2004 World Series Game 4
The final out ended an 86-year wait and shattered the curse forever.
Game 4 of the 2004 World Series stands as the final chapter in one of baseball's most improbable and emotionally charged narratives: the Boston Red Sox breaking the 'Curse of the Bambino.' Played on October 27, 2004, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, this contest marked the culmination of an unprecedented comeback from a 3-0 deficit against their arch-rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals. With the series hanging by a thread, the Red Sox needed one more victory to secure their first championship since 1918.
- Series Outcome
- Red Sox win 4-0
- Final Score
- Boston 3, St. Louis 0
- Winning Pitcher
- Derek Lowe
- MVP of the Series
- Manuel Ramirez (Note: Manny Ramirez was a key contributor, though David Ortiz hit .500 in the series; official MVP is often debated in fan lore but officially awarded to Manny Ramirez)
- Location
- Busch Stadium II, St. Louis
- Series Context
- Red Sox become first team to overcome 3-0 deficit in MLB history
Lore & Background
The air in St. Louis was thick with the scent of victory for the Cardinals, yet the Red Sox walked to the plate with a different kind of hunger. David Ortiz, the series' emotional anchor, delivered another clutch hit, while Manny Ramirez's powerful presence loomed over the infield. On the mound, Derek Lowe, pitching on short rest after his heroic ALCS outing, executed a masterclass in composure. He silenced the potent St. Louis lineup for seven innings, mixing precision with sheer grit. When the final out arrived, it wasn't merely a win; it was a seismic release of 86 years of tension, transforming Busch Stadium's roar into a collective exhale for an entire city.
In Their Own Story
Under the bright lights of Game 4, history didn't just happen; it crashed down. Derek Lowe stood on the rubber, his face unreadable against the backdrop of a hostile crowd, eyes locked solely on Jason Varitek's mitt. The count was full. One strike separated Boston from immortality. Lowe wound up, and the pitch hung in the humid St. Louis air for an eternity before Edgar Renteria swung at nothing. The umpire's arm snapped upward—Strike three! In that split second, the Red Sox dugout didn't just erupt; it exploded with a primal roar, the sound of a century-long nightmare finally shattering into dust.
Reader's Guide
The occasion was Game 4 of the 2004 World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals. Having already completed a historic comeback from a 0-3 deficit in the ALCS against the New York Yankees, the Red Sox entered this game needing only one victory to claim their first title since 1918.
The game was defined by dominant pitching from Derek Lowe, who threw seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three. The Red Sox offense chipped away early with a run in the second inning and added insurance runs later, secured by defensive plays that prevented any Cardinal rallies. Edgar Renteria grounded into a double play to end the game, sealing a 3-0 victory.
This match is remembered not just for the scoreline, but for what it represented: the definitive end of the 'Curse of the Bambino.' It completed an unprecedented feat in Major League Baseball history, as no team had ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. The victory transformed the Red Sox from perennial heartbreakers into modern champions and remains a defining moment in sports history.
Did You Know?
- The 2004 Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series, achieving this impossible feat twice: first against the Yankees in the ALCS and again against the Cardinals in th
- Derek Lowe's Game 4 masterpiece was even more improbable given he had pitched on just one day of rest during the decisive Game 7 of the ALCS only days prior.
- The victory ended an 86-year championship drought for Boston, marking the longest title wait in North American professional sports at that time.
- Before the game, Kevin Millar famously told closer Keith Foulke, 'Let's go get a beer.' When the final out was recorded, those words became the rallying cry as the team poured onto the field to celebrate.