Timing couldn't have worked out better with finding this clip. I remember this game very well, but didn't realize the anniversary was coming up. I Stumbled upon it last night after the Red Sox game (they actually looked like a team contending for a division title!) I was on Youtube watching highlights from the 2013 postseason run, but ended up on this highlight. Today is the four year anniversary of (probably) the 2013 Red Sox most memorable (regular season) comeback. Red Sox were down 7-2 in the bottom of the 9th in a game that Felix Hernandez started against them (and dominated) and ended up winning 8-7 after a wild 9th inning. My late night trip down memory lane was all was inspired by Jonny Gomes being the fill in color man for the NESN broadcast. If you're new to DOL, or me in general and don't know all the little nuances about me than you probably don't know my love for Daniel Nava, or my disdain for Jonny Gomes. Nava is my favorite obscure Red Sox player of all time, he hit a grand slam on the first pitch of his major league career the day after I graduated high school against the Phillies. I remember that being on at my grad party. I just fell in love with his story and in 2013 when he became a major factor for the eventual World Series champs, Navs got an even bigger piece of my heart. Gomes on the other hand is a huge hardo, who to me will always be Devil Ray that stole the shine that he did not deserve. (He would do that again at the Royals 2015 World Series parade) Despite being the platoon starter against righties, and having a much better season than Gomes in 2013 Nava basically lost his job to Jonny Gomes for the postseason, who despite a few memorable moments, hit only .190 in the postseason. It's not like he tore it up in October. IMO they won in spite of him a lot of the time. Meanwhile in the regular season Nava hit .303 (8th best in the AL) and had an OBP of .385 (5th best in the AL). I think this is a move that actually hurt the Red Sox a lot despite them ultimately winning the World Series. So obviously most people don't care since it all worked out and time has passed, but I'll never forget how my dude Daniel got the shafted. If the Tigers had any semblance of a bullpen they would've won that series. People may have forgotten about how Tigers starters brought no hitters deep into games for the first games of that series. Who broke up the Tigers Game 1 combined no hitter attempt in the bottom of the 9th for the Sox? You guessed it, Daniel Nava. I think benching one of the most consistent guys who seemed to always get on base was a major reason why the Red Sox offense struggled in that series. Even when he was en route to winning a World Series, John Farrell was mismanaging this team. Long story short, I'm a Nava guy through and through and think it's messed up that Jonny Gomes got all the glory just because he's a personality when he reality he wasn't that good and Nava earned the right to play in the playoffs based off his season. Which brings me to this comeback. What an odd game for the 2013 Red Sox. Brock Holt (wearing #26) was in this game, which is weird to see because he was just up for a cup of coffee with the 2013 Sox. He played in under 30 games with them that season, yet he was a part of one of the their more memorable games of the year. Steven Wright oddly enough picked up the victory for the Sox in the game, one of just four appearances he had that season with the Sox. The Mariners messed up a indication to the bullpen in the 9th inning that helped the Red Sox rally to win the game. Oh guess who started the inning off with a leadoff walk, and had the walk off hit to seal the comeback, that's right, Daniel Nava.
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