By Kate Joseph
Staff Writer

The Boston Red Sox are heading to the world series after beating the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championships on Saturday, Oct. 19.

“The series had a little bit of everything,” manager John Farrell told MLB.com.

“Comeback wins, unbelievable starting pitching, particularly on their part. You couldn’t have asked for a better series. It tested everything we had.”

The six game series began on Saturday, Oct. 12, and saw the Red Sox at a 0-1 loss in Boston.

Game two tied up the series when the Sox took down the Tigers in a close game ending in 6-5.

The stand-out play of the game came in the bottom of the eighth inning when David Ortiz hit a grand slam, tying up the score.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia ultimately won the game for Boston with a run in the last inning.

“I knew I put a good swing on it,” Ortiz told MLB.com. “We’ve got a ballclub that battles. We fight. We never give up. We found a way to get back and try to win a ballgame. It’s never over until the last out, you know?”

Boston took the lead after they won game three in Detroit on Tuesday with a score of 1-0.

The following night brought the series back to a tie when the Tigers beat the Red Sox 3-7 in game four.

The Red Sox took in their third win of the series on Thursday night with a score of 4-3 in Detroit.

Boston finally wrapped up the series after game six on Saturday night.

In a stand-out moment of the series, Shane Victorino hit a grand slam over the Green Monster in the bottom of the seventh to cinch the game and the American League Championship for the Red Sox.

“I got a 0-2 curveball that I could handle and was able to hit a home run,” Victorino told MLB.com. “It was a special moment. It’s been a special year. We battled, and to have good moments like this, you cherish it.”

The Red Sox will face off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series starting this week.

“I’ve faced the Cardinals a lot over the years and that’s one excellent baseball team,” Victorino told the Boston Globe. “We’re going to have to be at the top of our game. Big test for us.”
The World Series kicks off on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. in Boston.