Game Four's Unsung Hero

With nothing better to watch, I’ve been revisiting the 2004 post-season. Everyone remembers the obvious heroes of game four – Ortiz with his walkoff home run in the 12th – not to mention his two other RBIs to put the Sox ahead briefly in the 5th; Dave Roberts with the biggest stolen base in Sox history; the bull pen, with six innings of shutout ball, the win going to Curt Leskanic, probably the least likely candidate for that honor.

But in rewatching the game, I discovered that Orlando Cabrera was as much responsible for this win as anyone on the team. Not only did he knock in Boston's first run of the game, he single-handedly saved two runs. So considering the fact that the game was tied after nine, without Cabrera, we never would have seen Ortiz’ walkoff, or the bullpen’s heroics.

In the second inning, one out, Matsui on third, Posada hits a ground ball to short. Cabrera throws out Matsui at the plate. In the eleventh inning, one out, Cairo on second, A-Rod hits a line drive into the hole, and Cabrera dives to his right, glove stretched across his body, and grabs the liner inches off the ground. Two spectacular plays, both overshadowed by the game’s offensive heroics. And his RBI is the same - overlooked. Everyone remembers Ortiz, the walkoff and the two-run single; and Mueller's RBI is, of course, seared into our collective memory. But just like the defensive plays, without Cabrera's hit in the fifth, we aren't tied after nine.

And by the way, I keep asking myself, why did we let him go.