Stealing Second: A Moment That Changed Baseball History
Pinch Hitter Dave Roberts
Setting the Stage
It was Game Four of the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS). The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees were locked in a heated battle, and the Red Sox were trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs and a runner on first, manager Terry Francona made a bold decision: he sent in pinch-runner Dave Roberts to steal second base.
Roberts, a speedy outfielder, had only one stolen base all season. But Francona knew that if Roberts could steal second, it would put the Red Sox in a position to tie the game. The Yankees' closer, Mariano Rivera, was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, but he had a history of throwing over to first base to prevent runners from stealing. Francona was betting that Rivera would be so focused on preventing Roberts from stealing that he would leave the plate open.
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