boston's John Valentin got those, not
Ramirez, whose 165 RBI were the most in the majors since 1938.
Valentin did it with two homers, a double and a single, all in the
first four innings.
"Sure, I had a great night. I'm very happy," Valentin said,
"I'll smile a little bit later, but the team goal is to try to
win."
He had plenty of company as Boston pounded five Cleveland
pitchers in a 23-7 win Sunday: Trot Nixon and Jose Offerman each
drove in five runs, Jason Varitek went 4-for-5 with three RBI and
a postseason record five runs, and Mike Stanley went 5-for-6.
"It was a great day for a lot of players," Valentin said.
The Red Sox hope they have enough strength left to swing the
bats some more in Monday night's decisive fifth game in Cleveland.
At least they got there -- on a day in which they outscored 19
NFL teams.
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POSTSEASON BASHERS
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Great one-game hitting performances in postseason history:
John Valentin, Red Sox, 1999 Division Series: Went 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBI as the Sox pounded Cleveland 23-7 in Game 4.
Jason Varitek, Red Sox, 1999 Division Series: Became the only player to score five runs in a postseason game. Went 4-for-5 with five runs and three RBI.
Bernie Williams, Yankees, 1999 Division Series: In Game 1 against Texas, went 3-for-5 a homer, double and six RBI in an 8-0 victory.
Mo Vaughn, Red Sox, 1998 Division Series: Was 3-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBI in an 11-3 win over Cleveland.
Edgar Martinez, Mariners, 1995 Division Series: Martinez kept the Mariners alive against the Yankees in Game 4 by going 3-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBI, including a go-ahead grand slam off John Wetteland in the eighth. Martinez' two-run double won the series the next night.
Will Clark, Giants, 1989 NLCS: In Game 1 against the Cubs, Clark went 4-for-4 with two home runs, four runs and six RBI.
Kirby Puckett, Twins, 1987: Went 4-for-4 with a walk and scored four runs as the Twins beat the Cardinals in Game 6 11-5. Twins won the next night as well.
George Brett, Royals, 1985 ALCS: Down 2-0 to the Blue Jays, Brett was 4-for-4 with two home runs and four runs as Kansas City won 6-5.
George Brett, Royals, 1978 ALCS: Went 3-for-5 with three home runs (while hitting leadoff) -- in a 6-5 loss to the Yankees in Game 3.
Reggie Jackson, Yankees, 1977 World Series: In the Series-clinching Game 6 against the Dodgers, Mr. October took three swings and hit three home runs. He was 3-for-3 with a walk, four runs and five RBI in an 8-4 win.
Bob Robertson, Pirates, 1971 NLCS: Went 4-for-5 with three home runs and five RBI in a 9-4 win over San Francisco in Game 2.
Paul Blair, Orioles, 1969 ALCS: Was 5-for-6 with 5 RBI against the Twins.
Bobby Richardson, Yankees, 1960 World Series: Holds World Series mark of six RBI in one game. Went 2-for-5 with six ribbies against Pittsburgh in 10-0 victory in Game 3.
Babe Ruth, Yankees, 1928 World Series: In the deciding Game 4 against the Cardinals, Ruth was 3-for-5 with three home runs.
Babe Ruth, Yankees, 1926 World Series: Was 3-for-3 with three homers, four runs, four RBI and two walks in Game 4's 10-5 win over the Cardinals.
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A day earlier, that seemed about as unlikely as Valentin getting
a hit.
They totaled three runs and 11 hits in losing the first two
games at Cleveland, and he was 0-for-10 going into the bottom of
the sixth of Game 3 with the score at 2.
Then everything changed.
"Val's a gamer," center fielder Darren Lewis said. "He's
obsessed with the game. He's into every inning, every pitch, every
at-bat."
Valentin's solo homer put the Red Sox ahead, but the third
baseman's second costly throwing error of the series allowed
Cleveland to tie the game in the seventh Saturday.
No problem.
Valentin came up again in the bottom of the seventh and broke
the tie with a two-run double. That started a six-run inning that
gave the Red Sox a 9-3 win.
"These last two games are the most exciting games I've seen in
a long time," said Bret Saberhagen, who will pitch Game 5 on three
days' rest against Charles Nagy.
And on Sunday, he and the Red Sox earned several lines in next
year's postseason record book.
"Everything we threw up there they hit," Cleveland manager
Mike Hargrove said. "When it came down, it wasn't where we were
standing."
The previous record for most runs in a postseason game was 18 by
the New York Yankees in an 18-4 win over the New York Giants in the
1936 World Series. The previous record for most hits in a
postseason game was 22 by Atlanta against St. Louis in Game 7 of
the 1996 NL Championship Series.
Valentin's seven RBI tied the postseason record held by
former teammate Mo Vaughn, who did it in last year's opener at
Cleveland, and Seattle's Edgar Martinez.
His 11 total bases broke the Division Series record of 10 shared
by Vaughn and Eric Karros of Los Angeles.
Valentin accomplished something that may be more amazing.
He came to bat in each of the last three innings Saturday and
each of the first four Sunday. In those seven straight appearances,
he homered, doubled, lined out to right, homered again, singled,
homered yet again and doubled.
That added up to four runs and 10 RBI in a span of just seven
innings.
Pretty good for a player who hit just .253 with 12 homers and
wasn't assured of a spot on the postseason roster until he returned
from the disabled list on Sept. 23. He went on it Aug. 31 with
tendinitis in his left knee.
Rookie Wilton Veras played well in his place. But Valentin
assured his playoff spot by ending the season with a five-game
hitting streak and staying healthy.
He finally was stopped Sunday when he struck out -- swinging, of
course -- against Sean DePaula in the sixth.
Valentin was due up in the seventh, but with the score 21-6,
manager Jimy Williams sent up Donnie Sadler to pinch hit.
Naturally, Sadler doubled.
"Tonight," Valentin said, "was a special night for the Red
Sox."
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ALSO SEE
Red Sox vs. Indians series page
Red Sox force Game 5 after scoring record 23 runs
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