While most Yankees fans likely shielded their eyes from ESPN on Tuesday night, Alex Rodriguez couldn’t look away.
Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS was playing and A-Rod was among the viewers, watching the beginning of a brutal Yankees collapse. The Red Sox tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning and won it in the 12th, the first step in becoming the only team to ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit as they went on to win the World Series.
“We’re three outs away from the World Series against the Cardinals,” Rodriguez said in a video he tweeted out, with the game on in the background. “Boston wins Game 4, Game 5, Game 6 and 7. I’m still losing sleep over this. See this gray hair? That’s because of the Boston Red Sox.”
The Yankees held a 4-3 lead going to the bottom of the ninth inning at Fenway Park before pinch-runner Dave Roberts stole second and Bill Mueller singled off Mariano Rivera to tie it. David Ortiz homered off Paul Quantrill in the bottom of the 12th to set the Red Sox’ comeback in motion.
“Pedro [Martinez], Big Papi, Manny [Ramirez], Kevin Millar, Johnny Damon,” Rodriguez said before making an exasperated face and clenching his fist.
It was Rodriguez’s first season with the Yankees, coming to the Bronx in an offseason trade after one that would have sent him to the Red Sox fall apart. He hit .320 that postseason, but eventually got his World Series ring in 2009 when the Yankees beat the Phillies.
“How many of you remember this game from 2004? It still hurts to watch,” Rodriguez tweeted. “I will NEVER get over this one. Not now. Not ever.”
