Three homers in a row for Red Sox bring back memories from 2007

Jared Saltalamacchia capped a string of three homers in a row hit by Boston, bringing back memories from 2007. (AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

The Boston Red Sox were ahead 7-4 over the Baltimore Orioles in the bottom of the seventh inning, and I was about to head out for some ice cream. As I prepared to leave, the winners of six of their past seven accomplished a rare feat, something the 2007 version of the Red Sox can appreciate.

Four years ago, on April 22nd, they faced the New York Yankees in the final game of their series. Jumping out to a 12-5 record that season, 4 1/2 games better than their rival, they entered the contest winners of five straight. They were facing a Yankees team that didn’t have a rotation worthy of boasting. Chase Wright, who is currently in the Milwaukee Brewers minor-league system, was on the mound for New York. He would soon wish he wasn’t.

The Yankees were up 3-0 in the third inning, having rattled Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. That’s when the unthinkable happened. Two were out in the bottom of the inning, nobody was on base. Then Boston started trotting around them, one after another, as if it was a merry-go-round.

Manny Ramirez was first, blasting a Wright fastball deep to left-center field. ESPN’s Jon Miller with the call: “That one is hit well, that one is on its way, and…goodbye! Over everything! Onto the streets of Boston!”

J.D. Drew followed with one of his own to right-field. “That ball is hit deep! J.D. Drew has gotten hold of one, on it’s way, and outta here! Into the bleachers!”

Mike Lowell, who was underrated throughout his career and is now retired like Ramirez, then stepped to the plate. It wasn’t long before Miller had another blast to call. Hanging changeup from Wright, left on a platter, and it was hit deep into the night. “And now Lowell! This game is tied up! That one’s headed to New Hampshire! What a shot! And their playing home run derby early this year at Fenway Park!” The stadium was rocking. Miller was at his best. Three in a row. And they weren’t done.

It was the captain’s turn to continue Wright’s misery. Jason Varitek took a ball to begin the at-bat, then a high fastball came his way. Bye bye baseball. “And that ball is hit, that ball is on it’s way, number four in a row! And the Red Sox have gone ahead with four swings of the bat here in the third!”

It was magical, and led to a sweep of the Yankees, with Lowell blasting off again in the seventh to fuel the eventual 7-6 victory and give Matsuzaka his first home victory.

Wright would make one more appearance with New York that season, pitching two innings of relief against the Baltimore Orioles in September, collecting his second win in the process. He hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since.

“Total disbelief in the dugout, because usually four straight hitters don’t square up a ball for base hits, let alone home runs,” said Lowell, then documented by Mike Petraglia of MLB.com.

“You don’t see that too often,” said the understated Varitek. “It electrified this place a little bit. Odds were against us, though. During a ballgame, you’re not aware of it, but it’s a fun thing to be a part of.”

“I hit mine and didn’t think much about it,” Drew added. “Mikey hits a big home run, and then I looked down [the bench] and told Coco [Crisp] that we’re one pitch away from doing what happened in L.A. last September. Then ‘Tek has a good at-bat, hits a home run, and you smile and laugh and wonder, ‘How in the world is that possible?’ I’m the common denominator, I guess, has to be the second [batter] in the mix.”

Four homers in a row was done just three times before, and it hasn’t been done since. That’s because, this time, Drew didn’t join in on the fun.

The three hitters before him had a packed Fenway Park think back to that April day in 2007. This was under different circumstances, against a team there is far less hatred for and already in possession of a 7-3 lead. It was amazing to watch, nonetheless.

Pedro Viola was the unfortunate pitcher this time, coming on with one out in the seventh to face David Ortiz, who was in the dugout witnessing the power display four years ago. Now he had his chance to be a part of a rarity. He worked a 2-2 count, seeing two straight sliders before teeing off on a fastball, hitting it to the deepest part of the park and increasing Boston’s lead.

Young Josh Reddick was next, and he crushed a 3-2 offer to deep right-field. It was Boston’s fifth homer of the game and the second of his career. A minute later, Jared Saltalamacchia added a sixth, swinging through two sliders before nailing another ill-advised fastball by Viola. Three in a row, and a victory was now certain. With that, just as they kept the Yankees reeling with a series-sweep, they dealt the Orioles their ninth loss in 10 games.

In many ways it isn’t the same, however. This won’t stick in my mind as the Chase Wright Game has. It doesn’t even begin to compare to that moment. That had everything: a jubilant announcer, hatred in the air, balls hit out of Fenway, and an absolutely incredible atmosphere. Against Viola, it was a stellar home-run barrage, nonetheless.

Said second baseman Dustin Pedroia after the 10-4 win, “There were a lot of good pitches to hit tonight and we didn’t miss them.” Viola knows that, and he has some work to do if he wants to pitch effectively in the majors. It may take him a while. After all, Wright is still trying to work his way back, with that nightmarish evening undoubtedly fresh in his memory.