Six Underrated Moments From Red Sox 2013 World Series Run

No Red Sox fan will ever forget when David Ortiz delivered a galvanizing speech at Fenway Park wearing “Boston” across his chest in the days after the Boston Marathon bombing.

The same can be said about Daniel Nava’s game-winning home run later that afternoon.

And Ortiz’s grand slam in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series — especially given how Torii Hunter flipped over the wall and the bullpen cop threw his hands in the air — served as an unforgettable memory, too.

There were so many from that historic season.

However, in a celebration of the Red Sox 2013 World Series run now being 10 years old, we wanted to highlight some of the more underrated moments from Boston’s title-winning season.

Here are a few that Red Sox fans might forget:

Red Sox earn 14-inning win vs. Rays after John Lackey prompts benches to empty
John Lackey caught plenty of flack from the Rays after he hit Tampa Bay right fielder Matt Joyce in the shoulder with a 90-mph fastball during the sixth inning of the contest on June 11. Fortunately for the Red Sox, they had the last laugh in the 10-8 victory, which came some eight innings after Joyce flipped his bat and started mouthing off to Lackey. The Red Sox pitcher denied any wrongdoing while then-Rays manager Joe Maddon and Joyce both believed it was intentional and “bush league.”

Six-run ninth inning leads to walk off vs. Mariners
In an Aug. 1 game which featured a dominant seven innings from Félix Hernández and a grand slam by No. 9 batter Henry Blanco, the Red Sox scored six runs in the ninth inning to walk it off against Seattle. Jacoby Ellsbury worked a walk to load the bases with nobody out before Shane Victorino connected on a two-run single after confusion about which Mariners reliever would enter the game. From there, Dustin Pedroia scored Ellsbury on an RBI single before Jonny Gomes, who made a leaping web gem in the top half of the ninth, ripped an RBI single to score Victorino for the game’s tying run. Nava then stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out and laced a line drive to deep center field, which scored Pedroia for the game’s winning run and missed a grand slam by inches. It was just one example of the resilience that the group showed all season.

Shane Victorino’s reaction after a three-run double in Game 6 of World Series
At the time, seeing Victorino pound his chest with both fists might have given Red Sox fans goosebumps. But given all the emotion the Red Sox put forth that season, Victorino’s celebration might not be given as much of a share in fans’ memory. Victorino cleared the bases with his knock off the Green Monster, and after St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday threw home in an attempt to get Gomes at the plate, Victorino sprinted for third. He reached safely and let out a well-deserved and enthusiastic roar all while Fenway Park reached deafening levels.

Walk-off obstruction call (and play it followed) ends Game 3 of World Series
Nothing like an official’s decision that determines a game on the biggest stage, right? With one out in the bottom of the ninth and runners at second and third, Jon Jay hit a ground ball to Dustin Pedroia where the Red Sox infielder, playing on the grass at second base, dove to his right and returned to his feet to throw out Yadier Molina at the plate for the second out. Red Sox catcher Jared Saltalamacchia then attempted to get a stumbling Allen Craig at third base only for the ball to get past Will Middlebrooks at the bag. Middlebrooks was then called for obstruction as umpire Jim Joyce believed he tripped Craig on purpose as the Cardinals outfielder headed for home in hopes of scoring the game-winning run. You can watch the chaos here. St. Louis won the game 5-4 and took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Fortunately for the Red Sox, though, the decision didn’t come back to hurt as they overcome the series deficit.

Koji Uehara pick off to end Game 4 of World Series
With Carlos Beltran at the plate and two outs in the ninth inning, Koji Uehara tied up the World Series two games apiece when he successfully picked off Cardinals infielder Kolten Wong in a 4-2 ballgame. Uehara picked the perfect time for the throw to Red Sox first baseman Mike Napoli, getting Wong as soon as he shifted momentum and took a step in the direction of second base. Beltran didn’t even have the chance to take his bat off his shoulder.

Jackie Bradley Jr. hits first career home run as Red Sox score 17 runs vs. Rangers
It didn’t take long for the Red Sox offense to showcase just how deep of a lineup they had, but that was really on display when Boston scored 17 runs on 19 hits against the Texas Rangers on June 5. Longtime fan-favorite Jackie Bradley Jr. just so happened to hit his first career home run that day while the Red Sox tallied eight doubles in the onslaught.