Red Sox – Yanks IV: Live Blog

Wang starts tonight facing Ellsbury with a strike. Coco Crisp is sitting out tonight with a sore hammy. Two pitches, ground out, one away. Wang not as sharp the next batter, though, and Pedroia walks on 4 pitches. That’s the first walk issued by Wang since the 4th inning in Tampa on April 6th. Ortiz check swings a ground out to short to continue his poor start to the season. After sitting in the last game against the Yankees, he doubled his hit total by adding two in the series vs. Cleveland. Wang pitches to Manny with first base open, and that’s a mistake… Double deep to center, off the wall, Pedroia scores. Still two away as Youkilis steps to the plate. Wang gets ahead 0-2 and Youkilis goes around on the 1-2 pitch for the strike out. Yankees to the plate after this!

Nice weather in New York tonight – 59 degrees and mostly sunny. Buchholz faces Cabrera to start of the bottom half, and one broken bat pop-out away he’s back in the dugout. Jeter, facing the Red Sox and Buccholz for the first time, hits one up the right side, off of Casey’s glove to reach safely. Casey did not miss a ball the last series so I guess its finally caught up to him. Scored a hit, though, so tonight will not be a no-no for either team. Abreu in, ball driven deep – way back! Way back! See-ya! Just like that, the Yankees are up 2-1! Let’s hope they can keep Bucky on the run as A-Rod comes on now. The pitch to Abreu was a high fastball – not going to get away with that one too often against Bobby. A-Rod takes it deeeeeeeeeeeeep to left! #522 for Alex Rodriguez is a hard shot to left and lands in the Red Sox bullpen! A-Rod is now all alone in 15th place on the all time home run list, behind Jimmie Foxx. Buchholz had given up a grand total of zero dingers prior to Abreu’s, now his total is at two. Matsui steps in and works a full count before flying out to left. He got good wood on it, but it didn’t have the power to go the distance. Posada grounds to second, inning over, 3-1 Bombers!

First pitch by Wang turns into a single for J.D. Drew. Wang is really not looking too sharp… walk to Varitek puts two on with none away. Jeet comes over to say something in English that Wang probably doesn’t understand. Another walk to Casey… Now Dave Eiland comes out, Giambi comes over, Moeller comes up and we’re having a conference at the mound. Lugo grounds to third, Drew scores, other runners move up, one away. Ellsbury rolls a sinker back to Wang, he throws it to Posada as Varitek was charging and he’s caught in a run down. First and second now, two away, Wang trying to hold a one-run lead. Grounder to second by Pedroia, three outs and only one run scored after a bases loaded no out jam. Wang’s taking a page out of Pettitte’s book from last night.

Giambi steps in for his first AB of the game, .094 this season. Unfortunately, nothing doing – grounder to second. Cano is also suffering this season and also grounds to Peroia, two away. Moeller in – Molina is the back-up for tonight as he can throw but not run. Posada may not be ready to start tomorrow, either. He lines one to Pedroia but Pedroia can only handle 2/3 this inning and it goes past him to right field for a base hit. Melky on now, but he goes down on a check swing strike three.

Ortiz comes in to face Wang and he grounds to short right, exactly where GI Joe placed Robbie Cano for the first out. Manny in now, YES! announcers are making fun of Leiter for getting beat to the tune of a .409 batting average against him. Wang battles him full (not the other way around with a hitter like Manny) before… strike out! Manny thought it was ball four, took off for first but was soon notified of the error of his ways. Manny barks at the home plate ump but goes to sit down. Cabrera catches a fly ball from Youkilis and Wang goes 1-2-3 in the third.

Jeter leads off the bottom of the inning and takes the count full, fouls a few away, then slaps one up the middle – Lugo gets to it and Jeet’s out. Buchholz is to 50 pitches already. Abreu takes a few pitches himself before lining to second. A-Rod only takes four pitches before swing-and-a-miss on a nice curve ball, inning over.

Drew fouls one to right and Matsui goes allllllllll the way to the wall to make the grab! Varitek hits one to right, off of a diving Giambi – Abreu hurls it to second but Varitek beats the throw by milliseconds. Sean Casey hits a single to left center – Melky takes it and hurls it home but the throw is up the first base line and Moeller drops it anyways, Varitek scores, Casey to second on the throw. Grounder to A-Rod and a fly out to Cabrera ends the inning, tie ball game 3-3.

Godzilla rips a single up the middle to start off the bottom of the 4th. Posada flies out to Ellsbury, one away. Giambi steps in – the shift is on. He pulls one to right but it drops into the gap for a base hit! Cano flies to deep center, Matsui tags to third, two down for Chadwick D. Moeller. Fifteen minutes later, he’s still battling at the plate, about 1,500 pitches by Buchholz so far this at bat and a full count on Moeller. Finally a fast ball breaks Moeller’s bat but the ball drops in left for an RBI… double! How’s that for a #9 hitter? Melky takes a 3-1 pitch for a BB and the bases are loaded for Cap’n Clutch! The crowd is on its feet – Line drive base hit! Giambi scores! Moeller scores! Melky stops at third! 6-3 Yankees on that two RBI base hit to right! Bucky gets the hook, Tavarez coming in.

Abreu in, two on and two out. Wild pitch! Cabrera scores! 7-3 Yankees! Abreu goes down swinging, though, to end the inning.

Wang takes the hill in the top of the 5th, Pedroia hacks one up the line to third and it goes to the stands for a ground rule double. Slumpy McSlumperson David Ortiz in. Unfortunately he decides he’s sick of slumping and slaps a single to right scoring Pedroia. Now 7-4 Yankees with Ortiz on and Manny up. Manny singles again and Cabrera almost gets Ortiz with a throw behind him after he rounded second. Youkilis singles to left but Ortiz is holding in case its caught and only makes it to third… Bases loaded, zero outs, J.D. Drew up. Base hit up the middle, Ortiz scores, Manny scores, no outs… Girardi has seen enough and Wang gets the hook, Ohlendorf will take over.

YES camera took forever to cut go to commercial and just hung there on Wang… he did not look happy. Runners on first and second with no outs and Ohlendorf faces Varitek – he goes down looking! Big out for Ross. Casey at the bat now, here’s hoping for a double play. Frack! Casey singles to center on a full count, run scores, tie ball game, J.D. Drew to third. Lugo goes down looking for the second out and now Ellsbury will come on… He takes a walk. Bases loaded now for Pedroia. He singles through a gap and two more runs score… 9-7 Red Sox. Jeter made a nice bid for it but there was no getting to that one. Pedroia started off this inning with a ground rule double and the damage hasn’t gone away. Ohlendorf faces Ortiz.. Strikes him out! A six run inning for the Red Sox, though, and the score is now 9-7.

A-Rod faces Tavarez and a grounder to second base doesn’t do much… one away. Matsui gets something started with a base hit, his second of the night. Posada cranks one to left! Matsui all the way around third! Here comes the throw! Close play… SAFE! Posada to third! Giambi is up with the tying run at third – all you’ve gotta do is pull it, Jason, you can do it! Giambi takes a base on balls… First and third, one away for Cano. You can do it, Robbie! Relax and wait for your pitch. He gets it! Base hit to right! Tie ball game! Go Robbie!! Moeller in now with runners at first and second, still only one away. Moeller takes a walk of his own to bring up Melky…. bases loaded, one away. Grounder to first, throw to second gets Moeller, throw to first… gets away! Moeller slide right at Lugo and the throw sailed left of Tavarez! Two runs score, now 11-9 Yankees! Jeter up, Cabrera just saunters over to third and steals it! Unfortunately, the Cap grounds to third to end the onslaught.

Top of the sixth, Ohlendorf faces Manny. #22 LaTroy Hawkins warms up in the pen… Walk to Manny is probably a smart move at this point, except Ohlendorf is pulled to bring in Hawkins. He’ll face Youkilis. Ouch… hard foul off the toe. He goes down quietly after that. J.D. Drew comes on and singles again. Manny holds at second. Drew is 3-4 tonight. Varitek strikes out looking on the inside corner on a sweet pitch that juuuuust nicks the corner. Casey is down 1-2 in the count and the crowd comes to life for Hawkins! If he strikes out the side, I think he’ll win over the fans. He’ll settle for a pop foul, caught by Matsui at the wall again! Nice night for Godzilla! Still 11-9 Yanks!

David Aardsma out of the bullpen for the Red Sox to face Abreu, A-Rod, and Matsui. Abreu flys out to left on a decent catch by Manny. He’s too lazy to slow down, so he bounces off the wall for no good reason. The game has been on for three hours and we’re still only into the bottom of the sixth. A-Rod gets beaned in the back to take first base. Matsui flies out to center to bring up Posada with two away. Pop out to short, side retired, only six away! I guess I’m not getting any sleep tonight!

Red Sox go quietly (finally) in the top of the 7th as Hawkins gets the job done for the Yanks against Lugo (ground to pitcher), Ellsbury (lined to short), and Pedroia (ground to short).

Giambi flies out to center for the first out, Cano grounds out to second for the second, but Chad Moeller will not go quietly into the night! Single to left with two away brings up Cabrera. Lined up the right field line! The ball caroms off the wall in foul territory right to Drew. Moeller in at third, throw to second and Cabrera is… out! Damn! Strong throw by Drew was close enough for the ump at second… looked safe to me.

Traber takes the mound and gets Ortiz on one pitch to pop out to Moeller behind the plate. Traber out, Bruney in to face Manny. Bruney’s hitting 98 according to the ESPN gun. Manny rails one just over a jumpin’ Jeter’s glove for a base hit. That guy will just not stop hitting. Bruney gets ahead of Youkilis right away 0-2 – Youkilis chases high and comes up empty, strike three! Two away, now the 3-4 J.D. Drew steps in. He takes about a 15 minute at bat before popping out to Matsui.

Jed Lowry has taken over for Youkilis at third and he looks like he’s about fifteen years old. Jeter will take on Mike Timlin (yes!) to start the bottom of the 9th. Giambi is hoping for a crack at him, I’m sure. Mo Rivera starts to warm up in the pen. Jeter draws a walk after 1,074 pitches fouled off. Smilin’ Bobby fouls off a few dozen himself, including one off of his craw, but he swings and misses. A-Rod drives one to left center that bounces over the wall for a ground rule double, holding Jeter at third… That actually cost the Yankees a run. Free pass for Matsui brings up Posada with one away and bases loaded. Blooper in to right field! Jeter scores! A-Rod scores! Damon to third, Posada to second! Giambi steps in and RIPS ONE TO RIGHT… Foul. Wow, he got ahold of ALL of that pitch and I think he put some more on it – there was no doubt about that one if it had stayed fair. Giambi has three hits all season, two of them homers off of Timlin. Can lightning strike thrice? He finally goes the other way! Drops one into left field, Damon scores, Posada scores! I think Rivera is going to cool down in the pen and we’ll see who closes out this game. Francona out to ask Timlin what he’s thinking. The score has ballooned to 15-9. Cano pops out, two away. Moeller finally goes down tonight without making some noise to end the inning.

We’re finally in the 9th here and Bruney will stay on to face Varitek.  He grounds to first, one away.  Casey draws a walk to bring up Lugo.  Brianey is bringing the heat – 96, 97, 98 mph pitches so far tonight.  Lugo singles, but Ellsbury pops to Jeter for the second out.  Pedroia flies out to Damon in left, ballgame over!  Yankees win!  Theeeeee Yankees win!

What a showing by both offenses…  15-9, 14 hits for the Sox, 16 for the Yanks, and one error (forced by Moeller’s slide into second) by the Red Sox.  I’m headed for bed, catch you tomorrow!