The Sox wasted no time getting to Brown in the top of the first as Johnny Damon walked to start. Bill Mueller walked as well and David Ortiz moved both runners over with a grounder to first. Manny Ramirez hit a sac fly to center to score Damon and put the Sox on top. Jason Varitek grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Arroyo got the ball in the bottom of the first and Derek Jeter walked to start. Hideki Matsui took strike three and Jeter was gunned down at second trying to steal. Alex Rodriguez grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Brown couldn't do anything right in the top of the second as Kevin Millar lined a ball off Brown and he threw the ball into the crowd, moving Millar to second. Mark Bellhorn hit a grounder to Travis Lee who flipped to Brown.....DROPPED IT! Gabe Kapler was plunked to load the bases and Pokey Reese hit a sac fly to center to score Millar. Damon flied out to left and Mueller grounded out to first to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
Reese drives in a run
Jason Giambi took strike three to start the bottom of the second before Gary Sheffield also watched strike three go by. Jorge Posada grounded out to second to end the inning.
Ortiz doubled to center to start the top of the third but Manny grounded back to the mound. Varitek walked and Millar moved both runners over with a grounder to third. Bellhorn flied out to center to end the inning. Both Lee and Bernie Williams grounded out to second to begin the bottom of the third but Enrique Wilson walked. Jeter flied out to right to end the inning.
Kapler grounded out to third to start the top of the fourth before Reese flied out to right. Damon grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees struck back in the bottom of the fourth as Matsui struck out swinging to start. A-Rod hit a home run all the way to Los Angeles to cut the lead. Giambi and Sheffield both grounded back to the mound to end the inning with the Yankees down 2-1.
Mueller doubled down the right field line to start the top of the fifth before moving to third on the Ortiz fly ball to right. Ramirez grounded back to the mound and Varitek flied out to center to end the inning. Posada flied out to center to open the bottom of the fifth and Lee flied out to left. Williams flied out to left to end the inning.
Millar flied out to right to open the top of the sixth and Bellhorn flied out to center. Kapler grounded out to short to end the inning. The Yankees beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the sixth as Wilson grounded out to first to start. Jeter grounded out to third and Matsui grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Sox blew a rally in the top of the seventh as Reese got a base hit to center to start. Damon flied out to right but Mueller walked. Ortiz took strike three and Ramirez forced Miller at second to end the inning. Arroyo ran out of gas in the bottom of the seventh as A-Rod beat out a roller to third to begin. Giambi dropped a base hit to right but Millar bobbled the ball for an error to move Rodriguez to third. Sheffield got a base hit to left to score A-Rod to tie the game and chase Arroyo. Bronson battled but lasted just 6+ innings while allowing 2 runs off four hits and 2 walks. Bubba Crosby pinch ran for Giambi with Scott Williamson coming in to pitch. Posada grounded out to first to move both runners over and Lee was intentionally walked to load the bases. The gamble worked as Williams grounded into a double play to end the inning with the game tied 2-2.
Better luck next time Arroyo
Old pal Tom Gordon came in to pitch the top of the eighth and Varitek struck out swinging to start. Millar and Bellhorn both went down hacking to end the inning. Alan Embree came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and old buddy Tony Clark pinch hit for Wilson. Clark grounded out to second before Jeter struck out swinging. Matsui flied out to right to end the inning.
Miguel Cairo took over at second to start the top of the ninth and Kapler walked to start. Reese dropped down a bunt to move Kapler to second and Gabe moved to third on the Damon grounder to second. Mueller popped up to short to end the inning. A-Rod walked to put the winning run on first to start the bottom of the ninth and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt by Crosby. Sheffield popped up to short and Posada was intentionally walked. Lee grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Mariano Rivera came in to pitch the top of the tenth and Ortiz flied out to the right field wall to start. Ramirez got a base hit to right but Varitek forced him at second. Varitek swiped second but Millar hit one up the elevator shaft to end the inning. Keith Foulke came in to pitch the bottom of the tenth and Ortiz booted a grounder by Williams for an error to start. Cairo dropped down a bunt to move Williams to second and Williams moved to third on a grounder to second by Jeter. Matsui walked and A-Rod was intentionally walked to load the bases. Ruben Sierra pinch hit for Crosby and grounded into a force to end the inning.
Bellhorn walked to start the top of the eleventh but Kapler's bunt forced him at second. Ellis Burks pinch hit for Reese and got hit with a pitch before Damon walked to load the bases. Mueller popped up to short and Ortiz struck out swinging to end the inning. Cesar Crespo took over at short for the bottom of the eleventh and Sheffield was hit with a pitch to start. Posada flied out to center, Lee also flied out to center and Sheffield was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning.
Paul Quantrill came in to pitch the top of the 12th and Ramirez doubled off the right field wall to start. Varitek grounded out to second to move Ramirez to third and Millar got hit with a pitch. Bellhorn hit a sac fly to center to score Ramirez to put the Sox on top. Kapler forced Millar at second to end the inning with the Sox up 3-2.
Ramirez scores the go-ahead run
Mike Timlin came in to close out the bottom of the 12th with David McCarty now at first base. Williams took strike three to start and Cairo struck out swinging. Jeter grounded out to third to end the game. The Sox had won it 3-2.
Sox win
Mark Hero
Scott Williamson pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Hero of The Night is Mark Bellhorn. His sac fly in the 12th put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Ellis Burks got hit with a pitch as a pinch hitter.
Manny Ramirez was 2 for 5 with an rbi and a run scored.
Pokey Reese was 1 for 2 with an rbi.
Bronson Arroyo tossed 6+ innings allowing just 2 runs of 4 hits and 2 walks.
Scott Williamson pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Alan Embree pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Keith Foulke tossed 3 scoreless innings to get the win.
Mike Timlin earned the save with a scoreless 12th inning.
The Bad:
None
The Ugly:
Johnny Damon was 0 for 4 but walked twice and scored a run.
Bill Mueller was just 1 for 4 but walked twice.
David Ortiz was just 1 for 6 with 2 strikeouts and an error.
Kevin Millar was just 1 for 5 with a strikeout and an error but was hit with a pitch and scored a run.
Jason Varitek was 0 for 5 with a strikeout but walked and stole a base.
Gabe Kapler was 0 for 4 but walked.
Honorable Mention:
Cesar Crespo played short in the final two innings.
David McCarty played first in the final inning.
Final Thoughts:
I hate to bring up last year but this is what Sox brass envisioned Game 7 going down if the Sox had one more arm in the bullpen. Keith Foulke matched Mariano Rivera in extra innings and they still had Mike Timlin left in the bullpen. There was no Aaron Boone this time and the Sox got to Paul Quantrill in the 12th inning. Arroyo pitched well and the bullpen was lights out as they were last October. Its only April but that's a huge sign of good things to come if everyone can stay healthy. The Yankees have no answer for Timlin, Embree, Williamson and Foulke and that's not counting the starters. Again, there's a long way to go but winning 5 out of 6 against the Yankees is nothing to sneeze at. Good work by Bellhorn for getting the run in to win this marathon. The Sox now look for the sweep against the Yankees tomorrow afternoon when Pedro Martinez (2-1) returns to Yankee Stadium to face Javier Vazquez of New York. The game begins at 1:05 PM at Yankee Stadium.
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