Best Shots from ALCS Game 7 Thriller

SI Staff | Oct 20, 2008

Best Shots from ALCS Game 7 Thriller /

Best Shots from ALCS Game 7 Thriller

Just ahead of the tag by Jason Varitek, Carlos Pena scores the tying run on a fourth inning double by Evan Longoria. The Rays' third baseman hit four home runs in the series, driving in eight runs.

A rowdy crowd of 40,473 stayed late into the night to celebrate the Rays win, even sharing in the traditional champagne shower up and down the left and right field lines.

The Rays piled into a celebratory heap on the infield Sunday. Tampa Bay is four wins away from becoming the first team to go from worst in the majors to World Series champion in just one season.

In just his eighth big league game (and first save opportunity), David Price pitched out of a jam in the eighth, before retiring the Red Sox in the ninth. The 23-year old was at Vanderbilt this time last year.

Tampa Bay players swarm David Price after he recorded the final out of Game 7. ''I wanted the ball,'' Price said afterwards. ''I think everybody down there in the 'pen wanted the ball tonight.''

After finishing last in the AL East in nine of their first 10 seasons, the Rays dropped the "Devil" from their name before this year and sprinted to a 97-65 record, 31 games better than their finish in 2007.

Red Sox players look on dejected after the loss. ''We played as hard as we could. Just kind of ran out of magic,'' said Dustin Pedroia, whose first inning home run gave the Sox their only run of the night. ''I'm proud of everybody, but it's obviously a tough loss.''

Tampa Bay players pour out of the dugout after Akinori Iwamura's put out ended Game 7, sending the Rays to the World Series. The Rays were a 200-1 shot to win the World Series when the season started.

Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia reacts after being hit by a Matt Garza fastball. Pedroia accounted for Boston's only run in Game 7 with a first inning home run, his third of the series.

Carlos Pena, sliding in ahead of a tag by Jason Varitek, was one of three Rays to hit at least three home runs during the ALCS. He hit three, while B.J. Upton and Evan Longoria each hit four.

David Price pitched out of one of Game 7's biggest jams when he struck out J.D. Drew with the bases loaded to end the eighth. Price finished off Drew, the Game 5 hero, with a 97 mph fastball.

Jonny Gomes celebrates on the field following the Rays win. Tampa Bay has a couple of days to rest before the Phillies come to Florida for the start of the World Series.

The celebration on the infield focused on David Price, who recorded the game's final four outs for the save. Pitching coach Jim Hickey said: "On the biggest stage of his life, he came up with one of the biggest games of his life. This was a little bit bigger than the SEC Championship."

ALCS MVP Matt Garza looks on as Rays players congratulate Willy Aybar. Tampa Bay's DH, Aybar went 2-3 in Game 7 with a home run, a double and two runs scored.

Published Oct 20, 2008

SI STAFF