Game Five of the ALCS will be remembered as one of the most astonishing games of recent postseason history.  The Boston Red Sox’s fight back from 7-0 down in the seventh inning was the type of spectacle that would leave you rolling your eyes if it was part of a movie.  Sport, and particularly baseball, has the ability to produce such magical moments though.  Game six takes place today with a lot to live up to.  Unfortunately for British fans, following it live won’t be quite as easy as was first thought. 

Many of us circled game six of the ALCS when the postseason schedule was initially announced.  It was one of only three games from the Championship series round that was earmarked to be played during the late afternoon in the States and therefore in the evening over here.  The early start was arranged to avoid a clash with a potential game seven of the NLCS but, as the Phillies booked their World Series spot in just five games, the Red Sox-Rays game has been pushed back to the later start time.  First pitch is set for 01.07 early Sunday morning.

If you decide to stay up and follow the game live, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble keeping awake. 

Ordinarily you would still cast the Rays as strong favourites to win the series.  They are leading it 3-2 and only need to win one of the remaining two games, both of which will take place on their home patch.  However, the nature of their defeat in game five needs to be factored into the equation, or perhaps more accurately the nature of Boston’s victory. 

The Red Sox were out.  A few diehard members of the Fenway faithful still held on to a faint hope that a rally might make the final score more respectable, but basically they were done for the year.  Just a few days before, with the series tied at 1-1, the Red Sox were confident that they could use the three-game home stand to take a decisive lead or even to wrap up the series 4-1.  Instead, they were on the verge of being eliminated.

To come back and win a game from 7-0 down is impressive in any situation.  To do so with such a deficit in the seventh inning, and knowing that your season would come to abrupt end if you lost, is simply staggering.  Regardless of what they have said to the media, it must have been a hammer blow to the Rays, just as the Red Sox could not have won the game in a more morale-boosting fashion.  Had Boston blasted their way to a 15-0 victory, the Rays could have written it off as a bad day at the office.  Their 8-7 defeat will hurt them as much as it will inspire the Red Sox.

Joe Maddon now has the job of lifting his players.  They deservedly beat Boston to the AL East title and they have played well throughout this series, so there are plenty of reasons for the Rays to be confident that they can recover.  The decision to move Scott Kazmir forward to pitch in game five was questioned by many (including myself), but Rays fans will tell you it’s worked out quite well.  Although they lost the game, Kazmir shook off his recent struggles and pitched effectively and they now have James Shields starting at Tropicana Field with the opportunity to lead the team to a series-winning victory.

The pressing question for Red Sox fans is whether Josh Beckett can follow Kazmir’s example and find some form?  His performances of late have raised the possibility that he might be carrying an injury, but Beckett has denied that this is the case.  He has risen to the occasion in previous postseason campaigns and, so long as the injury denials are not merely covering up a potential weakness, it would be typical of the man to put in a strong outing in this crucial game.

Even though it doesn’t start at as convenient a time as it might have done, many British fans will still be following game six live.  No doubt the Phillies will be doing likewise.  The outcome of the ALCS won’t make too much difference to them: the Rays or the Red Sox will provide a formidable test whichever of the two make it to the Fall Classic.  That’s why game six, and possible game seven, will be such an entralling encounter.