Pearce an unlikely MVP

The wide smile and slow, amazed head shake of Jessica Pearce near home plate at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night said so much about the unlikely rise of a World Series hero.

Pearce had just left a press conference where her husband, Steve, accepted the Willie Mays Award as the MVP of the World Series. As her husband and 6-year-old daughter, Jensen, sat amid the TV lights and answered questions, Jessica had sobbed with joy in the back of the room and held the couple’s baby boy, 9-month-old Crew.

“It’s been an unbelievable journey. We’ve been everywhere,” she said. “This is surreal.”

In a sports world where the MVP trophies usually go to spoiled superstars, Pearce is the flip side. He’s toiled in relative obscurity for 11 major league seasons. He’s played for seven different teams, signed a series of one-year contracts and been released or granted free agency a half-dozen times in his career.

At one point, he considered hanging up his cleats and going to college. Then, in what can only be described as a moment where baseball’s stars aligned, everything came together for one week.

At 35 years old, Steve Pearce’s moment of perfection arrived. A critical, clutch, solo home run that tied Game 4 of the World Series was followed by a three-run double that clinched a huge comeback win. Then, in Sunday’s Game 5, the magic returned. First, a two-run home run that gave the Red Sox a quick lead in the top of the first. Then, a solo homer in the seventh that cemented his legacy as a New England sports hero.

“You know, baseball is a funny game. You never know where the game will take you,” Pearce said. “And I've gone through a lot in my life and in my career to be here. I couldn't be more thankful.”

Fans can easily forget about the journey of their sports heroes but their families certainly don’t. They live that journey. While always well-compensated, Pearce hit more than 15 home runs only once in his career and never batted above .300.

“It’s amazing, it’s crazy,” Jessica Pearce said. “We never, ever dreamt that we’d be here with all the injuries, getting released, going back to teams multiple times. He was ready to sign up for college.”

When the Red Sox traded for Pearce on June 28, the couple hoped for the best. The Blue Jays had signed Pearce to the best contract of his career (two years, $12.5 million) but Boston owned the best team in baseball.

“We knew they were the best team but also knew that if they wanted him, they had a plan for him. That was a great compliment,” Jessica Pearce said. “We were just excited to see where the ride would take us.”

After Hanley Ramirez’s release, Pearce and Mitch Moreland shared first-base duties. Pearce's power bat became a weapon and his stretches at first base a welcome defensive skill.

But shining in the game’s brightest spotlight was clearly a life-changing career highlight that the Pearce family will never forget.

“I’ve been screaming for two days,” Jessica Pearce said. “It was unbelievable. I was in utter shock. My phone was vibrating the whole game. Everyone is so excited.”

As Steve Pearce wrapped up his news conference, he remarked that his father, also named Steven, grew up in Rehoboth and made sure his three sons were Red Sox fans. That Sox love never waned and now he’ll never be forgotten in New England.

“This is the greatest feeling of my life,” he said. “When you're a kid, this is where you want to be. And it's happening right now. And I get to celebrate it with my family and friends sitting back there. I know they're happy. They're on cloud nine, as I am. This is a great moment. I'm so glad I get to share it with everybody.”