Once again, the Red Sox found themselves in the familiar position of needing to make a major comeback to win an American League pennant. They had done just that in 2004 and '07, wiping out a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees and then a 3-1 deficit against the Indians. In both cases, the Red Sox then proceeded to sweep their National League opponent. Could they do it again?

After Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched the Red Sox to a 2-0 win in the opener at Tropicana Field, the Rays won Game 2 on Melvin (then known as B.J.) Upton's walk-off sacrifice fly against Mike Timlin. Tampa Bay then easily won the first two games at Fenway Park, 9-1 and 13-4, with Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena homering in each game.

Game 5 marked the second straight ALCS in which Boston's opponent had champagne on ice, ready to celebrate. Despite a 7-0 Tampa Bay lead and the apparent certainty of a quick clinch, Boston mounted a comeback and scored the game's last eight runs, winning Game 5 on J.D. Drew's walk-off single against J.P. Howell. For the second year in a row, the Red Sox had denied a quick exit. Only one game had featured a larger comeback in postseason history -- Game 4 of the 1929 World Series, when Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's scored 10 runs to overcome an 8-0 deficit against the Cubs.

Longoria homered in Game 5 to make it three consecutive games with a home run, and four in the series. Upton also would homer four times in the ALCS. Both clubs would combine for 26 homers, an LCS record.

In Game 6, Jason Varitek hit a solo homer in the sixth off Rays starter James Shields, the go-ahead run in a 4-2 win that would even the series at three games apiece. Indeed, the Red Sox had wiped out a big deficit yet again, the hallmark trait of their big decade.

Game 7 was a rematch of Game 3, when Rays starter Matt Garza had outdueled John Lester. It was deja vu, as Garza allowed Boston only a first-inning run on Dustin Pedroia's homer in a 3-1 clincher. Earning the save was David Price, the rookie left-hander who had been the club's No. 1 overall draft pick in 2007 and had finished Game 2 to notch a win.

Tampa Bay earned its first pennant, and became the first team since the 1992 Braves to win a Game 7 after blowing a 3-1 series lead. Tampa Bay also was the first since the '91 Braves to go to the World Series after posting its league's worst record in the previous year. Cole Hamels and the Phillies were waiting as the Rays' next opponent, with history on the line for both.

Path to the ALCS
ALDS: Tampa Bay over Chicago (3 games to 1); Boston over Los Angeles (3 games to 1)

Managers: Joe Maddon, TB; Terry Francona, BOS 

MVP: Matt Garza