The 2004 Red Sox always had a flair for the dramatic, and that manifested itself in the Round of 32 of Dream Bracket 2: Dream Seasons.

Trailing the best-of-seven series to the 1996 Rangers, 3-2, as the series headed back to Texas, the 2004 Sox won Games 6 and 7 on the road to move on to the Round of 16.

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Johnny Damon’s solo homer in the top of the ninth inning of Game 7 proved to be the difference in a tense series in which five of the seven games were decided by three runs or less.

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Bronson Arroyo’s pitching stood out in the back-and-forth series. On a staff that boasted Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez, it was Arroyo who had the best performance, notching a 1.20 ERA in his two starts. It wasn’t an exceptional hitting series for the Red Sox, as the Rangers kept a fearsome lineup in check. Damon led the way with an .819 OPS.

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The 2004 Red Sox will go on to play the juggernaut 1961 Yankees in the next round in what will surely be a highly contested affair.

Here is a game-by-game recap at how the self-proclaimed “Idiots” survived a grueling series against the 1996 Rangers.

Game 1, Rangers 2, Red Sox 0
In his career, Schilling nearly always found a way to win in October. Though the big righty fared well in Game 1 in Arlington (eight innings, two earned runs, nine strikeouts), he was outdueled by Ken Hill, who fired eight scoreless innings and allowed just three hits. Mickey Tettleton’s sacrifice fly in the second and Darryl Hamilton’s solo shot in the sixth accounted for the only runs. Closer Mike Henneman mowed through the top three in Boston’s batting order for a flawless top of the ninth.

Game 2, Red Sox 7, Rangers 2 (10 innings)
The Rangers were one out away from taking a 2-0 series lead with them to Boston. But the Red Sox stormed back on Trot Nixon’s game-tying two-run double with two outs in the ninth against Henneman to force extra innings. The Sox then exploded for five runs in the top of the 10th en route to a crucial victory. Manny Ramirez broke the tie with a two-run single against Jeff Russell, and Mark Bellhorn put the exclamation point on the rally with a bases-clearing double against Ed Vosberg.

Game 3, Red Sox 3, Rangers 2
Arroyo was the difference, as the wiry righty fired eight shutout innings, allowing just four hits while walking none and striking out 11. Bellhorn and Kevin Millar had RBI singles against Darren Oliver in the first to give Arroyo a quick lead. Jason Varitek’s fielder’s-choice RBI accounted for Boston’s final run of the game in the third. The Rangers made the Fenway faithful antsy with two runs in the top of the ninth, but Mike Timlin stranded the tying run at third when he struck out Dean Palmer to end the game.

Game 4, Rangers 4, Red Sox 1
Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball got a little erratic in the top of the fifth inning, and the Rangers rallied for all four of their runs to break a scoreless tie. Kevin Elster and Rusty Greer both had RBI hits. Texas also scored on a bases-loaded walk by Hamilton and Bill Mueller’s fielding error on a grounder by Juan Gonzalez. David Ortiz’s solo shot in the sixth against Bobby Witt accounted for the Sox’s only run of the game.

Game 5, Rangers 5, Red Sox 0
That right ankle that bothered Schilling throughout the 2004 postseason must have been aching in this one. How else do you explain him getting hit around in this one? The righty gave up nine hits and five runs (three earned) in just 3 2/3 innings. Errors by Bellhorn and Orlando Cabrera didn’t help matters. Greer had a big day for the Rangers with two hits and three RBIs. Palmer added a solo homer. And Hill, the pride of Lynn, Mass., again flustered the Red Sox, firing 6 2/3 shutout innings.

Game 6, Red Sox 7, Rangers 4
With the Red Sox on the brink of elimination, it should come as no surprise that it was Ortiz who did the most to force Game 7. Big Papi had two hits and four RBIs, clearing the bases with a double against John Burkett with two outs in the third. Damon followed suit with a two-run double in the fourth. Martinez went 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs while striking out six to earn the win.

Game 7, Red Sox 3, Rangers 2
The Rangers gained some momentum with two outs in the bottom of the seventh when Kevin Elster belted a game-tying homer against Arroyo, who was mostly masterful (seven innings, two earned runs, nine strikeouts). But Damon rocked a 2-2 pitch from Henneman a projected distance of 424 feet to right-center, and the Red Sox took the lead for good. Foulke fired off a 1-2-3 ninth, sending the 2004 Red Sox to the Round of 16.