No one can rag on the Rays now.  They are the 2008 American League Champions!  Coming from a Yankees fan, this is wonderful news.  Here is how Game 7 of the ALCS went down in Tropicana Field:

The night was young.  There was magic in the air, and the players could feel it.  Red Sox second baseman, Dustin Pedroia, homered with one out in the top of the first inning to begin the flowing of adrenalin.  Matt Garza was the pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, while Jon Lester took the helm for the Sox.  Lester was perfect through 3 innings before giving up a single to Rays second baseman, Akinora Iwamura, leading off the bottom of the 4th.  After first baseman Carlos Pena hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out of that inning, Evan Longoria doubled down the right field line, Pena scoring all the way from 1st base to tie it all at 1 apiece.  Willie Aybar, the designated hitter for the Rays, led off the Rays’ 5th inning with a double to left and the catcher, Dioner Navarro, followed with an infield single to bring up right fielder Rocco Baldelli.  Baldelli came through with a single to left that scored Aybar and put the Rays ahead 2-1.  The last of the Rays’ scoring came in the bottom of the 7th with a homer off of Lester by Aybar.

During the whole game, the Red Sox would not give up.  They tried to answer back to the Rays lead in the top of the 6th when Pedroia walked with one out.  Garza then struck out David Ortiz, the Sox power house designated hitter, and Navarro threw out Pedroia, who was trying to steal second base, to complete the double play.  After the first inning, Garza recorded 6 zeros on the scoreboard and was replaced after short stop Jason Bartlett booted Sox short stop Alex Cora’s routine ground ball to start the 8th inning.  Dan Wheeler was the first pitcher to replace him and allowed a single to center fielder Coco Crisp before getting Pedroia to fly out to left for the first out.  J.P. Howell was the next hurler to be called from the bullpen and got David Ortiz to hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out.  Then came Chad Bradford who gave up a walk to third baseman Kevin Youkils which loaded up the bases with Red Sox.  Joe Maddon made his decision and ushered the fifth and final pitcher of the inning, David Price, a 23-year-old rookie left-hander, to finish the job.  He struck out right fielder J.D. Drew who attempted a check-swing on a fastball near the outside corner of the plate to end the threat.  Onto the top of the ninth.

These were the most intense moments of the whole game.  To the first Sox batter, left-fielder Jason Bay, Price issued a walk.  He calmed himself down and struck out first baseman Mark Kotsay.  Jason Varitek, the veteran catcher and team captain, also struck out.  With the energy of the crowd and every player to it’s maximum intensity, Price went straight back to work.  Ball one.  The crowd was quiet for 2 seconds and still on their feet encouraging the young pitcher on.  Pinch hitter Jed Lowrie hit the next pitch on the ground right to Akinora Iwamura who hesitated throwing the ball to the shortstop but instead stepped on second base to get the force out and the Rays won an improbable game.  Of course, the whole stadium errupted with the most enthusiastic cheers ever heard in that ballpark that was once filled with no more than 15,000 fans.

A short while after the final out was recorded, the William Harridge AL championship trophy was awarded to the Rays’ principal owner, Stu Stermberg.  The ALCS MVP award went to none other than Matt Garza who had a series record of 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA.  Some of the players celebrated with the fans, spraying champagne like they did in the clubhouse!  Akinora Iwamura even jumped behind the dugout and high-fived many of the fans there.

Stu Sternberg had promised to turn the Rays into a winning franchise.  He never would have guessed it would be granted Sunday. 

Dreams really do come true.

See y’all Wednesday night in Tampa! =D