Once more, the Yankees had no solution to retire Manny Ramirez, so Kyle Farnsworth threw at the slugger's head. Just as Farnsworth has trouble missing opposing hitters' bats, he did not hit Ramirez, who was retired on a sharp ground out later in the at-bat. Those Red Sox fans hoping for retaliation had to wait for the next time these teams meet as Josh Beckett did his damage by keeping Yankees bats quiet. While Ramirez belted two home runs and knocked in three, the Sox ace allowed three runs (all in the fifth inning) and six hits in eight innings as Boston defeated New York, 7-5.
It was the type of outing that Sox players, coaches and fans have grown accustomed to from Beckett. When you need a quality start, give him the ball. When you need a losing skid broken, give him the ball. When you need a post-season victory, give him the ball.
Beckett's eight inning stint was the longest for a Boston starter this season. Tomorrow night, Daisuke Matsuzaka will hopefully follow Beckett's lead - by pitching deep into the game and throwing strikes (Beckett walked just one) - in his start against Texas at Fenway Park.
Yankees starter Mike Mussina was as atrocious as Beckett was impressive. As expected, the Sox knocked him around. The onslaught was launched by a solo home run from Ramirez to lead off the second. An inning later, Boston plated four on a run-scoring force out from David Ortiz, a two-run shot by Ramirez and an RBI single by Jason Varitek. Mussina lasted three innings and served up five runs and seven hits, the second night in a row that Boston roughed up a Yankees starter.
The Sox claimed a 7-0 lead in the fifth when J.D. Drew lined a two-run double off Jonathan Albaladejo.
Beckett cruised in every inning but the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and Melky Cabrera on first, Johnny Damon ripped a double to place runners on second and third. Derek Jeter spoiled the shutout with a two-run single and Bobby Abreu followed with an RBI double. Beckett dismissed Alex Rodriguez on a pop out to end the rally and finished the game by retiring 10 in a row.
In typical Red Sox-Yankees fashion, the game was truly not over until the final out. Jonathan Papelbon entered in a non-save situation with a 7-3 lead in the ninth and coughed up two runs on Robinson Cano's RBI ground out and Cabrera's solo home run. The Sox closer vanquished New York's chances for a comeback by striking out pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui to seal the victory.
Though they lost a game they could have won last night, the Red Sox completed the back-to-back, two-game sets at Cleveland and New York with three victories and head back to Fenway Park for a four-game series against the Rangers with a 10-7 record and their rightful position atop the American League East. When the Red Sox defeat the Yankees, the world seems like a more pleasant place.
Notes and observations
- The bullpen thanks you, Josh Beckett. Three of the "Reliable Four" - Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima and David Aardsma - got a day of rest. Papelbon had not pitched since Monday, thus the reason Terry Francona summoned him in the ninth.
- Craig Hansen's return to the Red Sox could happen sooner than later. According to Peter Gammons on ESPN's Baseball Tonight, the team is thinking about calling up the right-hander, who has not allowed an earned run in 9.1 innings and six appearances for the Paw Sox. Overall, he has surrendered one unearned run and two hits while striking out 10 and walking three. Hansen will likely be an integral part of the Sox bullpen in the future. If Timlin, Tavarez and Lopez keep faltering, the future could be now.
- After a down year (for his standards), Manny Ramirez is undoubtedly Manny again. He has five home runs, 18 RBI and a .343 average. Yet, since David Ortiz is struggling, it is the production of Kevin Youkilis (.371, one home run, 11 RBI) and J.D. Drew (.362, three home runs, 12 RBI) that has been especially important. Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury (.211) are the only Sox players not hitting the ball well. Ellsbury has been getting on base. Tonight, he was hit by a pitch twice and had two stolen bases. There is little doubt that Ellsbury will start hitting the ball when he plays on a regular basis. Though Coco Crisp plays exceptional defense and is off to a nice start at the plate (.325), it would be beneficial if the Sox could acquire a top pitching prospect from the Cubs (as has been discussed) for Crisp. The Sox have Bobby Kielty at Pawtucket, and top prospect Brandon Moss, who can adequately fill the fourth outfielder's role.
- I believe that Kyle Farnsworth was throwing at Manny Ramirez, but I am glad that Josh Beckett chose to focus on getting outs instead of retaliating tonight. The Sox sorely needed that eight inning start, and a win after last night's debacle. They didn't need a suspension of the only starting pitcher on this team who throws strikes. Chances are, a Boston pitcher will deliver one high and tight to A-Rod when the teams meet at Yankee Stadium from July 3-6.
- If you haven't heard, Bryan Corey has elected free agency. Earlier this month, there was talk that the Baltimore Orioles were interested in the journeyman reliever. Japan is another possibility.
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