Petaluma Has a World Series Champion in Jonny Gomes

Petaluma native Jonny Gomes has earned his first World Series ring.

Despite only hitting .167 in the postseason, the Casa Grande grad had the game-winning home run Sunday for the Boston Red Sox. His team went on to best the St. Louis Cardinals four games to two Wednesday in the best-of-seven series. 

In the above interview with MLB TV, Gomes calls 2013 a "fairy tale of a season." Just being on the world's biggest stage for baseball is an unlikely outcome for Gomes, who had a heart attack at 22 and grew up impoverished.

He attributes much of the team's success this year to the people of Boston, who rallied after the Boston Marathon bombing.

"I think we jumped on their back," NESN quoted Gomes as saying. "They wouldn’t let us quit."

Now he can take a breather and celebrate in his trademark Army helmet–which was worn in Iraq and given to Gomes as a gift. He'll continue to celebrate this weekend as the Red Sox hold a World Series parade Saturday morning in Boston.

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