Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox received an undeniable boost from Boston fans at the start of their 2013 World Series campaign, which is now celebrating its 10-year anniversary.
The unfortunate events stemming from the Boston Marathon bombing created a "Boston Strong" rallying cry not just for the city itself, but also for the organization. And when reflecting on the 2013 season, Pedroia acknowledged how pivotal of a role the Fenway Faithful played in the franchise claiming the championship at season's end.
"We were playing for much more, I think everybody knew that," Pedroia told Dave O'Brien and Lou Merloni during NESN's broadcast when the 2013 club was honored at the ballpark on Patriots' Day weekend.
"We knew we had a great team in spring training, but when that happened, it was different," Pedroia said. "I think the environment we were in with the fans, if we hit a bump in the road in the season, they were pushing us. And getting that kind of vibe throughout the team all year, you stay focused on the ultimate goal. We were able to obviously elevate our game and do things we normally couldn't do because of the environment we were in. It was special."
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With the 2013 World Series run now 10 years old, NESN and NESN.com are capitalizing on the anniversary to ensure Red Sox fans have the chance to relive some of the best moments from that title-winning campaign. Pedroia and company took the field to celebrate the title run April 16.
"We were good from the start, we came out hot, and I remember David (Ortiz) started on the (injured list) that year, he was going through that Achilles thing. So we knew we just had to weather the storm until he got back and then we were full-steam," Pedroia said on the NESN broadcast. "Once he got back, we took it to another level and it was pretty special."
Boston won 11 of its first 15 games that season with Daniel Nava's walk-off home run on April 20th, the first game at Fenway Park after the bombings, earning the Red Sox a fairytale 12th win and an unforgettable moment from that season. The Red Sox went on to have the best record at the MLB All-Star break en route to a 97-65 campaign.
Pedroia said the "mental toughness" the team portrayed at the beginning of spring training showed him the group had what it took, even despite the adversity faced by all in the city.
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"When we got to spring training, the attention to detail in all the drills," Pedroia said, reflecting on when he knew the Red Sox were capable of the championship. "The goal that we set right away was that we were here to win the World Series and everybody prepared that way."
It led to an unforgettable 2013 season for the Red Sox as well as all those who cheered for them along the way.
Featured image via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
