I love the way Francona substituted that pinch runner in the bottom of the 8th.
Instead of putting in the pinch runner right away after the lead off batter reaches first, like lots of managers do automatically, wait another batter or two to see what happens. If the next batter hits into a double play, you just lost the substitution and lost your batter with nothing to show for it. Also possible is a bunch of strikeouts or fly outs, and the pinch runner never makes it around the bases. Sure, that might have been a bunting situation 10-20 years ago too, but times are changing as are the players.
Obviously situations are going to be different, but that was very well done by Francona. And it won them the game.