BOSTON –– It was a situation where Craig Hansen felt he needed to reach back for a little something extra.

“I have this quotation written down,” he said, turning slightly and reaching into his locker for a small notebook. “Strength does not come from winning,” he read, after flipping quickly to a familiar, well-thumbed page. “Your struggles develop your strength — when you go through hardships and decide not to surrender.”

Hansen certainly has been through some hard times on the mound after it seemed at first that pitching in pro ball was going to be oh-so-easy.

A first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2005 after he racked up a school-record 14 saves, posted a 1.68 ERA, and was named the Big East conference’s Pitcher of the Year as a junior at St.