BOSTON — A disappointing Yankees season is about to get worse.
While the Yankees brass meets in The Bronx this coming week to formulate a plan on how to fix a team with several glaring needs, the Red Sox will face the Cardinals in the World Series that starts Wednesday night at Fenway Park.
It is a rematch of the 2004 Fall Classic, in which the Red Sox swept the Cardinals after coming back from a 3-0 deficit to topple the Yankees in the ALCS.
Saturday night at Fenway didn’t provide that sort of drama, since it was only Game 6, but Shane Victorino’s grand slam in the seventh inning off former Yankee Jose Veras erased a one-run deficit and carried the Red Sox to a 5-2 win in front of 38,823 delirious customers, many of whom lingered into the small hours of the morning to celebrate a “worst to first” march that has one leg remaining.
“This is our [bleeping] city,’’ David Ortiz bellowed from the stage set up behind second base.
It’s hard to argue with the Red Sox DH, whose grand slam in the eighth inning of Game 2 erased a 5-1 Tigers lead and was the main reason the Red Sox are in the World Series.
As for Victorino, while walking to the plate in the seventh several thoughts invaded his head.
“I could have been the goat,’’ said the right fielder, who was 2-for-24 (.083) when he hit his second postseason grand slam. “I was wondering how I was going to explain not getting the bunt down.’’
Victorino popped up a bunt that was caught in the third inning after Xander Bogaerts and Jacoby Ellsbury opened with walks against Max Scherzer.
By the time he batted in the seventh, the Red Sox trailed, 2-1, and the hole could have been deeper had the Tigers run the bases better.
“My first thought was to get it in the air and tie the score,’’ Victorino said of the hanging 0-2 curveball Veras left in the middle of the plate. “At the point it went over the wall all my emotions came out. I was excited as I ran around the bases, pounding on my chest. I don’t disrespect [the Tigers], but it was a special moment.’’
All that was left was for Koji Uehara to work the ninth and the ALCS MVP did it, whiffing Jose Iglesias for the final out that touched off a wild on-field celebration.
“I knew that I could give up some runs,’’ Uehara said of working with a three-run lead. “I felt a little more comfortable.’’
The selection of Uehara as the MVP was easy. He saved three of the four Red Sox victories and was the winner in the other.
“It was probably the last thing we are thinking of, that he is going to hit the ball out of the ballpark and thankfully the curveball stayed up,’’ Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Victorino.
The Tigers scored twice in the sixth to take a 2-1 lead, but should have had more because they ran into a rare 4-2 fielder’s choice double play.
Veras had replaced Drew Smyly with the bases loaded and had Victorino buried in a deep hole. Yet, the lifeline was the hanging curve.
“Great moments like this, you treasure it,’’ Victorino said.