Red Sox Curse Reverse

New York Yankees fan Andrea Miller of West Nyack, N.Y., holds a Mickey Mantle doll at Yankee Stadium before Game 7 between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox in the AL championship series, Oct. 20, 2004, in New York. Oct. 20 was the birthday of the late Yankees Hall of Fame slugger.

Red Sox fans Lauren Floro of Lexington, Mass., and Ben Apt of Bedford, Mass., show their support for the BoSox prior to the start of Game 7.

Bill Duggan of Abbington, Mass., puts a Boston Red Sox cap on the statue of Babe Ruth in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium prior to Game 7.

Boston's Johnny Damon is out at home as Yankees catcher Jorge Posada makes the play in the first inning. Damon was trying to score from second base on a single to left field by Manny Ramirez. The night got better for him -- much better.

Boston's David Ortiz, right, watches his first inning, two-run home run against the Yankees off Kevin Brown. The Red Sox led 2-0.

Yankees fans hold a banner in the upper deck of Yankee Stadium.

Yankees starter Kevin Brown is taken out of the game in the second inning by manager Joe Torre after loading the bases.

Damon, left, starts toward first after his second inning grand slam off pitcher Javier Vazquez. Damon smacked the first pitch Vazquez threw into the seats in right field. The Red Sox led 6-0.

Torre, left, and Yankees pitching coach Mel Stotttlemyre, center, watch the action on the field during the third inning.

Damon celebrates with teammates after hitting a fourth inning, two-run home run. Red Sox led 8-1.

The Yankees' Hideki Matsui, right, is late to the base as he grounds out to first with Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe covering, in the fourth inning.

Red Sox starter Derek Lowe celebrates after striking out the Yankees' Gary Sheffield during the sixth inning.

A Yankees fan finds the game a bit hard to take.

Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez throws to the New York Yankees in the seventh inning. Martinez relieved Derek Lowe and caused the Yankee fans to get back into the game momentarily after he gave up two runs, cutting the Red Sox lead 8-3.

Boston's Mark Bellhorn hits a solo home run off New York's Tom Gordon in the eighth inning, extending the lead to 9-3.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter in the dugout during the ninth inning.

The Red Sox celebrate after defeating the Yankees 10-3 to win the AL championship series. The Red Sox finally overcame their hated nemesis to reach the World Series, after completing the most extraordinary comeback in baseball history.

Red Sox fans celebrate after their team defeated the rival Yankees, 10-3. Has the "Curse of the Bambino" been lifted?

Boston's Johnny Damon embraces his fiancee, Michelle Mangan, after the Game 7 victory. Damon, who slumped the whole series, supplied the offense with two home runs and six RBIs.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein celebrates with his team in the locker room after Boston defeated the Yankees. The Sox will face the winner of the N.L. championship in the World Series.