May 13th, 2007. Mother’s Day. I was 10 years old, but that year’s holiday celebrationwas unlike any other.
The reason we celebrate Mother’s Day is simple; having an entire day in honor of some of the greatest people on this Earth. We all spend this holiday differently, but each and every way is special and significant. It's a time to give back, and say, ‘thank you.’
That year I was at my Grandmother’s house, as my whole family used to gather there to celebrate Mother’s Day for a couple of years. It started like any other day, however, great laughs, unreal food, and of course (one of my Grandmother’s favorite things, also basically one of my Mom’s least favorite) baseball.
I distinctly remember sitting in the living room of my Grammie’s house, turning on the Red Sox afternoon game. I remember being so fascinated by the fact that the teams were using pink bats, and that everyone's regular accessories were colored to suit the day. It was a cool aspect of the game to see, a tribute to moms.
But the game started off ROUGH. The Sox starter Josh Beckett had to leave after just the fourth inning, having torn skin on his right middle finger, and the Baltimore Orioles just kept tacking on runs until the game crawled into the ninth. Being at home, Boston would receive the last at bats. It was 5-0 as Julio Lugo stepped to the plate. But after a ground out, it looked bleaker.
Then things took a strange turn. A fielding era by the Orioles gave way to Coco Crisp reaching first base. Baltimore’s starting pitcher, Jeremy Guthrie, who had been in complete control, was pulled after eight and a third innings. Papi steps up and cracks the second pitch off the Monster to score Crisp; 5-1. Then a single, moving Ortiz to third. Another pitching switch.
At this point, my whole family is crowding around the television as my Uncle and I are fixated.
Next came two walks, scoring a second run, leaving the bases juiced. The Captain, and Sox catcher Jason Varitek then got up to the plate. Two more runs come in as Varitek smacked one to right.
I'm jumping up and down and my Grandmother is ecstatic! Are we really about to all witness an amazing comeback?
Orioles pitcher Chris Ray intentionally walked Eric Hinske to load the bases, trying to spin a double play to crush our hearts. Cora grounds one into the infield, and the throw home sends Youkilis back to the dugout without putting another run on the board. 2 outs. 5-4. Julio Lugo is now at the plate again.
I'm on the edge of my seat, looking around the room at a family that was now enthralled in a baseball game. Even my Mom who wasn't interested at first, was now intently watching what was about to unfold.
Lugo sent one to the first baseman, who went to toss the game ending out to the covering pitcher at first, but to no avail. The throw went wide.
I didn't even get to see what happened. My whole family was yelling and cheering and my aunt was screaming, “GO GO GO!” I was a short little kid and there were too many adults in the way of the screen. All I can see is my Grammie with a huge ear to ear smile on her face, her day completely made
Varitek scored. Hinske scored. Red Sox win 6-5 in a bottom of the ninth comeback capped off in bizarre fashion. Unbelievable.
The ‘Mother’s Day Miracle’ as it would be known as.