However, the 2003 season (and Little's entire tenure with the Red Sox) is mostly remembered for his controversial decision during Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. The Red Sox led the game 5–2 in the 8th inning, and were five outs away from reaching the World Series. Little visited the mound after starting pitcher Pedro Martínez gave up three straight hits, and a run from Derek Jeter, but he decided against taking out the ace pitcher, who had thrown 118 pitches to that point. The Yankees tied the game the next at-bat when Jorge Posada hit a two-run bloop single, and went on to win the game (and the pennant) in the 11th inning off of a home run by Aaron Boone.