I know we've been here before, and at this point we've just about seen it all, but that was easily the most riveting win of this season, and it's likely the second-best postseason victory in Sox history (sorry, but the Dave Roberts steal still has my vote). Many observers - myself included - predicted that Dice-K would have to limit the Rays to very minimal runs and last about 7 or more innings... well, we couldn't have been more wrong. Dice-K exited after surrendering 5 runs through 4 innings, and then Delcarmen gave up a pair just 2 innings later without recording a single out, prompting many fans - myself included - to write off the season and start gearing up for a dreadfully boring Rays-Phils series. Not so fast.

We really haven't seen the Sox win a game this series on run production alone, but that's just what they did tonight. After slipping behind 7-0, the Sox rallied to score 8 runs in just 2.1 innings. They did it through long-ball (homers from Papi and J.D.), small-ball (three run-scoring singles from Dusty, Crisp and J.D.), and some ridiculously clutch hitting from all the aforementioned batters and several more. In addition, Okie, Pap and Masterson pitched tremendously, limiting the Rays to 3 hits in 5 innings.

As it stands right now, it'll be Beckett vs. Shields on Saturday night. Needless to say, the Sox need to get a much better outing from him than they did his last go 'round (4.1 IP, 8 ER, 3 HR allowed)... given his ability to kick it up an extra notch in a truly huge game, I think they will. We'll see if Maddon's decision to swap Kazmir with Shields for Games 5 and 6 will have an effect on the outcome of the series...