Masahiro Tanaka got the start for the Yankees and Mr. Mookie Betts led the game off with a fly out to right. Dustin Pedroia popped up to third and David Ortiz lined out to third to end the inning. The carnage began in the bottom of the first as Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a walk, Brett Gardner legged out an infield single and Ellsbury made it all the way to third. Carlos Beltran brought home Ellsbury with a sac fly to put the Yankees up early. Mark Teixeira walked and Brian McCann hit a grounder that Mike Napoli booted to load the bases. A-Rod got some sweet revenge for the past few games with a double to clear the bases and put the Sox in a 4-0 hole. Chase Headley poured gas on the fire with a 2 run shot and Stephen "PU" Drew got the last laugh with a solo shot to make it 7-0 just like that. Didi Gregorious flied out and the man who started the inning, Ellsbury flied out to end the inning. That was bawful....simply bawful.
Could the Sox strike back in the top of the second? NO! Hanley Ramirez popped up to second and Pablo Sandoval struck out swinging, but Mike Napoli walked. Shane Victorino popped up to short to end the inning. Buchholz came out for the bottom of the second and somehow managed to get Gardner to fly out to left to start. Beltran went down hacking and Teixeira grounded out to first to end the inning.
The Sox failed to score in the top of the third as Xander Bogaerts grounded out to third to start. Ryan Hanigan flied out to right but Mr. Mookie singled to right. Pedroia grounded into a force to end the inning. Buchholz caught McCann looking to start the bottom of the third and got A-Rod to swing at air, but Headley singled to right. Drew grounded into a force to end the inning. Looks like Farrell wanted Buchholz to take one for the team to save his bullpen after friday night's marathon.
The Sox finally showed some life in the top of the 4th. Ortiz walked and two wild pitched advanced him to third, where he scored on the Ramirez sac fly. Sandoval singled to center and Napoli walked before PU Drew booted a grounder by Victorino to load the bases. Bogaerts lashed a double to score Sandoval and Napoli to cut the lead. The rally ended as both Hanigan and Betts whiffed but the Sox were on the board down 7-3.
Could Buchholz keep the damage minimal in the bottom of the 4th? NO! Gregorius singled to center and Ellsbury singled him over to third before swiping second himself. Gardner singled home both men as Buchholz failed to back up home, Brett taking second for good measure. Beltran then legged out a single as once again Buchholz failed to move. A Teixeira sac fly plated Gardner with the 10th run and Sox manager John Farrell had seen enough. It was bad enough Buchholz wasn't pitching well, but failing to back up bases is a sign when someone simply doesn't care. Craig Breslow was brought in and he struck out McCann looking but walked A-Rod. Headley flied out to center to end the inning but now it was 10-3 Yankees.
One man wasn't ready to give up in the top of the 5th. Pedroia flied out to center and Ortiz grounded out to first but Ramirez smashed a 400 foot bomb to dead center to cut the lead. Sandoval watched strike three go by to end the inning but it was 10-4 Yankees.
Breslow returned for the bottom of the fifth and walked PU Drew to start, but he was gunned down at second by the alert Hanigan trying to steal. Gregorious grounded out to third but Ellsbury walked. Gardner grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
That was it for Tanaka as David Carpenter replaced him for the top of the 6th. Napoli and Victorino both flied out to center but Bogaerts singled to left. Hanigan grounded out to end the inning. After 1 2/3 innings, Breslow was done and it was up to Tommy Layne to keep the damage minimal in the bottom of the sixth. Instead he vomited up his intestines for what seemed like the first time in his Sox career. Beltran, Teixeira and McCann all singled to load the bases. A-Rod walked to force a run and Headley singled home Teixeira. Drew hit a sac fly and the Sox luckily avoided further damage when Gregorious lined out to center. Headley was caught napping at second to end the inning with the completely out of reach, 13-4.
Carpenter returned for the top of the seventh with Chris Young now playing right field. Mr. Mookie flied out to right and Pedroia grounded out to short before Yankees manager Joe Girardi lifted Carpenter. Kyle Davies came in to get Ortiz to ground out to first to end the inning. Anthony Varvaro was brought in to pitch the bottom of the seventh with Brock Holt now playing second. Ellsbury went down swinging before Gardner grounded out to second. Young singled to left and Garrett Jones pinch hit for Teixeira. Jones grounded out to second to end the inning, whoopie.
The Sox attempted one last rally in the top of the 8th. Ramirez grounded out but Sandoval singled to center. Napoli got his first base hit of the year to center and Gregorious botched a grounder, allowing Victorino to reach first to load the bases. Could the Sox at least score a run just to piss the Yankees off? Nope! Bogaerts grounded into a double play to end the inning. So much for that. Edward Mujica was brought in for mop up duty in the bottom of the eighth with Allen Craig playing first and Sandy Leon playing third. It made sense since Koji Uehara comes off the disabled list tomorrow. McCann greeted Mujica with a solo bomb to make the final score a ten run game. Gregorio Petit pinch hit for A-Rod and singled, but Mujica got Headley to bang into a double play. Drew lined out to center to end the inning with the Yankees ahead 14-4.
Mercifully the game ended in the top of the ninth Hanigan and Mr. Mookie both looked at strike three but Holt singled to center. He took second on defensive indifference but pinch hitter Daniel Nava (for Ortiz) flied out to center to end the game. Thankfully this turd was over, the Yankees had wiped out the Red Sox 14-4.
Jackass of the Night is an easy one. Clay Buchholz absolutely sucked in every aspect possible. He lasted just 3 1/3 innings and gave up 10 runs (9 earned), also failing to back up bases to look like he didn't care.
The Good:
Brock Holt got a base hit in his only at-bat.
Hanley Ramirez was 1 for 3 with a solo home run and 2 total rbis.
Pablo Sandoval was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Mike Napoli was 1 for 2 with 2 walks and a run scored.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis.
Craig Breslow tossed 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Anthony Varvaro tossed a scoreless inning.
The Bad:
Dustin Pedroia was 0 for 4.
Shane Victorino was 0 for 4.
Daniel Nava flied out in his only at-bat.
Ryan Hanigan was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Tommy Layne allowed 3 runs in 1 inning.
Edward Mujica got tagged for a run in the 8th inning.
The Ugly:
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
David Ortiz was 0 for 3 but walked and scored.
Honorable Mention:
Sandy Leon played third base in the bottom of the 8th.
Allen Craig played first base in the bottom of the 8th.
Final Thoughts:
Well that sucked. The Yankees offense which had been dormant for 5 games so far, pounded out 16 hits and 14 runs off Buchholz, Layne and Mujica. The sad part is, Sox fans are going to be very angry after getting routed by the Yankees when they should be grateful the Sox have gone 4-2 to start the season on the road. Winning both of their road series is better than losing, but the Sox and their fans have a sour taste in their mouths after this one. Better to be 4-2 than 2-4 but still, this game was a disaster. If that wasn't bad enough, the Sox home opener is tomorrow against the Washington Nationals. Rick Porcello (0-1) takes the mound opposite Jordan Zimmerman. Facing the Nationals three best pitchers isn't exactly the tonic they need coming off a loss like this. The game begins at 3:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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