
Scenes of the Red Sox’ frustrating September

The Red Sox' slide began on Sept. 1 in a 4-2 loss to the Yankees. An incredulous Adrian Gonzalez watched a called third strike as the Yankees and their fans celebrated a series win at Fenway.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Andrew Miller was roughed up by the Rangers for six runs in 1 1/3 innings on Sept. 2 as Texas opened a three-game series with a 10-0 win. The Red Sox surrendered first place in the AL East to the Yankees with the loss
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Carl Crawford provided the weekend's biggest hit with a fourth-inning grand slam on Sept. 3 that helped power a 12-7 win against the Rangers.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

In the series finale on Sept. 4, the Rangers battered starter John Lackey and reliever Felix Doubront (shown) for nine runs in the first 5 1/3 innings.
Winslow Townson/AP
| September 20, 2011

When the Rangers left town, Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox had fallen 1 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the AL East and were eight games ahead of the Rays.
Matthew J. Lee/Globe staff
| September 20, 2011

A day game on Sept. 5 in Toronto proved unlucky for the Red Sox and David Ortiz. The team lost starter Josh Beckett to a sprained ankle in the fourth inning.
Fred Thornhill/REUTERS
| September 20, 2011

The day ended with Dan Wheeler surrendering a walkoff home run to Brett Lawrie in the 11th inning of a 1-0 loss.
Darren Calabrese/AP/CP
| September 20, 2011

The Red Sox got one back on Sept. 6 when they beat up on the Blue Jays 14-0.
Abelimages/Getty Images
| September 20, 2011

Daniel Bard blew an 8-6 lead on Sept. 7 when he allowed five runs in the eighth inning of an 11-10 loss. It would be the first of his three losses over eight days.
Darren Calabrese/AP/CP
| September 20, 2011

The Blue Jays stymied Ortiz and the Red Sox 7-4 in the series finale on Sept. 8. The lead over the Rays shrank to 6 1/2 games with the Red Sox headed to Tampa. The seeds of a potentially historic comeback by the Rays began to take root.
Fred Thornhill/REUTERS
| September 20, 2011

Ortiz went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and the Red Sox managed just six hits as the Rays buoyed their playoff chances with a 7-2 win on Sept. 9.
J. Meric/Getty Images
| September 20, 2011

More disappointment was in store for the Red Sox on Sept. 10 when a ninth-inning comeback that forced extra innings was wasted when the Rays turned a leadoff triple in the 11th into a 6-5 win.
Steven Kovich/Getty Images
| September 20, 2011

B.J. Upton's grand slam fueled a 9-1 win in the series finale on Sept. 11, and the Rays closed the gap in the playoff race to 3 1/2 games.
Terry Renna/AP
| September 20, 2011

Panic began to set in around Red Sox Nation as a playoff spot that once looked certain began to seem in doubt. Rays manager Joe Maddon said there was a "message" sent to Terry Francona's team.
Terry Renna/AP
| September 20, 2011

The panic came to a halt when the Red Sox returned to Fenway on Sept. 13 and beat up on the Blue Jays 18-6. Pedroia's three-run home run in the sixth inning was one of the key hits.
Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

The win against the Blue Jays also marked the long-awaited 200th victory for Tim Wakefield, who had waited 51 days since his 199th.
Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

The Red Sox could not follow up with a win on Sept. 14, however. Bard again imploded when he blew a 4-2 lead by allowing three runs in the eighth inning.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Josh Reddick struck out in the ninth inning of the 5-4 loss to the Blue Jays. The lead over the Rays shrank to four games, with Tampa coming to town for a four-game series.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

The slump continued for Pedroia and the Red Sox when the Rays arrived. Rookie starter Kyle Weiland was rocked for four runs in three innings en route to a 9-2 Tampa win.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Tampa's Evan Longoria, left, hit a three-run home run to key the victory for the surging Rays. Afterward, he celebrated with Upton.
Brian Snyder/REUTERS
| September 20, 2011

Carl Crawford went 0-for-3 in the loss to his former team.
Charles Krupa/AP
| September 20, 2011

The Red Sox finally beat the Rays on Sept. 16 as Beckett returned to the rotation. Jonathan Papelbon closed out the 4-3 win.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

The bad breaks returned on Sept. 17, however, when the Rays beat Pedroia and the Red Sox 4-3.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Maddon, left, congratulated his team and said that while he was disappointed they wouldn't sweep, he would be content taking three of the four games in the series.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Maddon's wish came true when the Rays defeated Mike Aviles and the Red Sox 8-5 on Sept. 18 to cut the playoff lead to just two games.
Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

The Red Sox got no relief in the opener of a doubleheader with the Orioles on Sept. 19. Ortiz slammed his helmet in frustration after a controversial call denied the Red Sox a run in a game they'd lose 6-5.
Jim Davis/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

The Red Sox finally stopped their skid in the nightcap, however, when a seven-run seventh powered an 18-9 win. A grand slam by Conor Jackson, center, was the big hit in the inning.
Jim Rogash/Getty Images
| September 20, 2011

Papelbon reflected in the dugout after he blew a 5-4 lead to the Orioles in a 7-5 loss on Sept. 20.
Elise Amendola/AP
| September 20, 2011

A dejected Alfredo Aceves lingered in the Red Sox dugout after surrendering a hit that delivered the go-ahead runs in a 6-4 loss to the Orioles on Sept. 21.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Ortiz slumped back to the dugout after grounding out in the seventh inning of a 9-1 loss to the Yankees on Sept. 24.
Ray Stubblebine/REUTERS
| September 20, 2011

Jacoby Ellsbury, left, Jason Varitek, center, and Pedroia watched as the Yankees ran away with the opener of a doubleheader on Sept. 25. The Red Sox lost 6-2.
Bill Kostroun/AP
| September 20, 2011

Ellsbury stopped the Red Sox' losing streak with a three-run home run in the 14th inning of the nightcap on Sept. 25. The win left the Red Sox just one game up on the Rays in the wild-card race.
Ray Stubblebine/REUTERS
| September 20, 2011

The Red Sox' lead in the playoff race evaporated when they headed back to the visitors' dugout at Camden Yards after a 6-3 loss to the Orioles on Sept. 26. The Rays' corresponding win against the Yankees brought them into a tie for the wild card.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
| September 20, 2011

Rookie catcher Ryan Lavarnway finally injected life into the Red Sox with two home runs and a crucial ninth-inning defensive play as the Red Sox hung on for an 8-7 win on Sept. 27.
Jim Davis/Globe Staff
| September 20, 2011

Mike Aviles watched as the Orioles celebrated dooming the Red Sox' postseason hopes with a walkoff 4-3 win in the regular-season finale on Sept. 28.
Patrick Semansky/AP
| September 20, 2011