After holding a nine game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL Wild Card on September 2nd, the Boston Red Sox managed to let it all slip away, as they entered the final night of the season tied with the Rays for the final playoff spot.  At approximately 10pm last night, it appeared as though the Sox would salvage their season and live to fight another day, as the Rays trailed the Yankees by a score of 7-0 heading into the eighth inning, while the Red Sox were in the visitors clubhouse at Camden Yards, clinging to a 3-2 lead during a rain delay in the seventh inning.

The rain lasted long enough to allow the Sox to stay in the clubhouse and watch the Rays put up a six-run eighth inning, which was capped off by a three-run homer off the bat of Evan Longoria.  However, at that point the Yankees were still leading 7-6, and it looked like the game would end that way when the Rays were faced with two outs and two strikes to pinch-hitter Dan Johnson – who entered the game batting .108 – in the bottom of the ninth.  But as we all have learned at some point in the past, you can throw away batting averages and all of those other numbers at this time in the season, because in some cases all it takes is one swing of the bat to turn everything around.  And Johnson proved just that, sending the two out, 2-2 pitch just over the fence in right field, tying the game at 7-7.

The Sox got to see it all, and with the Rays and Yankees now headed into extra innings, the Sox were also getting set to get back onto the field and finish off their game with the Orioles.  When that finally did happen, it appeared as though the Sox were in control, getting through the seventh and eighth inning with their lead still intact.  Closer Jonathan Papelbon came in to close things out in the ninth, and he recorded the first two outs with ease, via strikeouts.  However, that third out would never come, as back-to-back doubles by Chris Davis and Nolan Reimold would tie the game and set up the game-winning walk-off single by Robert Andino.

The Sox had just blown their ninth inning, two out lead, losing to the Orioles by a score of 4-3.  When the Rays’ players and the fans at Tropicana Field heard that news, they went wild, and about one minute later (literally), Evan Longoria stepped up to the plate and belted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 12th inning to send the Rays into the playoffs and cap off the wildest final day of the season in baseball history.

When it was all said and done, the Sox put themselves in the record books, as their 9-game wild card lead was the biggest blown lead in the month of September in baseball history, while the Braves fall just behind them after blowing an 8.5-game lead.  As for the hero of this entire story, that would be Evan Longoria.  His two homers last night capped off the Rays’ incredible run to the playoffs, and they also earned him “The Stat Line of the Night” for Wednesday, September 28, 2011.

One lady was doing just that prior to Saturday’s game between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees, as she copied every stretch and jumping jack performed by Orioles second baseman Ryan Adams.We can only expect that she would go on to mimic his three strikeouts during the second game of the double-header between the two teams as well.

Unfortunately for us all, Adams never took off his shirt during the act.  I think we all would have enjoyed watching her mimic that move.

Hat Tip – [MLB.com]

Other times a ball player ain’t so lucky.

Take Baltimore’s Vlad Guerrero last night, for example. He went 0 for 4 at the plate with 0 walks, dropping his batting average to .272 and his on-base percentage to .305. Of course, in the top of the 7th inning, he totally killed a pitch from Minnesota’s Carl Pavano. The ball shot like a rocket to the deepest part of the ballpark, but Minnesota center fielder Ben Revere tracked it down to make a spectacular running/leaping catch up against the wall, robbing Guerrero of extra bases.

This is absolutely, positively one of the best catches in baseball this season. Revere has to sprint to the wall while tracking the path of the ball by looking over his shoulder. Then all he does is make a brilliant Willie Mays-style over-the-shoulder catch as he plows into the wall.

At the end of the day, though, my mind comes back to Guerrero. If he had whiffed on the pitch and it dribbled out between the shortstop and third basemen, his average would have gone up a point.

With a runner on second and his team trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the third, the Blue Jays’ All-Star and current home run leader took a Jake Arrieta fastball to the side of the helmet, knocking him to the ground in a daze.  The Jays training staff, along with manager John Farrell rushed to Bautista’s aid, as Arrieta looked on nervously.  Thankfully, Bautista would be able to walk off the field on his own power and has since stated that he feels no lingering effects and hopes to be back in the lineup today.

Here is a look at the frightening incident.

Avoiding Bautista and pitching to Lind was anything but easy on this day, as the Jays’ first baseman went 4-for-4 at the plate with two home runs and three RBIs, leading the Jays to the 7-4 victory.

It was only Lind’s second game back after a one month stint on the DL, but it didn’t take him long to regain the timing and form that had him batting over .300 prior to the injury.  With Corey Patterson and Yunel Escobar both swinging hot bats and Lind back in the lineup, the Jays now have three players that can compliment Bautista in their lineup, which should help the home runs leader get some better looks at the plate.  Lind’s return to the Jays lineup could mean big things for them.  He showed that yesterday, and as a result, he earns our “Stat Line of the Night” for Sunday, June 5, 2011.

This one come from Camden Yards, where a fan of the Baltimore Orioles was arrested for falling over the wall along the third base line while making an attempt on a foul ball.

We aren’t quite sure if the police decided to arrest him immediately after he ended up on the wrong side of the wall, or if it was the two steps he took towards the Camden Yards outfield that sealed the deal, but that look on his face while he gets handcuffed almost makes me want to cry for him.

Do these officers have no heart?  He already missed out on the opportunity to grab himself a souvenir.  Isn’t that enough shame for him to live with?  And were the handcuffs really necessary?

This dad had his kid for the weekend, and figured what better way to spend the afternoon with the little guy than by taking him to Progessive Field for a game between the Cleveland Indians and the Baltimore Orioles?  That would turn out to be a good idea, as they would get to watch their Indians beat up on the Orioles, en route to the 8-3 victory.

As for his bad idea of the day, that would be opting to buy his son a Bud Light, rather than a diet coke.  His baby’s momma is not going to be happy when she sees this.

Hat Tip – [Deadspin]

The newly acquired Escobar has been with the Jays for just under two weeks, but he has already recorded two home runs and seven RBIs while batting an impressive .386 during that time.  And now he has this web gem to add to his impressive start with his new club.

In all seriousness, this must be some sort of a record.  I mean, this kid literally ran around the field for over two minutes without being chased, or even touched, by a member of the Camden Yards security team.  And it seems like the only reason he eventually stopped was because an umpire yelled at him, or else this could have gone on for hours.

I guess you could say that a ballpark’s security personnel can often bare a striking resemblance to the team that plays there.  Much like the last place Orioles, their security will allow anyone to run all over them.  As for the defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies and their security, they tend to take a more aggressive approach in bringing down the opposition.

Hat Tip – [Big League Stew]

During last night’s game between the Rays and the Orioles, Crawford found himself on first base, but would not be there for long thanks to a Jake Arrieta pick-off attempt, that didn’t get him an out, but did manage to pick something off.  Unfortunately for Crawford, that something would be his right testicle.

Crawford would leave the game after this play.  Whether he will end up on the DL with a torn testicle, like Adrian Beltre one year ago, remains to be seen.

Hat Tip – [Deadspin]