Drew's brilliant ninth-inning grab not forgotten

BOSTON -- If the Red Sox had come back to win Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Tigers on Saturday, shortstop Stephen Drew's over-the-shoulder catcher in center field could have gone down in the team's postseason lore.

When the ball left Prince Fielder's bat in the top of the ninth with runners on second and third, it seemed like it was blooped into no man's land. It's hard to believe Drew was the one who wound up catching it, especially when you look at the replay and see how far into center field he was.

The grab gave the Red Sox a legitimate chance to win, as they were down just 1-0 at the time. If Drew hadn't come up with it, the Tigers probably would have scored two runs on the play to take a three-run lead.

"Oh, you're not going to see that play made too often and given the timing of it," said manager John Farrell. "In the moment, it was a huge play. And at the time, I felt like it was a potential momentum generator for us from a defensive standpoint where, 'OK, we just saved two runs.' And the crowd was certainly into it. Those are things that you can get some energy off of and it was a hell of a play."

It was probably up there with any defensive play the Red Sox have made this season.

"I thought it was a bloop single," said Farrell. "I thought Jacoby [Ellsbury] would be the one that would be closing ground there, but the way he went back on it and watching the replay, he ended up snowconing it and fortunately he held on. It ranks up there, with a handful of others [this season] that you probably point out."