Cowbell Posse

The Stat: The Yankees had not squandered a lead that large that late in a game since 1953 (yeah, I know, they threw 11 pitchers, none of whom were elite, but still).

The Stat: The Rays are the first AL team in history to make the playoffs after starting 0-6. Two NL teams have accomplished that feat: the 1974 Pirates and the 1995 Reds.

The Stat: The Rays' 91 wins are the most ever by a team that started the season 1-8. The previous mark of 87 was held by the 1921 Cardinals.

The Stat: Before Wednesday night, the Rays had only swept the Yankees in a series of three or more games in the final 10 days of the season once (September 26-28, 2000).

The Stat: The Rays join the Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies as the only teams in baseball to have made the postseason in three of the last four years.

The Stat: The Rays trailed the Sox in the AL East by 11.5 games on July 27. Since then, the Rays are 37-11 and the Sox are just three games over .500.

The Stat: Johnson was hitting just .108 in 2011 when he dropped the bomb that tied the game.

The Stat: The Red Sox were 76-0 in 2011 when leading after eight innings before Baltimore's 4-3 walk-off win. It was Jonathan Papelbon's third blown save of the season.

The Stat: Boston's 7-20 September record marks its worst September since 1952.

The Stat: Longoria is only the second player in baseball history to hit a walk-off home run to clinch a postseason berth on the final day of the season (Bobby Thomsons's "Shot Heard Round the World" in 1951).

Thanks to John Tucker for sharing this with us.