09/25: Yankees Offense Overwhelms Red Sox; Magic Number Down to 3
Posted by: Patrick
The Yankees offense got off to a good start against Red Sox starter Jon Lester on Friday night, thanks to an A-Rod RBI single in the first that scored Jeter. In the third, Mark Teixeira singled to lead off the inning and A-Rod brought him right back home with a two run shot to make it 3-0.
Hideki Matsui then singled and, after Jorge Posada made the first out, Robinson Cano doubled placing Matsui at third and Nick Swisher walked to load the bases. Melky Cabrera hit a line drive back to the pitcher which unfortunately hit Lester in the quad and knocked him out of the game with a run scoring on the play. Lester is day to day. Derek Jeter grounded into a fielder's choice against the man who replaced him, Hunter Jones, which brought Cano home and that would be the fourth and final run of the inning. Yankees up 5-0 after 3.
Joba Chamberlain pitched well. The Red Sox didn't get their first hit or run until the 4th inning with 2 outs, when Victor Martinez hit a solo home run. The Yankees came right back in the bottom half of the frame with a Jorge Posada RBI singled that scored A-Rod.
The Red Sox tacked two more on when David Ortiz hit his 27th home run of the season in the 6th. But, like clockwork, the Yankees came right back with another two runs in the bottom of the 6th. They came on an A-Rod double (scoring Johnny Damon) and a Posada single (which brought A-Rod home). Mark Teixeira scored Jeter on an RBI single in the seventh to make it 9-3, Yankees.
Joba was lifted after 6, having allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk. Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless seventh and gave way to Jonathan Albaladejo. His day went like this: walk, strikeout, single and an RBI single with a runner advancing to third on an error by Damon. Damaso Marte was brought in to face Ortiz and he got the slugger to ground into a fielder's choice, which scored another run. Phil Hughes was called to get the final out and did, retiring Jason Bay and stranding a runner at second.
Joe Girardi turned to Phil Coke for the ninth and, following a lead-off walk, he struck out Jason Varitek and induced a game ending double play ball off the bat of Casey Kotchman.
Joba got the win, improving to 9-6 on the year. A-Rod was the offensive star of the game, going 3 for 3 with a double, a home run, 3 runs, 4 RBI, 2 walks and 3 stolen bases. The Yankees ran wild on Varitek. Besides A-Rod's swipes, Jeter took 2 and Cano took one, as well - just his 5th of the year.
Jeter (2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB), Teixeira (1 run, 1 RBI), Matsui (1 run, 2 BB), Posada (2 RBI, 1 BB) and Cano (double, 1 run, 1 BB, 1 SB) all had 2 hits on the ninth.
The Yankees magic number for the American League East division title is now down to 3 games. Tomorrow at 4:10 PM ET, CC Sabathia (18-7, 3.31 ERA) will take the hill against Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-5, 6.80).
Recap records: Seamus: 46–25, Patrick: 41–20, Andrew: 11–11
Hideki Matsui then singled and, after Jorge Posada made the first out, Robinson Cano doubled placing Matsui at third and Nick Swisher walked to load the bases. Melky Cabrera hit a line drive back to the pitcher which unfortunately hit Lester in the quad and knocked him out of the game with a run scoring on the play. Lester is day to day. Derek Jeter grounded into a fielder's choice against the man who replaced him, Hunter Jones, which brought Cano home and that would be the fourth and final run of the inning. Yankees up 5-0 after 3.
Joba Chamberlain pitched well. The Red Sox didn't get their first hit or run until the 4th inning with 2 outs, when Victor Martinez hit a solo home run. The Yankees came right back in the bottom half of the frame with a Jorge Posada RBI singled that scored A-Rod.
The Red Sox tacked two more on when David Ortiz hit his 27th home run of the season in the 6th. But, like clockwork, the Yankees came right back with another two runs in the bottom of the 6th. They came on an A-Rod double (scoring Johnny Damon) and a Posada single (which brought A-Rod home). Mark Teixeira scored Jeter on an RBI single in the seventh to make it 9-3, Yankees.
Joba was lifted after 6, having allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 1 walk. Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless seventh and gave way to Jonathan Albaladejo. His day went like this: walk, strikeout, single and an RBI single with a runner advancing to third on an error by Damon. Damaso Marte was brought in to face Ortiz and he got the slugger to ground into a fielder's choice, which scored another run. Phil Hughes was called to get the final out and did, retiring Jason Bay and stranding a runner at second.
Joe Girardi turned to Phil Coke for the ninth and, following a lead-off walk, he struck out Jason Varitek and induced a game ending double play ball off the bat of Casey Kotchman.
Joba got the win, improving to 9-6 on the year. A-Rod was the offensive star of the game, going 3 for 3 with a double, a home run, 3 runs, 4 RBI, 2 walks and 3 stolen bases. The Yankees ran wild on Varitek. Besides A-Rod's swipes, Jeter took 2 and Cano took one, as well - just his 5th of the year.
Jeter (2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB), Teixeira (1 run, 1 RBI), Matsui (1 run, 2 BB), Posada (2 RBI, 1 BB) and Cano (double, 1 run, 1 BB, 1 SB) all had 2 hits on the ninth.
The Yankees magic number for the American League East division title is now down to 3 games. Tomorrow at 4:10 PM ET, CC Sabathia (18-7, 3.31 ERA) will take the hill against Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-5, 6.80).
Recap records: Seamus: 46–25, Patrick: 41–20, Andrew: 11–11
