The Drake song wasn’t written for the Red Sox, but it probably should have been. After all, they have adopted it as their unofficial anthem, playing it on a loop during each of the sudsy clubhouse celebrations that have become so common throughout this magical autumn.
Started from the bottom, now we’re here.
The Red Sox couldn’t have been any lower when general manager Ben Cherington began building the team that would go on this journey that culminated last night with a 6-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals and a World Series championship, the first to be won on their home turf since 1918.
If 2004 was about reversing the Curse, and 2007 was about validating that first title, then this was about redemption, about restoring the good name of a franchise sullied by a hellish 13 months of ne’er-do-well pitchers who guzzled beer and munched on fried chicken during a September collapse for the ages and the 93-loss nightmare of a season that followed.
Anybody remember any of that now?
Didn’t think so.
All was washed away last night in Game 6 of the 109th World Series, beginning with another bases-clearing swing by Shane Victorino, who, at least in the minds of Red Sox fans, superseded President Obama as the most important Hawaiian in town yesterday.
It continued with a home-run swing from slumping Stephen Drew, an RBI single by Mike Napoli, another bases-loaded hit by Victorino and 72⁄3 stellar innings from John Lackey, who tipped his cap to the 38,447 souls lucky enough to get a ticket who now were chanting his name nearly two years after wishing to never see him again once he emerged from Tommy John elbow surgery.
And it ended the only way that it could, with indomitable closer Koji Uehara trotting to the mound for the ninth inning. With the jam-packed crowd standing from the very first pitch, Uehara needed only 12 pitches to record another 1-2-3 inning and kick off a celebration that began with a “Dirty Water” sing-along like none other.
Uehara struck out flailing Matt Carpenter for the final out, then leapt into catcher David Ross’ arms and pointed to the sky, having safely secured the Sox’ 108th victory (97 in the regular season, 11 in the playoffs) in a season that has been as satisfying as any ever played in the 101-year history of Fenway Park.
The Red Sox went 18-8 in April, rallying around their embattled city after the tragedy of the bombings at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. It was a great start, the doubters said, but can they really keep it up?
At the All-Star break, they were 58-39, best in the American League, and had a 21⁄2-game lead in the division. And during a 10-day span from Aug. 28 to Sept. 7, the AL East lead swelled to 81⁄2 games.
By then, any lingering skeptics had been converted.
The Red Sox rolled past the Tampa Bay Rays in the Division Series, outlasted the Detroit Tigers’ three aces in the AL Championship Series, and trailing 2-1 in the World Series after an obstruction call brought a never-before-seen end to Game 3, they won back-to-back games in St. Louis to bring the World Series back home.
With two chances to get the one win that would secure their third crown in 10 years, the Red Sox didn’t mess around.
In the third inning, they loaded the bases against Cardinals rookie sensation Michael Wacha on a leadoff single by Jacoby Ellsbury, an intentional walk to David Ortiz and a fastball off Jonny Gomes’ left arm.
Up stepped Victorino, signed last December to a three-year, $39 million deal that was ridiculed across the majors. But just like his new team, Victorino had a bounceback season, the highlight of which came in Game 6 of the ALCS when he beat the Tigers with a grand slam.
Surely, he couldn’t do it again. Could he?
Almost.
With the jam-packed crowd standing and roaring, Victorino hit a line drive that scraped the top of The Wall in left field, mere feet from of clearing it, and cleared the bases, opening a 3-0 lead.
Drew, who had been 4-for-51 in the postseason, led off the fourth inning with a homer into the bullpen in right. Four batters later, with two outs, the Cardinals intentionally walked Ortiz again before Napoli served an RBI single that scored Ellsbury from second base.
And after Gomes walked to re-load the bases, Victorino came to the plate again. This time, he took mercy on the Cardinals, only lining a single to left field that drove in Ortiz for a 6-0 lead.
By then, all that was left was a crowning moment 95 years in the making.
The Red Sox started from the bottom. Now look where they are.