Sports Redux: Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In

Here, in the Bostonist confessional, it's OK to be honest. Did you give up last night? Did you see Daisuke get rocked for five early runs, (and Delcarmen for two more) look at the anemic Sox lineup, and think, "I don't need this agony and misery tonight"?

Well...Bostonist did. We threw in a movie, and maybe the title we picked - that silly little preposterous action movie from a couple years ago called Deja Vu - had something to do with what happened next. Because maybe it is all happening again. Maybe the Red Sox do have to stare into a hopeless 3-1 abyss in the ALCS, over and over again, before they get it all together.

In any case, we clicked the radio on to hear the Sox staring into the abyss last night, and chuckling. David Ortiz incinerated a Grant Balfour fastball, which is due to land in Maine around 11:45 this morning, and it was 7-4. Hmmm. Jonathan Papelbon, brought in to save the season instead of a game, made quick work of the Rays in the 8th.

J.D. Drew took Dan Wheeler deep in the 8th for a two-run shot. Kotsay doubled, then Coco Crisp fouled off 615 pitches before slapping an RBI single into right. He got thrown out trying to stretch it, but the game was tied. Justin Masterson induced a rally-killing double play in the ninth, and the Sox came back up for their date with destiny.

In the bottom of the inning, the Rays sent unflappable J.P. Howell to the mound, and he quickly flapped. With two out, Kevin Youkilis grounded to Evan Longoria, who flung the ball to a first base only he could see, and Youk was safe at second. Rays skipper Joe Maddon had to go calm Howell (and maybe Longoria) down. They walked Bay, and Drew laced the ball into deep right to win the game. Drew seems to really want his epic showdown with those angry Philly fans.

Red Sox quotes were predictably giddy. Tito: "That was pretty magical." Coco Crisp: "It was pretty much the most amazing thing I've ever been a part of." Daisuke Matsuzaka: "We all felt we couldn't let it end here, and we all believed we could come back." Mark Kotsay: "Thankfully, we woke up before it’s too late." We know how you feel, Mark.

We all remember what Kevin Millar said in 2004. "Don't let us win tonight. 'Cause if we win tonight, they get Petey in Game Five, Schill in Game Six..." Modify that a little, and it's deja vu all over again. If you're Tampa Bay, are you really confident that Beckett will live down to his recent performance? Do you really think Jon Lester will stink twice in a row? Who knows? But it must have been a grim plane ride home for the Rays.