Before the game the Boston Red Sox made a roster move. Jed Lowrie was placed on the Injured List and Enrique Gonzalez was called up to take his spot. Gonzalez pitched for the Padres this year and was rehabbing in Lowell. So much for Lowrie....again.
As for the game, what a disaster. The Sox have now lost 5 games in a row and haven't scored a run in 24 consecutive innings. CC Sabathia allowed just 2 hits in 7 2/3 shutout innings as the Yankees bolted to a 2-0 lead over Clay Buchholz (1-2, 5.33 ERA). Things fell apart when Ramon Ramirez was thrown out of the game in the seventh inning and new call up Enrique Gonzalez was tagged for 2 runs in emergency relief. Phil Hughes and David Robertson slammed the door as the Yankees blanked the Sox 5-0 at Yankee Stadium. How many runs did the Sox score Dean Wormer?
Sabathia got the ball in the top of the first and Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out to second to start. Dustin Pedroia struck out swinging and Victor Martinez popped up to second to end the inning. Buchholz got the ball in the bottom of the first and Derek Jeter grounded out to short to start. Kevin Youkilis dropped a routine pop up by Johnny Damon for an error but Mark Teixeira struck out swinging. Alex Rodriguez grounded out to short to end the inning.
Kevin Youkilis popped up to right to start the top of the second and David Ortiz flied out to center. Mike Lowell struck out swinging to end the inning. Hideki Matsui grounded out to third to start the bottom of the second but Robinson Cano singled to center. Nick Swisher grounded into a double play to end the inning.
JD Drew grounded back to the mound to start the top of the third and Casey Kotchman struck out swinging. Nick Green grounded out to second to end the inning. That's 18 straight innings without scoring now. The Yankees struck first in the bottom of the third as Melky Cabrera singled in the hole at short to start. Jose Molina walked but Jeter grounded into a double play. Damon walked and Teixeira got a base hit to right to score Molina to put the Yankees on top. A-Rod grounded out to short to end the inning with the Yankees up 1-0.
The Sox failed to respond in the top of the fourth as Ellsbury struck out swinging to start. Pedroia flied out to center and Martinez grounded out to third to end the inning. Matsui led off the bottom of the fourth by flying out to left. Cano singled to right and Swisher walked, but Cabrera flied out to left. Molina struck out swinging to end the inning.
Youkilis grounded out to short to start the top of the fifth but Ortiz walked. Lowell flied out to center and Drew struck out swinging to end the inning with the scoreless streak now at 20 innings. Jeter struck out swinging to start the bottom of the fifth but Damon doubled to left. Teixeira walked and both runners moved over on the A-Rod grounder to the mound. Matsui grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
Kotchman took strike three to begin the top of the sixth and Green lined out to left. Ellsbury got a base hit to center to break up the no-hitter but Pedroia struck out swinging to end the inning. Buchholz returned for one final inning in the bottom of the sixth but Cano doubled to center to start. Cano moved to third on the sacrifice bunt by Swisher and Cabrera was intentionally walked. Molina hit a sac fly to left to score Cano to increase the lead. Jeter flied out to right to end the inning with the Yankees up 2-0.
The streak continued in the top of the seventh as Martinez walked to start. Youkilis got a base hit to center but Ortiz struck out swinging. Lowell grounded into a double play to end the inning. Ramon Ramirez came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Damon flied out to left to start. Teixeira walked and suddenly A-Rod was plunked. Home plate umpire Jim Joyce immediately tossed Ramirez out of the game with even notorious Sox hater Tim McCarver on commentary asking why. Sox manager Terry Francona sprinted out of the dugout to ask what's with the itchy trigger finger. Joyce argued that he buzzed Teixeira up and in and this was completely intentional. Francona argued the Sox desperately need this game, why would they throw at A-Rod already down 2 runs? Francona's argument fell on deaf ears and went back to the dugout.
Enrique Gonzalez, called up from Pawtucket today, came in to pitch ice cold. Matsui blooped a base hit to left to load the bases but Cano forced Teixeira at home. Swisher walked to score A-Rod but Cabrera grounded out to first to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 3-0.
"Aye carumba! What have I gotten myself into?" - Gonzalez
The Sox incompetence continued in the top of the eighth as Drew lined out to second to start. Kotchman struck out swinging and that was it for Sabathia. He damn near pitched an 8 inning shutout. Phil Hughes struck Green out swinging to end the inning. Gonzalez got tagged in the bottom of the eighth as Molina got a base hit to left to start. Jeter hit a home run all the way to Shea Stadium to ice the game and Damon grounded out to second. Teixeira grounded out to first and A-Rod flied out to center to end the inning with the Yankees up 5-0.
This one's over
Jerry Hairston Jr came in for Swisher with David Robertson now on the mound to start the top of the ninth. Ellsbury got a base hit to center but Pedroia flied out to center. Martinez singled in the hole at second but Youkilis flied out to center. Ortiz took strike three right down the middle to end the game. The Yankees had shut out the Sox 5-0.
Yankees win
Nice double play, Jackass
Jackass of The Night is Mike Lowell. He was 0 for 3 with a strikeout and grounded into a crucial double play when the Sox were only down 2-0.
The Good:
Jacoby Ellsbury was 2 for 4.
Victor Martinez was 1 for 3 with a walk.
The Bad:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
JD Drew was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Casey Kotchman was 0 for 3 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Nick Green was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Ramon Ramirez was charged with a run in 1/3 of an inning.
Enrique Gonzalez allowed 2 runs and an inherited runner to score in 1 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Kevin Youkilis was just 1 for 4.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts but walked.
Clay Buchholz was the hard luck loser allowing 2 runs in 6 innings off 6 hits and 5 walks.
Final Thoughts:
This season is going to hell in a hand basket real quick. That's five losses in a row and 24 consecutive scoreless innings. The Yankees have caught fire and the Sox have no answer for them. Sox fans should have seen this coming after the Yankees got AJ Burnett, Sabathia and Mark Teixeira in the off-season. Sabathia just might win 20 games this year and today he showed you why. Clay Buchholz did the best he could but got no run support. The crucial part was Mike Lowell's double play and Ramirez getting tossed after the 15 inning marathon last night. I don't care how much of a crapweasel A-Rod is, getting yourself run when you're desperately needed is inexcusable. Tough way for Enrique Gonzalez to make his season debut but this is what happens when you don't have enough depth. The Yankees look far and away the better team so the Sox need to pick it up moving forward. The loss dropped the Sox to 62-47, 5.5 games behind the Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Sox look to salvage this four game set tomorrow night on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball when Jon Lester takes on Andy Pettitte of New York. The game begins at 8:10 PM at Yankee Stadium.
