For me, it’s 2013.
Game 1 of the ALCS was brutal, and I was at Game 2. As the game wore on, and Sox batter after Sox batter went down on strikes, and Clay slowly began to fall apart, a blanket of sad acceptance seemed to fall over Fenway.
Until the bases were loaded for Ortiz, and everyone woke the fuck up. No one felt there was a chance he’d deliver there. They knew it was a foregone conclusion. Ortiz was going to tie that fucking game up. And then he did. I hugged a total stranger in the euphoric aftermath. An inning later, Salty walked it off.
Napoli’s HR off Verlander in game 3, backed Lackey’s heroic performance. A nailbiter in game 5. And then Shane Victorino’s magical grand slam to seal it in game 6. Koji. All around incredible series, lots of great moments.
2004 is funny for me. Obviously, it’s the most satisfying... but it’s a series best enjoyed in hindsight. I had fun when Ortiz hit those two walkoffs. And once Damon cleared the bases against Vazquez, it was all smooth sailing. But in the moment? Games 1-3, and most of games 4 and 5 sucked... and the parts that didn’t suck were just intense, with an overwhelming sense of dread lingering. It’s easy to look back and say how awesome that series was, but in real time? Jesus Christ.