Sox Crush Contreras, Yankees (4/23/04)

The bad news was the Boston Celtics lost Game 3 of their first round NBA playoff series to the Indiana Pacers but the good news was the Boston Red Sox routed the New York Yankees. Boston's personal punching bag Jose Contreras was once again rocked by the Sox as they lit him up for five runs before he left in the fourth inning. Bill Mueller then hit a three run home run off Donovan Osbourne to put the game out of reach. Derek Lowe (2-1, 6.75 ERA) tossed 6 solid innings allowing just 2 runs to keep the Sox in front. The Sox poured it on against the Yankees bullpen with Manny Ramirez hitting a home run as the exclamation point. The Sox had made a statement to the Yankees on the road as they beat them 11-2 at Yankee Stadium.

                                                  Cynthia Brimhall approves of the win

Contreras got the ball in the top of the first inning and Johnny Damon led off by striking out swinging on a pitch in the dirt. Bill Mueller popped up to Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz flied out to center to end the inning. Lowe got the ball in the bottom of the first and Bubba Crosby grounded out to second to start. Derek Jeter lined out to right but A-Rod doubled to right. Jason Giambi walked but Damon made a snowcone catch to rob Gary Sheffield to end the inning. 

The Sox struck first in the top of the second as Manny Ramirez took strike three to start. Ellis Burks singled in the hole in right and somehow stole second base. Jason Varitek grounded back to the mound to move Ellis to third and Kevin Millar walked. Mark Bellhorn got a seeing eye single into right to score Burks and Pokey Reese popped up to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 1-0.

                                                     Bellhorn drives in a run

Hideki Matsui singled down the left field line to start the bottom of the second before Bernie Williams lined out to Bellhorn. John Flaherty grounded into a double play to end the inning. 

Damon walked to start the top of the third before stealing second. Mueller flied out to left but Ortiz walked. Ramirez hit a 410 foot out to center to move both runners over but Burks grounded out to third to end the inning. Enrique Wilson grounded out to short to start the bottom of the third before Crosby struck out swinging. Jeter grounded back to the mound to end the inning.

The Sox knocked out Contreras in the top of the fourth although Varitek struck out swinging to start. Millar belted his second home run of the season to increase the lead and Bellhorn responded with his second home run of the season for back to back jacks. Reese singled to right and stole second before Damon walked to chase Contreras. Donovan Osbourne came in and Mueller promptly hit a three run bomb to ice the game. Ortiz flied out to right and Ramirez popped up to first to end the inning.

                                                    Sox pour it on

A-Rod grounded back to the mound to start the bottom of the fourth before Giambi grounded out to short. Sheffield walked but Matsui grounded out to third to end the inning.

Burks struck out swinging to start the top of the fifth before Varitek grounded out to second. Millar walked and Bellhorn struck out swinging to end the inning. Williams singled to center to start the bottom of the fifth before Flaherty grounded into a double play. Wilson got a base hit to center but Crosby grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Sox struck again int he top of the sixth as Reese grounded out to second to start. Damon doubled into the right field corner but Mueller flied out to center. Ortiz ripped a double to center to score Damon and chase Osbourne. Scott Proctor got Ramirez to fly out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 7-0.

                                                          Ortiz drives in another run

Jeter struck out swinging to start the bottom of the sixth before A-Rod grounded out to short. Giambi grounded out to first to end the inning.

The Sox kept pouring it on in the top of the seventh as Burks walked to start. Varitek struck out swinging and Millar flied out to left but Bellhorn got a base hit over the head of Wilson into right. Reese hit a pop up but Crosby fell down and couldn't make the play, scoring Burks and Bellhorn for a "double". Damon got a base hit to center to score Pokey and Mueller walked. Ortiz struck out swinging to end the inning with the Sox up 10-0.

                                              Microcosm of tonight's game for New York

David McCarty came in for Ortiz at first to start the bottom of the seventh but Sheffield got a base hit to left to start. Matsui then hit a home run all the way to Long Island and that was it for Lowe. He went 6 plus innings and allowed 2 runs. Mike Timlin came in and Williams grounded out to second before Flaherty struck out swinging. Wilson flied out to left to end the inning with the Sox up 10-2.

                                                              Good work by Lowe

Alex Graman came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Ramirez greeted him with his fourth home run of the season to wrap up the scoring. Burks flied out to right and Varitek hit a pop up to shallow right. Sheffield dropped it for an error but Millar forced Varitek at second. Bellhorn took strike three to end the inning with the Sox up 11-2.

                                                      Home run Manny

Cesar Crespo came in for Mueller to start the bottom of the eighth and Crosby lined out to short to start. Jeter struck out swinging but Mueller failed to throw out A-Rod in time on a ground ball for a "single". Giambi took strike three to end the inning.

Reese flied out to center to start the top of the ninth before Damon grounded out to third. Crespo struck out swinging to end the inning. Doug Mirabelli took over behind the plate as Lenny DiNardo made his ML debut on the mound in the bottom of the ninth. Sheffield grounded out to third and DiNardo got his first career K when Matsui went down hacking. Williams grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 11-2.

                                                            Sox win

Hero of The Night is Bill Mueller. His three run bomb put the game out of reach.

                                                        Bill Hero

The Good:

Johnny Damon was 2 for 4 with 2 walks, an rbi, a stolen base and 2 runs scored.

Kevin Millar was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and a home run.

Mark Bellhorn was 3 for 5 with a home run, 2 total rbis and 2 total runs scored.

Pokey Reese was 2 for 5 with a stolen base, 2 rbis and 2 runs scored.

Derek Lowe got the win with 6 innings of 2 run ball. He allowed 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out two.

Mike Timlin tossed two scoreless innings.

Lenny DiNardo pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

The Bad:

Cesar Crespo struck out in his only plate appearance.

Jason Varitek was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

David Ortiz was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but walked and drove in a run.

Manny Ramirez was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout but the one hit was a home run.

Ellis Burks was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but stole a base, walked and scored two runs.

Honorable Mention:

David McCarty played first base in the final innings.

Doug Mirabelli caught the bottom of the ninth.

Final Thoughts:

That's four out of five to start the season for the Red Sox against the Yankees. Usually the Sox have good April's but fall apart by June, not just against the Yankees but against everyone. It remains to be seen how June will be but so far the Yankees have no answers for the Red Sox. Derek Lowe was their punching bag last year but came up big tonight. The bats delivered tonight but mostly the trio of Bill Mueller, Ellis Burks and Mark Bellhorn. Yes Ortiz drove in a run and Manny hit one out but those three were the key factors. Ellis stealing a base, Bellhorn's homer, Damon's steal...everything went right. Lowe was pitching great but the long inning where the Sox had the rally disrupted his rhythm. Still, that's a great problem to have when you get a 10 run lead and have your bullpen ready to help. Good work by Timlin and by rookie Lenny DiNardo in his ML debut. All in all the Sox pounded Contreras again and beat the Yankees in their home turf. The Sox look to make it two in a row against the Yankees tomorrow afternoon when Bronson Arroyo goes one on one with Kevin Brown. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.