Not too long ago, the Major League Baseball Network finished their countdown of the 20 greatest games ever played from 1961until now. Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS between our Yankees against the hated Red Sox came in at number six. In my opinion that is five spots too high.First of all, this is Yankees verses the Red Sox in game 7. Who ever won obviously goes to the World Series for crying out loud. This was a rollercoaster ride of a series with emotions high from first pitch game 1 to Aaron Boone's final blast in game 7. Remember, game 3 of that series was Pedro Martinez throwing Don Zimmer to the ground after Manny Ramirez tried to charge the mound when Roger Clemens threw one up in the zone. Also remember it came nowhere near Manny's head. It was a heated series.
In case you were wondering what games were ahead of this game you can check the list HERE. There were some great games ahead of this game, but they fail in comparison to game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. None of those games had the intense rivalry of Yankees and Red Sox. Remember, the Red Sox still hadn't won a World Series since 1918, and the Yankees wanted to squeeze at least one more championship in their dynasty run that started in 1996. I hate to admit it, but at that time, it would have been monumental in the city of Boston if the Red Sox had won that game 7 and advanced to play the upstart Florida Marlins in the World Series. For some weird reason, if you forgot what exactly happened in that game, here's a quick recap:
(photo: AP)It was a rematch on the mound from game 3. Roger Clemens for the Yanks and Pedro Martinez for the Sox. Clemens had a rough outing as he lasted three plus innings, allowing homers to Kevin Millar and Trot Nixon, and thus the Yanks fell behind 4-0. But, an unsung hero in that game was Mike Mussina who made his first career relief appearence ever.
(Photo: AP)He got a huge double play from Johnny Damon to get out of the fourth, and he pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth inning to keep the Yanks in the game. Then DH, Jason Giambi, who was batting seventh, did his part to keep the Yankees in the game as he homered off of Pedro Martinez twice--one in the fifth and another in the seventh.
The Sox added one more in the top of the eighth on a David Ortiz solo shot off of David "Boomer" Wells. But, come the bottom half, the wheels came off the bus for Pedro and the Red Sox. After a one out double by Derek Jeter and an RBI single slashed down the right field line by Bernie Williams, Red Sox manager Grady Little came out to the mound to talk to his ace right hander who was about to face Hideki Matsui. With lefty reliever Alan Embree and righty Mike Timlin warm in the Sox bullpen Little stuck with his 14 game winner. The move backfired and Matusi slashed a ground rule double to bring advance Bernie Williams to third.
After getting Nick Johnson to lead off the inning, Pedro Martinez still hadn't recorded an out. Next came Jorge Posada. Still convinced his ace would get out of it, Little stuck with Pedro once again. And once again he failed. Posada blooped a double in front of Johnny Damon in center to send home Williams and Matsui, and the game was knotted at five. Little finally pulled Pedro and Embree and Timlin got out of further damage.The Yankees and Red Sox traded zeros from the top of the ninth until the bottom of the 11th. Extra innings here we are and another hero in this game was Mariano Rivera. Mo once again came up big in the playoffs as he pitched three scoreless innings. But, come the bottom of the 11th, they didn't need him for the 12. Boston brought in knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to face third baseman Aaron Boone. Boone came on earlier in the game as a defensive replacement for Enrique Wilson. And on the first pitch he saw, Boone blasted a knuckleball placed on a tee by Wakefield deep in the left field seats. It was pandamonium in the Bronx that night as Boone was the hero for the Yankees, and sent the Red Sox home once again.
I mean, how could that not be the greatest game of all time? I know it wasn't in the World Series, but in my opinion, this was the biggest Yankees/Red Sox game ever. This was game 7, a chance to play in the Fall Classic. This is the greatest rivalry in sports and no other rivalry in any sport at any level compares to that of Yankees vs. Red Sox.
There were plenty of great games, but this one takes the cake. We salute you Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and of course Aaron Boone for your key contributions for this monumental win.
--Jesse Schindler, BYB Staff Writer
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