08/08: Yankees Come Out on Top After Epic Pitchers' Duel
Posted by: Seamus
The game was 5 hours and 33 minutes and 15 innings long. 14 pitchers were used in the game. 113 batters came up to the plate. It was the Yankees and the Red Sox. And the score of the game was...2–0??? That's what the box score says, as the Yankees edged by their arch rivals by the slimmest of margins in what has to go down as one of the greatest pitching duels in recent history.
If you like good pitching, you knew you were going to like this one after the first few innings. A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett were both on fire, and both got through at least 7 innings without a run coming across. Burnett did walk 6 batters, but you can get away with that when you limit the opposition to just 1 hit in 7 and 2/3 innings.
The game went into extra innings after Jorge Posada struck out swinging following a balk by Daniel Bard that put the winning run at third base with two outs. The Yankees again got the tying run just 90 feet away in the 10th, but failed to capitalize when the Sox brought in Jonathan Papelbon, who struck out Derek Jeter to end the inning and prolong the game.
The Yankees had yet another chance in the 14th. and it appeared that they might have finally taken this one when Eric Hinske lined a ball into right field with Ramiro Pena (called up before the game) at second that ultimately landed in the glove of a stretched out J.D. Drew for the second out. Melky Cabrera ended the inning by striking out after lining a ball just foul down the right field line.
The bottom of the 15th inning showed a little promise when Derek Jeter led the inning off with a base hit. And this time, the Yankees did come through, as Alex Rodriguez ended the game with a long home run into the Red Sox bullpen. It was A-Rod's first home run in 73 at bats, and it put the Yankees 4.5 games ahead of Boston in the A.L. East.
A lot will be made of A.J. Burnett's performance because he started the game, but a lot of credit has to go Alfredo Aceves and Brian Bruney, who pitched a combined five scoreless innings after the 9th inning had ended.
The series resumes this afternoon and while we shouldn't expect a repeat of the drama we saw Friday night, the game still has the potential to be another good pitching matchup. The Yanks will be sending CC Sabathia to the mound and he'll be facing the Sox and Clay Buccholz. Game is scheduled to start at 4:10 ET.
Recap records: Seamus: 32–19, Patrick: 28–14, Andrew: 7–9
If you like good pitching, you knew you were going to like this one after the first few innings. A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett were both on fire, and both got through at least 7 innings without a run coming across. Burnett did walk 6 batters, but you can get away with that when you limit the opposition to just 1 hit in 7 and 2/3 innings.
The game went into extra innings after Jorge Posada struck out swinging following a balk by Daniel Bard that put the winning run at third base with two outs. The Yankees again got the tying run just 90 feet away in the 10th, but failed to capitalize when the Sox brought in Jonathan Papelbon, who struck out Derek Jeter to end the inning and prolong the game.
The Yankees had yet another chance in the 14th. and it appeared that they might have finally taken this one when Eric Hinske lined a ball into right field with Ramiro Pena (called up before the game) at second that ultimately landed in the glove of a stretched out J.D. Drew for the second out. Melky Cabrera ended the inning by striking out after lining a ball just foul down the right field line.
The bottom of the 15th inning showed a little promise when Derek Jeter led the inning off with a base hit. And this time, the Yankees did come through, as Alex Rodriguez ended the game with a long home run into the Red Sox bullpen. It was A-Rod's first home run in 73 at bats, and it put the Yankees 4.5 games ahead of Boston in the A.L. East.
A lot will be made of A.J. Burnett's performance because he started the game, but a lot of credit has to go Alfredo Aceves and Brian Bruney, who pitched a combined five scoreless innings after the 9th inning had ended.
The series resumes this afternoon and while we shouldn't expect a repeat of the drama we saw Friday night, the game still has the potential to be another good pitching matchup. The Yanks will be sending CC Sabathia to the mound and he'll be facing the Sox and Clay Buccholz. Game is scheduled to start at 4:10 ET.
Recap records: Seamus: 32–19, Patrick: 28–14, Andrew: 7–9
