Three years ago, in the third game of a postseason series, Nate Eovaldi gave the Red Sox inning after inning of tremendous relief work in a game that went into extra innings and lasted deep into the night.
The appearance earned Eovaldi the undying respect of his teammates, including Rick Porcello, who admitted later that Eovaldi's effort moved him to tears in the clubhouse. The outing may also have ultimately helped the pitcher land a four-year contract extension weeks later.
But on Sunday night at Fenway Park, Nick Pivetta did something that even Eovaldi couldn't do.
Like Eovaldi, Pivetta was pitching in a hugely consequential Game 3. Like Eovaldi, Pivetta was going on just a few days' rest, having thrown 4.2 innings on Thursday night at Tropicana Field.
But unlike Eovaldi, Pivetta's effort came in a win. An incredible, dramatic win -- 6-4 in 13 innings, over the Tampa Bay Rays, putting the Red Sox in commanding position in the the teams' Division Series, which they now lead two games to one.
Pivetta's outing wasn't as long as Eovaldi's who braved six innings before Max Muncy led off the bottom of the 18th with a walk-off homer in Game 3 of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium. Then again, where Eovaldi had pitched a third of an inning in Game 1 and another full frame in Game 2, Pivetta's previous workload was far heavier.
In all, Pivetta threw 140 pitches in the span of about 72 hours.
"Very, very similar to Nate in Game 3 a few years ago,'' acknowledged Alex Cora. "He was locked in.''
"I just gave it my all, to be honest with you,'' said Pivetta after the marathon the day before The Marathon. "I just competed in the strike zone, competed with those guys. It's a moment in time for me and for our team.''
Pivetta isn't afraid to show his emotions, and he did so freely Sunday. When he wasn't standing ramrod straight on the rubber, eager to make his next delivery, he was bouncing around on or behind the mound, thrusting his powerful right arm in the air at the end of an inning, or wandering aimlessly after an out, attempting to gather himself.
It can be both entertaining and unsettling, depending on your vantage point.
"He goes somewhere else mentally and physically,'' said Cora.
At times, his batterymate Christian Vazquez, who would end the game with a two-run shot into the Monster Seats in the bottom of the 13th and perhaps sparing Pivetta another inning of toil and trouble, had to step out and motion him to calm down. Often, the message didn't take.
"It's just excitement and that's just the way it goes,'' said Pivetta in explaining his outbursts somewhat defiantly. "To be honest with you, it just kind of happens for me. I think it's just my competitive nature.''
Frankly, the Red Sox didn't care what it looked like as long as he was putting up zero after zero on the scoreboard. He could be near combustion as long as he kept buying his teammates more chances to win.
A few times, Pivetta seemed to be inviting trouble. He walked the leadoff man in both the 10th and 11th, but managed to, just as quickly, extricate himself from the jam. His biggest test came in the 13th when a one-out single to Yandy Diaz and a controversial ground-rule double by Kevin Kiermaier gave the Rays two runners in scoring position.
Once more, Pivetta rose to the challenge, fanning Mike Zunino and strand both runners. In the bottom of the inning, Vazquez delivered the Sox a game-winner and Pivetta a reprieve.
And, of course, irony of irony, all of this came in relief of starting pitcher ... Nate Eovaldi.
"I did watch that game,'' said Pivetta of Eovaldi's heroics, "so I was aware of it. At the moment, I'm just trying to go up there and throw zeros and do the best I can to keep the team in the game, so that our offense can come through for us.''
Which they did. Eventually.
"He won't be available tomorrow,'' cracked Cora of Pivetta.
Famous last words.