Lowe took the mound in the top of the first and got Alfonso Soriano to fly out to right on the first pitch. Derek Jeter grounded out to third and Jason Giambi was retired on a squibber back to Lowe to end the inning. Wells cruised in the bottom of the first as Johnny Damon grounded out to second to start before Todd Walker lined out to first. Nomar Garciaparra drew a walk but Manny Ramirez grounded into a force to end the inning.
The Yankees struck first in the top of the second although Bernie Williams led off by grounding out to first to start. Jorge Posada walked and moved to second on the grounder to third by Hideki Matsui. Nick Johnson was unintentionally intentionally walked before Grady Little bounded out of the dugout to make a pitching change but forgot there was no one warming up. When Lowe told him to get lost, Bill Mueller failed to corral a hard hit grounder by Aaron Boone to load the bases. Karim Garcia made Bill pay by lining a single up the middle to score Posada and Johnson to give the Yankees the lead. Soriano singled home Boone and advanced Garcia to third before Jeter grounded out to second to end the inning with the Yankees up for good 3-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the second as David Ortiz flied out to deep right to begin. Kevin Millar grounded out to third before Bill Mueller lined out to a leaping Soriano to end the inning.
Lowe settled down in the top of the third as Giambi whiffed to start. Williams grounded out to second and Posada grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox caught a break in the bottom of the third when Nixon leaned into a pitch to begin much to the dismay of Wells. Varitek grounded a single to left and both runners moved over on the grounder by Damon. Wells got a big out when Walker popped up to a running Matsui before Nomar whiffed on a full count fastball to end the inning.
Walker threw wide of first and Millar missed the tag on a Matsui grounder to open the top of the fourth inning. Johnson grounded out but Matsui moved to second. Mueller threw wide of first on a Boone grounder for a "hit" but Garcia flied out to left. Soriano whiffed to end the inning. The Sox finally struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Manny blasted a solo shot into the Monster Seats to put Boston on the board. Ortiz followed with a bloop single to center to bring the tying run to the plate but Millar banged into a double play. Mueller whiffed to end the inning but it was now 3-1 Yankees.
The Yankees nearly answered in the top of the fifth although Jeter grounded out to first to begin. Giambi singled to center and took third when Millar ole'd a ground ball hit by Williams. Lowe recovered by getting Posada to bang into a double play to end the inning. It was the Yankees turn for a miscue as Nixon grounded one to Soriano who muffed it for an error to start the bottom of the fifth. Wells got a big out when Varitek whiffed before Soriano atoned for his error to make a great play on a grounder by Damon to get Nixon at second on a force. Walker singled to right and Nomar walked to load the bases but Manny grounded to third to end the inning. HUGE squander by the Sox.
Right on cue the Yankees struck in the top of the sixth although Matsui grounded to second to begin. Johnson also grounded out to second but Boone walked. Lowe and Varitek executed a perfect pitch out to nab Boone at second trying to steal to end the inning. The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the sixth as Ortiz grounded out to short to start. Millar whiffed on a curveball down the middle and Mueller grounded out to third to end the inning.
The Yankees got their insurance run in the top of the seventh inning although Lowe froze Garcia on the outside corner to start. Soriano flied out to left and Jeter grounded out to short to end the inning. Had Grady Little pulled Lowe at this point, it would have been a heck of an effort. The Sox meanwhile had one last crack at Wells in the bottom of the seventh and Nixon whiffed after being up 3-0. Jeter made a great diving play to get Varitek at first on a grounder and Damon popped up to short to end the inning.
For whatever reason Lowe was asked to come back for the top of the eighth inning and the Yankees pounced. Giambi walked and David Dellucci ran for him but was erased on the Williams grounder to first. Posada singled Williams to third and that was it for Lowe. He shouldn't have come back for the 8th but left after being charged with 4 runs in 7 1/3 innings. Alan Embree was brought in and Matsui lined one off Alan and Mueller had no choice but to go to first for the out, scoring Williams with the insurance run. Johnson flied out to right to end the inning but the Sox were down 4-1
The Yankees summoned Mariano Rivera for the six out save but the Sox refused to go quietly. Walker pounded a triple into the right field corner to lead off but Nomar could only bring him in with a ground out to second. How big was that fourth run now? Ramirez whiffed but Ortiz singled to center to bring the tying run to the plate. Millar grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox down 4-2.
Bronson Arroyo got the call to pitch the top of the ninth inning and he whiffed Boone to start. Garcia walked but Soriano popped up to center. Jeter grounded into a force to end the inning. Rivera returned for the bottom of the ninth but the Sox had nothing left. Mueller grounded out to second, Nixon grounded out to third and Varitek popped up to short to end the game. The Yankees had won 4-2 and were one win away from the World Series.
Jackass of the Night is Kevin Millar. He was 0 for 4 and left men on base all game.
The Good:
Todd Walker was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Nomar Garciaparra walked twice in four plate appearances and drove in a run.
David Ortiz was 2 for 4.
Alan Embree got the final two outs of the eighth inning.
Bronson Arroyo pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Johnny Damon was 0 for 4.
Bill Mueller was 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 4 but the one hit was a solo home run.
Trot Nixon was 0 for 3 but was hit with a pitch.
Jason Varitek was just 1 for 4.
Derek Lowe took the loss but tossed 7 1/3 innings of 4 run ball. A little offensive help might have turned the game around.
Final Thoughts:
If the wild ride is about to end the Sox made it a hell of a season. The most prolific offense in recent memory is one game away from elimination and its easy to see why, great pitching always beats great hitting. The Sox were shut down by Andy Pettite, Roger Clemens and David Wells and are going to have to somehow beat two of them if they have any hope of winning the AL pennant. They couldn't crack Wells and hit in the clutch at all and the game was at home. How are they going to do it on the road tomorrow? If the Sox hope to stay alive in the series they're going to have to take a stand tomorrow afternoon against Andy Pettite. The Sox turn to the veteran John Burkett to keep their season alive at 4:00 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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