It was just past midnight.  Two games, two seasons were on the line.  Everyone in the stands, everyone at home on the edge of their seats, holding their breath.  One swing could change everything.  It took two swings to turn September 28, 2011 one of the single greatest nights in baseball history.

The American League wild card winner was coming down to this one night.  Either the Boston Red Sox or Tampa Bay Rays were walking away this night with postseason birth.

Let's backtrack a little bit...

The Boston Red Sox started the 2011 season as one of the top favorites to win the 2011 World Series.  They were projected to be too great for the old and creaking New York Yankees who missed out on Cliff Lee and mistakenly resigned a "finished" Derek Jeter to a bad contract. According to majority of the baseball world, the Red Sox were unbeatable and everyone should forfeit.

Fast forward...

September arrives, the most important month of the season as divisions are closing in.  The Red Sox shouldn't have a problem, right? Wrong!

The Red Sox performed one of the biggest collapses in the history of the game going 20-7 in the final month of the regular season.  Starting 9 games ahead in the wild card race, the Red Sox let the Rays catch all the way up to this very night.  Both teams came into this final night of the regular season tied up for the American League wild card.  The Rays played their hearts out in September and the Red Sox were slowly falling apart.

The night started off looking in the favor of the Red Sox.  Up 3-2 over the last place Baltimore Orioles and Jon Lester on the mound while the Rays trailed the Yankees 7-0.  The Red Sox players went into a rain delay without too much of a worry on their shoulders.  Yankees are winning 7-0, they should hold onto that lead, right? Nope.

When the Red Sox and Orioles resumed their game after the delay, the Rays caught up to the Yankees and were now trailing 7-6.  Not long after Dan Johnson hit his second home run of the season off Corey Wade right over the right field wall.  The game was now tied.

The Red Sox and Orioles game didn't seem like a walk in the park anymore.  Still up by one run they needed to hold the lead to at least try for a game 163 if need be.

Bottom of the 9th, same score, the Red Sox bring in their closer Jonathan Papelbon to try and save the season for at least another day.  What seemed like in the blink of an eye, Robert Andino drives in the game winning run for the Orioles in a bloop single to left where Carl Crawford could not make the shoestring catch. The Orioles are in a frenzy celebrating while the Red Sox sulk off the field in a stunned silence.  A lot of the baseball world couldn't believe what had just happened.

Just a few minutes later, also what seemed like in the blink of an eye, Evan Longoria takes Scott Proctor deep to left field for the game winning home run.  The game winning home run that officially named the Tampa Bay Rays the American League wild card winners and eliminated the Boston Red Sox from any playoff chances.

You don't have to be a fan of any of these teams that were involved in this magical night.  A true baseball fan can really taste the magic behind it all.  It puts everyone on the edge of their seat knowing at any second two destinies will be changed.  It's one of the biggest reasons why I love the game of baseball.  September 28, 2011 was the perfect display and I will never forget it for the rest of my life.