Reliving Joe Castiglione’s Iconic Announcements | Sports

Red Sox

Castiglione known as the ultimate out for 3 of the Red Sox' final 4 World Series wins, together with a number of different memorable moments.

Joe Castiglione’s legendary tenure as one of many radio voices of the Red Sox will come to an finish on Sunday.

The iconic radio announcer will name his remaining recreation when the Red Sox conclude the 2024 season in opposition to the Rays. Castiglione introduced earlier in September that he was retiring from his position as one of many Red Sox’ radio announcers after 42 seasons.

As the Red Sox will honor their longest-tenured announcer forward of Sunday’s recreation, let’s recall some Castiglione’s most memorable calls, from “Can you believe it?” to a pair of his funnier moments within the sales space.

Dave Roberts’s steal and Bill Mueller’s game-tying hit in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS

Arguably probably the most pivotal sequence in Red Sox historical past was known as by Castiglione. You doubtless know the story by now, however in case you want a refresher, Roberts pinch-ran for Kevin Millar after a leadoff stroll within the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS.

Down a run, Roberts was trying to steal second with Mueller on the plate and Yankees nearer Mariano Rivera on the mound.

After just a few pickoff makes an attempt and Castiglione reciting Roberts’s stolen base stats, the speedster lastly took off.

“Rivera to the set, he goes, the pitch taken outside. Here’s the throw. Roberts dives and he is safe! Stolen base, Dave Roberts,” Castiglione stated in his name of the second. “Tying run at second base. He went in with a hand tag. Jeter took the throw and it was close, very close at second.

Two pitches later, Mueller knocked in Roberts to tie the game, 4-4.

“Roberts leads, the 1-1 pitch. He’s not going to bunt. He swings and lines one up the middle into centerfield, a base hit,” Castiglione described the second. “Roberts hits third, here he comes! Bernie Williams’s throw is cut off and the game is tied! Rivera cuts the throw and Bill Mueller has tied it with a single up the middle. We’re knotted at 4! Rivera has blown a save and the Red Sox have life.”

Johnny Damon’s grand slam and the ultimate out in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS

David Ortiz gave the Red Sox an early 2-0 lead in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS in opposition to the Yankees with a two-run homer. But Damon blew the sport open within the second inning after Javier Vazquez took over with the bases loaded.

“Johnny against Vazquez, 2-for-14 this year — both home runs. Bases loaded, 2-0 Boston. Kevin Millar at third, Bill Mueller at second, Orlando Cabrera at first. Vazquez to the set, here’s the pitch: Swing and a high drive to deep right! Back toward the corner it goes, Sheffield looking up — grand slam! Johnny Damon! With one swing of the bat has given the Red Sox four more runs. They lead it 6-0! Johnny Damon hits the first pitch that Javier Vazquez delivers into the right field seats,” Castiglione described the moment.

Castiglione was on the call too when Ruben Sierra grounded out to Pokey Reese for the ultimate out of the sequence.

“The 1-0 pitch, swing, and a ground ball to second base. Pokey Reese has it, he throws to first, and the Red Sox have won the American League pennant! They mob Alan Embree on the mound. The Boston Red Sox have pulled the greatest victory in team history! In the 104 years of the Boston Red Sox, this is the most important of them all as the Red Sox have won the pennant, beating the Yankees, their arch-rivals in seven games. They lost the first three games of the series and became the first team ever to win the next four and the championship,” Castiglione stated in his name of the ultimate out of the 2004 ALCS.

“Move over, Babe! The Red Sox are American League champions! They’re on the field mobbing each other by the pitcher’s mound as the Yankees walk slowly toward the clubhouse. An amazing comeback story here in The Bronx.”

The remaining out of the 2018 World Series

Castiglione known as the ultimate out in three of the Red Sox’ 4 World Series’ wins since 2004. He was on the mic for his or her most up-to-date win over the Dodgers in 2018, calling Chris Sale’s strikeout of Manny Machado.

“Machado pinwheels the bat, nobody on base, two-man out, bottom of the ninth, 5-1 Red Sox,” Castiglione started. “Sale winds, he fires, swing-and-a-miss! Strike three! It’s over! The Red Sox have won the world championship! The Red Sox have beaten the Los Angeles Dodgers, 5-1! They win the World Series, four games to one. The Red Sox become the first team in the 21st century with four world championships, can you believe it?

“They sprinted from the bullpens. They sprinted from the dugout. They’re mobbing each other between third base and home plate. The Boston Red Sox are the champions for 2018. They win their 119th game this season. Can you believe it?”

The remaining out of the 2007 ALCS

Castiglione was on the decision for 3 of the Red Sox’ pennant wins since 2004 as nicely. He called the final out of the 2007 ALCS, when Boston outfielder Coco Crisp made a chaotic catch to assist it beat Cleveland.

“Swing and a high fly ball to right-center field. Coco going back, still going back, to the triangle, going back, he makes a great catch in the triangle! He falls down, hangs on, and the Red Sox have won the pennant! Coco Crisp, with another sensational play in the triangle — grabbed it over his shoulder, banged into the wall, and held on!”

The remaining out of the 2007 World Series

Per week after calling the Red Sox’ ALCS win over Cleveland, Castiglione called the final out of their sweep over the Rockies in the World Series.

“Papelbon sets, at the belt, the pitch: Swing-and-a-miss! It’s over! The Red Sox have swept the Colorado Rockies! The Red Sox are the world champions of baseball for 2007! The Boston Red Sox become the first team in the 21st century to win two World Series titles! Can you believe it?”

Andrew Benintendi’s catch to win Game 4 of the 2018 ALCS

Benintendi might need made the largest defensive play within the historical past of the franchise in Game 4 of the 2018 ALCS. With the Red Sox holding an 8-6 lead, the Astros loaded up the bases within the ninth inning and had been threatening to tie or win the sport.

With two outs, Craig Kimbrel obtained Alex Bregman to line out to left, with Benintendi making a memorable diving seize.

“Kimbrel comes to the set, give a step to the right, the pitch: Swing and a line drive to left field, Benintendi coming on, dives, and did he make the catch? He did! He got it!”

The catch was so spectacular that Castiglione fell out of his seat after saying, “He got it!”

“I just went head-over-heels in my chair. Oh, wow! What a catch by Andrew Benintendi!”

The catch gave the Red Sox a 3-1 sequence lead earlier than profitable the sequence in 5 video games. It additionally gave Castiglione a humourous second.

David Ortiz’s five hundredth dwelling run

There had been a number of memorable postseason moments that Castiglione known as in his common season tenure. Arguably the largest particular person milestone he called was when Ortiz hit his 500th career home run in Tampa Bay on Sept. 12, 2015.

“Moore gets the sign, the windup, the 2-2: Swing and there’s a drive to right field, deep, way back it goes, No. 500 David Ortiz! He does it, a shot into the right field bleachers! A scramble for the ball, No. 500. The Red Sox, en masse, coming out of the dugout, applauding Ortiz as he touches third, and shakes Brian Buttefield’s hand. Trots to the plate, steps on home plate, points skyward in honor of his mom, and the Red Sox all coming out of the bullpen as they will form a line to greet and congratulate Big Papi on his 500th home run.”

Not you, Siri!

Sometimes, expertise received’t be form to you. Castiglione discovered that out the arduous method when he known as a Red Sox recreation in opposition to the Rays in 2023. When Rays outfielder Jose Siri got here as much as the plate, his iPhone perked up when he introduced the hitter’s title.

“So first and second, still only one out, for Jose Siri,” Castiglione started earlier than you would hear the Siri on his iPhone say one thing again to him.

Castiglione and his broadcast companion for that recreation, Will Flemming, had been initially confused about the place the sound got here from. The veteran announcer found out what occurred a second later, although.

“It was Siri! It was Siri,” Castiglione stated with amusing. “It came through on the iPhone. Siri’s at the plate. I’m not asking you, Siri. Not this Siri, that Siri.”