Now the pair has formed an unlikely duo that has helped lead the Red Sox to another appearance in the American League Championship Series.

It was Bay's bloop double down the right field line in the bottom of the ninth that set the stage for Lowrie's run-scoring single that gave Boston a 3-2 victory, one that eliminated the 100-victory Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

"We're two guys that weren't even supposed to be here," Bay said minutes after crossing the plate with the winning run.

"It was fitting that those two guys did it in the last inning," said Red Sox architect Theo Epstein in a jubilant locker room following the victory. "All year long we've had to mix and match and overcome some of the adversity we've been dealt."

Lowrie can thank Julio Lugo's strained quad for giving him an opportunity or else he'd still be down in the minors. The overpaid Lugo had been brutal all season and went on the disabled list in mid-July, and that's when Lowrie earned the starting shortstop job with his flawless defensive play and solid bat.

"I thought I'd get a chance at some point," Lowrie said. "If someone got hurt, I thought I'd get an opportunity."

Bay's window came when Manny Ramirez ran out of chances in Boston. Sure, Ramirez has been tearing it up on the left coast for the Dodgers. However, Bay has been every bit as good as advertised since coming over from Pittsburgh.

He's hit 31 homers and has 101 RBIs this season, including a .293 average, nine home runs and 37 RBI since coming over on the final day of July, just prior to the trading deadline. Bay has also produced in the postseason with six hits in the series, a pair of long balls, solid defense and none of the drama that Ramirez consistently brought to the club.

The 24-year-old Lowrie isn't the only young player thrust into a critical role for a team hoping to bring another World Series to Boston.

Since manager Terry Francona hasn't been able to find a reliable setup man, he turned to rookie Justin Masterson as the guy to set up closer Jonathan Papelbon. Masterson, who was a spot starter earlier in the season when the rotation was hit with injuries, was nearly unflappable in his new role over the final two months of the regular season.

A cross-up between Masterson and veteran catcher Jason Varitek nearly cost the Red Sox the game as two Angels base-runners advanced and later scored on Torii Hunter's two-run single that tied the game at 2-2 in the eighth inning.

If the mix-up hadn't occurred, the newest Red Sox ace, Jon Lester, would have been the unquestionable hero. He tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed just four hits, which pushed his streak of not allowing an earned run in the postseason to 22 2/3 innings.

"Jon Lester is a man among boys out there right now," Boston's former ace Josh Beckett said of his teammate.

Lester was in position to join Babe Ruth and Luis Tiant as the only pitchers in history to win their first three postseason starts.

Instead, with pinch-runner Ray Willits on third base with one out in the top of the ninth, Anaheim was threatening to send the best-of-five series back to Anaheim for a decisive game. However, Angels manager Mike Scioscia called for the squeeze and Willits was a sitting duck after Eric Aybar missed on the bunt attempt.

"Erick's a terrific bunter," Scioscia said. "He obviously feels badly he didn't get it down. It was a great count for it. Eric just didn't get it done, and that happens."

"That's their game," Epstein added. "They play small ball and it works."

Not this time.

Now the team with no shortage of unlikely heroes will move one step away from the World Series.

"You can imagine it, but I didn't ever think it would be reality," Bay said.

He's got some company.