By Koppany Jordan
Staff Writer
Coming off a slump season finishing dead last in the American League East, no one expected much from Boston at the end of the season going into 2013.
With new management and a will to win, the Boston Red Sox were prepared to start off with a clean slate.
However, the men who call Fenway Park their home had something else to motivate them. On April 15, 2013 tragedy struck the city of Boston. With the bombing at the Boston Marathon, the nation grieved with the city as Americans of all backgrounds came together for the annual race dating back to the late nineteenth century.
For the Boston Red Sox, the 2004 World Series was about breaking the curse of the Big Bambino. The 2007 World Series was about validating that title.
After a collapse in 2011, and disaster in 2012, Boston always had a need to prove itself.
Opening day began with the classic Yankee-Red Sox rivalry at Fenway on April 1, 2013 that would lead to be the start of a winning season.
Going into the postseason, they knew it would be a challenge to win the World Series, but that it could be done.
Squaring off against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox had defeated them 12-7 in the regular season, and hoped to advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2007. Taking down the Rays 3-1, they advanced to face the Detroit Tigers. With Shane Victorino’s grand slam in the bottom of the seventh in Game 6, the Red Sox were headed to the World Series.
Winning their opening game at Fenway, the Red Sox fell behind after that 2-1 in the series. However, just as the Red Sox have demonstrated in years past, they would not give up easily. The Red Sox made a comeback in games four and five.
For the first time since 1918 the Red Sox had a chance to finish at home. Opening with great fury, Boston secured the World Series title in Game six at Fenway.
While next season is a long time away, the Boston Red Sox have proved themselves yet again, winning three World Series titles in the last decade.