Pettite got the ball in the top of the first inning and Gabe Kapler greeted him with an infield single off the glove of Derek Jeter at short for his first hit of the post-season. The Yankees then pulled off a strike em' out, throw em' out double play when Bill Mueller watched a full count strike three go by and Kapler was thrown out by a mile. Nomar Garciaparra hit a roller up the middle for a base hit and Manny Ramirez singled off the glove of Alfonso Soriano, moving Nomar to third. David Ortiz walked to load the bases but Kevin Millar popped up to short to end the inning. 3 hits and a walk with nothing to show for it. Lowe got the ball in the bottom of the first and Soriano foul tipped into the mitt for strike three to begin. Jeter grounded out to short but Jason Giambi walked. Bernie Williams grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the second inning as Jason Varitek doubled down the right field line to start. Trot Nixon singled to center to move Jason to third and Damien Jackson blooped a single to center to score Varitek. At this point the Sox had Pettite on the run with 6 hits in just over an inning, but that was all she wrote as Kapler banged into a double play. Mueller grounded out to third to end the inning but the Sox were up 1-0.
The Yankees wasted no time taking the lead in the bottom of the second inning as Jorge Posada walked to open the frame. Hideki Matsui forced Posada at second but Nick Johnson broke a 2 for 33 slump going back to the regular season with a 2 run bomb to right to put the Yankees on top. Aaron Boone grounded out to third and Karim Garcia grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees had taken command and it was only the beginning.
Now that the Yankees had the lead, Pettite began to dominate in the top of the third. Nomar popped to short, Manny flied out to right and Ortiz grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees pounced on Lowe in the bottom of the third although Soriano flied out to left to start. Jeter reached on a swinging bunt to third and Giambi singled to left. Williams singled home Jeter to increase the lead. The Sox briefly turned into bumbling buffoons as Posada hit a routine grounder to Jackson who booted it. They still had a chance to get Williams at second but Nomar bungled the throw by Jackson and everyone was safe. Lowe recovered to get Matsui to ground to first, the throw coming home to force Giambi at home for the second out. Johnson grounded out to short to end the inning but the Yankees had a 3-1 lead.
Pettite kept the Sox off the board in the top of the fourth inning as Millar popped up to second to start. Varitek popped up to first but Nixon worked a walk. Nixon stole second but Jackson whiffed to end the inning. Lowe got in trouble when he plunked Boone to begin the bottom of the fourth and Aaron swiped second. He took third on the ground-out by Garcia but Lowe got a huge out when he whiffed Soriano. Jeter grounded out to short to end the inning.
Kapler led off the top of the fifth by whiffing on a pitch up in his eyes. Mueller grounded out to short but Nomar poked a single to left. Ramirez lined out to the right field wall to end the inning. The Yankees got another run in the bottom of the fifth although Lowe made a great stab to rob Giambi of a hit. Williams doubled to left but Posada flied out to left. Matsui singled home Williams but was thrown out at second trying to stretch. The inning was over but the Yankees now led 4-1.
The Sox finally tagged Pettite again in the top of the sixth inning. Ortiz flied out to left and Millar whiffed, but Varitek clobbered a line drive home run into left to cut the lead in half. Nixon flied out to center to end the inning but the Sox were back within two, 4-2.
Lowe did his part to keep it a two run game in the bottom of the sixth. Johnson hit a comebacker to Lowe, Boone grounded out to short and Garcia grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox had their last chance to do some damage in the top of the seventh but failed miserably. Jackson grounded out to second and Kapler whiffed, but Mueller singled to right to chase Pettite. The much maligned Jose Contreras got the call and with a chance to tie the game....Nomar popped up on the first pitch. Lowe came back for the bottom of the seventh and got Soriano to ground out to first to start. Jeter grounded out to third and Sox manager Grady Little stuck with Lowe to face Giambi instead of Scott Sauerbeck. The gamble backfired as Giambi singled and Williams walked to chase Lowe. David Delucci ran for Giambi as the Fox announcers all agreed Little never should have let Lowe pitch to Giambi. Sauerbeck came in to face the switch hitting Posada so naturally Jorge lined a ball into the gap to score both runners and ice the game. Not only did Grady Gump leave Lowe in too long, he brought the lefty in to face the guy who can hit right handed. A passed ball moved Posada to third and Matsui walked. Johnson grounded out to second to end the inning with the Yankees up for good 6-2.
Contreras returned for the top of the eighth and whiffed Ramirez to start. Ortiz popped up to third and Millar popped up to short to end the inning. Bronson Arroyo was tasked to pitch the bottom of the eighth and whiffed Boone to start. Garcia grounded out to first but Soriano was plunked. Jeter whiffed to end the inning.
Yankees manager Joe Torre took no chances and brought in Mariano Rivera to close out the top of the ninth with an off-day tomorrow. Varitek grounded out to second and Nixon whiffed. Todd Walker pinch hit for Jackson and singled. David McCarty pinch hit for Kapler as Walker took second on defensive indifference but McCarty whiffed to end the game. The Yankees had evened the series going back to Boston with a 6-2 win.
Jackass of the Night is Derek Lowe. Yes Sauerbeck gave up the last two but Lowe ultimately surrendered 6 runs in 6 2/3 innings. A performance like Pettite would have given the Sox a chance but being down 4 runs in the eighth took the life out of them.
The Good:
Nomar Garciaparra was just 2 for 4.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with 2 total runs scored and a solo home run.
Trot Nixon was 1 for 3 with a walk and a stolen base.
Damien Jackson was 1 for 3 with an rbi.
Todd Walker singled as a pinch hitter.
Bronson Arroyo pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
David McCarty struck out as a pinch hitter.
Kevin Millar was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Scott Sauerbeck gave up a 2 run double and a walk in just 1/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Gabe Kapler was just 1 for 4.
Bill Mueller was just 1 for 4.
Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3 but walked.
Final Thoughts:
The Sox missed a golden chance to bury the Yankees tonight. They had Pettite on the run in the second inning and let him off the hook. Lowe didn't have his A game and that was all she wrote. The Kapler double play was the beginning of the end as the Sox had just 4 hits the rest of the game. Pettite has always been a big post-season pitcher so with him you tip your cap and move on. This puts all the pressure on Game 3 just like 4 years ago, only this time the series is 1-1 instead of down 2-0. If Pedro Martinez beats Roger Clemens this time, the Sox move one step closer to the pennant and puts the Yankees in another hole. Hopfully Pedro can repeat his 1999 magic one more time in Game 3 on Saturday at Fenway Park.
No comments:
Post a Comment