Game 53: Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 9Game 54: Final Score: Boston Red Sox 11, New York Yankees 6
Game 55: Final Score: Boston Red Sox 5, New York Yankees 6
As Robin so succinctly put it to me in an email this morning, "these games were an awesome sandwich with crap buns: bleh WOO bleh." Losing two out of three at home to the Great Rival is hard enough, but an ending like last night leaves a bitter taste in the mouth that extends well into the next morning like a bad hangover, even when tempered with the excitement of the game and the sweet 12.5 game pad in the standings. Still, the final score of Game 55 is just the surface of the weekend that had more subplots than a soap opera story arc. Let's recap:
Where has the starting pitching gone? Not a good series for Red Sox starters: a combined total of 22 hits, 16 runs, 10 walks and only 9 strikeouts in 15 innings isn't in line for spectacular, even against the Yankees. Beckett had the best outing of the set, but still had two tough innings and gave up a brace of runs before his offense woke up and handed him what turned out to be a no decision. I'm happy to blame this lackluster run on the odd weather haunting the East Coast this weekend and move on.
Battle of the Bullpens. I'd be happy to give all of the props in the world to the Red Scare for their job this weekend, but the measure of their success is entirely conditional. On Friday, when the game flew out of reach on the wings of the knuckleball, the four scoreless innings courtesy of Romero, Pineiro and Lopez were like a pretty girl getting stood up by her date: all dressed up and nowhere to go. On Saturday, when the Sox returned the favor and tore into Mussina and Scott Proctor, giving up a run or two (the weekend's consistent theme) was just collateral damage to ending the game as quickly as possible. Last night...well, unfortunately last night was when things really counted; when Lady Luck jumped out of her seat in the EMC Club and into Joe Torre's waiting arms and said, "it's time I did you fellas a good turn." The triple and the home run came at the worst possible times against pitchers who have become the watchwords for automatic, but thus the game.
Kevin Youkilis and his 23 game hit streak. Nowhere near magic number 56 (or, if you believe Joe Morgan's crazed ramblings, the "150 to 200 game" hitting streak Derek Jeter somehow put together over the past few years without anyone noticing), but still a satisfying run for Youk, who snapped his streak on Saturday with an 0 for 2 with three walks. Last year's big surprise was Youkilis robbing J.T. Snow of any use in baseball life by becoming a vacuum at first base; this year's surprise may be Youkilis superseding J.D. Drew as the power in the heart of the order. If so, it might be reasonable to suspect that Youkilis has a thing against guys with two first names.
Dustin Pedroia will accept your homage now. Thirteen game hitting streak. Hitting .500 over the past week or so. Hit the double that cleared the bases in the fifth last night, bringing Boston back into the game. Very nearly hit a second double that would have tied/won the game in the eighth, if not for the interference of Lady Luck (see above) guiding the hand of Bobby Abreu. DC may be waiting for Pedroia to swing so hard that he falls over, but I'm perfectly happy to enjoy this hot streak while it lasts. Go P-Dawg!
Whither Big Papi? Actually, that's not fair: Ortiz has an OBP of 1.091 over the past month, which is monstrous. It just hasn't been as visceral of an impact, because it's been weeks since he's hit a home run. That should have changed last night against Rivera, because that ball was gone as soon as it hit the bat, but once again, Lady Luck had other ideas. Last night was the exception, rather than the rule and I have no doubt Ortiz will drive balls over the wall again in good time.
The Rivalry is back. For better or for worse, the Yankees play a good game when they face the Sox. As I said a couple of months ago, the rivalry isn't any fun when one side is horribly overmatched, which means the Yankees will have to win a few games...or two series in a row. Boston and New York don't face each other again until the end of August, when the games will have become much more important, so now is the time to lick wounds, maintain that AL East lead and wait for the time when sweet revenge can be claimed. For now: off to the West Coast! I hate (baseball) trips to the West Coast! Turn that hatred into wins!
Posts
