This story originally ran in The Standard-Times on Oct. 5, 2005.

By Nick Tavares
Standard-Times staff writer

So as you may have noticed, the Red Sox got clobbered yesterday.

But being trounced in postseason games isn't necessarily anything new for Boston.

In chronological order here are the previous five worst Red Sox losses in October:

Cardinals 12 Red Sox 3 — World Series Game 4, Oct. 10 1946

This was the most lopsided of an otherwise tight seven-game series. Enos Slaughter led the way for the Red Birds going 4-for-4 with a home run while Red Munger threw a complete game.

Future Hall-of-Famer Bobby Doerr did drive in two runs for the Red Sox though, and the Sox hung on to keep this World Series interesting.

Athletics 9 Red Sox 1 -- ALCS Game 1, Oct. 6 1990

This was the first game of an A's sweep in the ALCS. Dave Stewart gave up just one run in eight innings and Dennis Eckersley got the save.

Stewart pitched eight innings again in Game 4 this time with Rick Honeycutt getting the save.

Indians 8 Red Sox 2 -- ALDS Game 3, Oct. 6 1995

This game bounced the Sox from the playoffs in the last season they captured the AL East. Tim Wakefield gave up seven runs in 5.1 innings while Jose Canseco and Mo Vaughn combined to go 0-for-27 in the series.

And starting in center field for Boston? That's right the immortal Dwayne Hosey. Sometimes it's clear that it's just not your year.

Indians 11 Red Sox 1— ALDS Game 2, Oct. 7 1999

Jim Thome's four RBIs helped drive Bret Saberhagen from the game after just 2.2 innings as Cleveland took a quick 2-0 lead in the best of three series.

That would be Cleveland's last hurrah of that postseason though. Boston won Game — 9-3 and Game 4 23-7 before setting up Pedro Martinez's remarkable relief appearance and Troy O'Leary's grand slam in a 12-8 Game 5 victory.

Yankees 19 Red Sox 8 — ALCS Game 3, Oct. 16 2004

Perhaps the greatest loss in the history of the postseason for any loser. After the Yankees drubbed Boston in Fenway Park the Sox came alive in the next four games led by David Ortiz and Curt Schilling's bloody ankle. They staged the greatest comeback in the history of North American team sports -- or if you prefer the Yankees suffered the greatest choke job ever.

So remember it's only one game. And as history has shown Boston could bounce either way from a bad game.

Contact Nick Tavares at at ntavares@s-t.com. Statistics courtesy of retrosheet.org

This story appeared on Page C2 of The Standard-Times on October 5 2005.