Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Frank Castillo was optioned back to Pawtucket and 24 year old lefty Lenny DiNardo was called up to take his place. Castillo didn't do THAT bad up here but Sox brass wants to give DiNardo a chance after picking him up in the Rule 5 draft back in September. With Byung-Hung Kim returning someone else has to go soon, so unless there's an injury, this could be the last of Castillo.
Arroyo got the ball in the top of the first and Derek Jeter led off with a bunt attempt snuffed out by Bill Mueller. Bernie Williams got a seeing eye single into right but Alex Rodrguez took strike three on the inside corner and Jason Giambi flied out to the left field warning track to end the inning. Brown got the ball in the bottom of the first and Johnny Damon led off by grounding out to first. Bill Mueller took strike three down the middle but David Ortiz doubled into the right field corner. Manny Ramirez grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Yankees struck first in the top of the second as Gary Sheffield ripped a base hit to center to start. Hideki Matsui walked and Travis Lee lined a base hit to the left field wall. Sheffield scored easily but Crespo bounced the relay throw home for an error to score Matsui. Old pal John Flaherty dumped a base hit to right just in front of Kapler to score Lee. Enrique Wilson dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move Flaherty to second as Sox analyst Jerry Remy scoffed at the Yankees for giving up an out with Arroyo on the ropes. Jerry had a point as Jeter was hit with a pitch but Williams grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Yankees did lead 3-0 but Arroyo was out of further trouble.
The Sox got a run back in the bottom of the second as Jason Varitek dumped a base hit to center to start. David McCarty struck out swinging and Varitek moved to second on a grounder to Brown by Crespo. Gabe Kapler stepped up with a base hit down the left field line to score Varitek to cut the lead. Pokey Reese dumped a base hit to right but Kapler forgot there were two outs and hesitated, only moving to second. Damon flied out to center to end the inning with the Sox down 3-1.
The Yankees struck again in the top of the third although A-Rod grounded out to Mueller to start. Giambi then hit a home run all the way to Baghdad to increase the lead. Sheffield struck out swinging but Matsui pounded a ground rule double over the head of Kapler into the stands. Lee grounded out to first to end the inning with the Yankees up 4-1.
Mueller tried to start a rally in the bottom of the third by chopping a base hit by Brown to start. Ortiz took strike three on the outside corner and Ramirez flied out to right. Varitek flied out to center to end the inning.
The Yankees threatened in the top of the fourth as Flaherty struck out swinging to start. Wilson fisted a base hit to center and moved to third on an error by Mueller that allowed Jeter to reach first. Williams popped up to second and A-Rod forced Jeter at second to end the inning. The Sox beat the ball in the dirt in the bottom of the fourth as McCarty grounded out to third to start. Crespo grounded out to second and Kapler grounded out to third to end the inning.
Arroyo plunked Giambi to start the top of the fifth but Sheffield popped up to Crespo. Matsui dropped a single to right but Lee banged into a double play to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the fifth as Reese flied out to center to start. Damon grounded out to short but Mueller doubled past Williams to the centerfield wall. Ortiz ripped a base hit to center to score Mueller to cut the lead in half but Ramirez flied out to the centerfield warning track to end the inning with the Sox down 4-2.
Flaherty struck out swinging to start the top of the sixth but Wilson grounded out to first. Jeter hit a routine grounder to Mueller who threw the ball into the Monster Seats for an error. Williams grounded out to short to end the inning. The Sox inched closer in the bottom of the sixth as Varitek launched his second home run of the year to start. McCarty grounded out to second, Crespo struck out swinging and Kapler grounded out to short to end the inning with the Sox down 4-3.
Arroyo returned briefly for the top of the seventh as A-Rod struck out swinging to start. That was it for Arroyo as Sox manager Terry Francona lifted Bronson for Alan Embree. Arroyo battled back to go 6 1/3 innings allowing 4 runs on 8 hits and a walk. Giambi grounded out to a diving Reese in the shift z and Sheffield flied out to center to end the inning.
The Sox finished off Brown in the bottom of the seventh as Reese dumped a base hit to left to chase him. Gabe White came in to face Damon and Johnny ripped a base hit down the first base line to move Pokey to third. Mueller struck out swinging and Ortiz hit a routine grounder to A-Rod. Rodriguez threw the ball 100 feet over the head of Wilson at second for an error to score Reese with the tying run. Damon moved to third on the play and Tom Gordon was brought in to face Ramirez with runners at the corners. Manny grounded into a double play to end the inning but the game was tied 4-4.
Matsui lined a base hit up the middle to start of the top of the eighth. Lee took strike three and that was it for Embree. Mike Timlin came in to face pinch hitter Jorge Posada and struck him out swinging. Ruben Sierra pinch hit for Wilson and grounded out to first to end the inning. Miguel Cairo came in to play second in the bottom of the eighth and Varitek struck out swinging to start. McCarty hit a pop up to left but Matsui misplayed it for a "double". McCarty moved to third on a grounder to second by Crespo and Kapler scored David with a base hit to left. Reese struck out swinging to end the inning but the Sox had the lead 5-4.
Keith Foulke came in to close out the top of the ninth and Jeter was called out on strikes on a questionable pitch on the outside corner. Ramirez crashed into the Monster on a Williams line drive but A-Rod got a base hit to left. Giambi took strike three at the knees to end the game. The Sox had rallied to win it 5-4.
Hero of The Night is Gabe Kapler. His rbi single in the eighth put the Sox up for good.
The Good:
Bill Mueller was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
David Ortiz was 3 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Jason Varitek was 2 for 4 with a home run and 2 runs scored.
Pokey Reese was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Alan Embree pitched a full scoreless inning.
Mike Timlin got the win with 2/3 of a scoreless inning.
Keith Foulke got the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
Manny Ramirez was 0 for 4.
Cesar Crespo was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
The Ugly:
Johnny Damon was just 1 for 4.
David McCarty was just 1 for 4 with a strikeout but scored a run.
Bronson Arroyo allowed 4 early runs but battled back to go 6 1/3 innings. He allowed 8 hits and a walk while striking out 5.
Final Thoughts:
Its only April but beating the Yankees three out of four is nothing to sneeze at. Not just winning but rallying to win was an even bigger accomplishment. The rumors is Byung-Hung Kim will be returning to take the fifth starter spot and Arroyo pitched like his life depended on it in the final four innings. If Kim does push Arroyo to the bullpen, that would guarantee either Mark Malaska or Lenny DiNardo will be sent down to Pawtucket. As for the offensive side, the Sox are getting some pop up at the bottom of their order and they desperately need it until the Sox get their guns back in June. A win like this shows the Sox resilience from last year carried over. The bullpen trio of Timlin, Embree and Foulke once again was lights out and that's going to win a lot of games this year. Kapler was the hero in this one with a couple of big hits and on days when Manny Ramirez is kept quiet, a day like that is always welcomed. The Sox now look to continue their winning ways against the Toronto Blue Jays as they head up there for a three game set. Tomorrow night Pedro Martinez (1-1) gets the start against Jays ace Roy Halladay in a re-match. The game begins at 7:05 PM at the Skydome.
No comments:
Post a Comment