MLB 2011 Season in Review: Tampa Bay Rays Complete Greatest Comeback Ever

J. Meric/Getty Images

J. Meric/Getty Images

This was the greatest day in regular season baseball history.

We as fans are often accused of forgetting the context which events take place in, but it is hard to argue that Sept. 28, 2011, was not the greatest day in any MLB season.

All the Boston Red Sox had to do was beat Baltimore.

Being a Tampa Bay Rays fan, my outlook was bleak. We were facing the Yankees while the Sox got lowly Baltimore.

As the Red Sox made it through each inning with their one run lead, time was seemingly running out for Rays’ fans. With two innings left, the outs were quickly piling up.

But then the Rays offense, which had been anemic all season, exploded for six runs. We were back in it.

The sports world’s attention turned to “The Trop” as Boston and Baltimore were stuck in a rain delay. At least if the Sox won, they would be tired the next day due to playing so late.

In Baltimore, Red Sox Nation already began to think about playing a tie-breaker the next day as Jonathan Papelbon struck out the first two batters he faced. Then things began to fall apart.

A pair of doubles tied the game up. Robet Andino ended the game and Boston’s season with a bloop single that fell just out of the reach of Carl Crawford.

Minutes later Evan Longoria was up to bat in the bottom of the 12th inning. Nothing seemed special about the at-bat. Longoria didn’t seem to be under any sense of urgency, and if you wouldn’t have known about the situation, you’d guess this was just another at-bat.

Almost as if he knew the world was watching, Longoria blasted a line drive over the short left field wall that sent into the postseason.

The Rays came back from a seven run deficit, scored the tying run on their last strike and won on a homerun in the 12th inning. A fitting end to baseball’s biggest comeback.

-Kyle Symes

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