Sox Defeat Yankees in Crucial Series Opener (8/6/10)

In the most crucial series of the season against New York Yankees' high priced mercenaries, it was the Red Sox draft picks that ended up doing the most damage.

The Sox set the tone for the game and hopefully the series when David Ortiz launched his 24th homer of the year to give the squad a quick 1 to 0 lead over 2004 ALCS goat Javier Vasquez. The Yankees were going to make the Sox work for their win when Mark Teixera crushed a 2 run homer of Sox 2005 draft pick Clay Buchholz (12-5 2.66 ERA) to give the Yankees the lead in the bottom of the frame.

The Sox struck back in the second. Adrian Beltre doubled to lead off the inning but Vasquez got JD Drew to pop out. Then an error by catcher Fransisco Cervelli moved Beltre to third and Lowell to first. Vasquez got Ryan Kalish to strike out but then issued back to back walks to 2005 Sox draft picks Jed Lowrie and Jacoby Ellsbury to tie the game. Marco Scutaro then doubled in Lowell and Lowrie to give the Sox a 4-2 lead.

Both Buchholz and Vasquez settled down through the 5th until the Yankees attacked. Buchholz struck out Brett Gardner but then hit Jeter. Nick Swisher singled that Jeter went to third on the play. Teixera popped up but Alex Rodriguez hit a looper into left field that scored Jeter. cutting the lead 4-3. Clay held on and was able to force Robinson Cano to ground into second for no further damage.

In the 6th, the Sox struck again. Lowell singled and 2006 draft pick Ryan Kalish hit his first career home run to give the Sox a 3 run lead. A walk to Lowrie ended the night for Vasquez and in walked Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain escaped the 6th with no further damage and Buchholz settled down to pitch the next 2 innings allowing only a single.

The Sox had a chance in the 8th as Kerry Wood (who came in the game the inning before to replace Joba) allowed a 2 out single to Jed Lowrie to end his night, giving way to Boone Logan. Ellsbury hit a broken bat liner that was snared by A-Rod, who was playing the infield in. In the bottom of the frame, A-Rod grounded out to Scutaro but Robinson Cano doubled to chase Buchholz from the game. The red-hot 2006 draft pick Daniel Bard came in and got Lance Berkman on a superb diving catch by the now-healed Jacoby Ellsbury. Bard then got Granderson to pop up to Lowell to end the threat and the inning.

It was on to the 9th where Chad Gaudin (replacing Logan) worked around an error by Robinson Cano to retire the side, bringing 2003 draft pick Jonathan Papelbon into the game. Pinch hitter Jorge Posada (in for Cervelli) grounded out to Lowell who threw too high to first, but Papelbon's height (6'4) allowed him to snare the ball for the out. Gardner grounded out to Lowrie who barely got him at first on the throw. Things got interesting when Jeter put on a splendid at bat to draw a 12 pitch walk. Jeter took second on defensive indifference but Paps got Swisher to pop up to Kalish to end the game and pick up his 27th save. The Sox win a big game one 6-3 and saved the rest of the relief troops (including rookie Felix Dubront who was called up to replace the DL bound Hideki Okajima) for tomorrow's game.

With the Tampa Bay Rays also losing 2-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays, the Sox picked up a game on them too. They are now 5 games behind New York and 4.5 behind the Rays. John Lackey takes the mound tomorrow against Yankees ace CC Sabbathia looking to continue the winning trend.