The Sox failed to hit Yankees starter Adam Mitchell in the top of the first. Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts both grounded out before David Ortiz lined out to end the inning. Sox starter Clay Buchholz immediately ran into trouble by walking Brett Gardner but Jacoby Ellsbury banged into a double play. Gary Sanchez whiffed on a high fastball to end the inning.
The incompetent Red Sox didn't do anything in the second inning either. Mr. Mookie Betts hit a measly pop up and Hanley Ramirez lined out softly. Jackie Bradley Jr somehow singled to right but Brock Holt flied out to right to end the inning. Buchholz stayed strong in the bottom of the second when Brian McCann looked at strike three, Starlin Castro popped up and Didi Gregorius flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox offense remained asleep in the top of the third when Andrew Benintendi watched strike three go by but Sandy Leon walked. Naturally Pedroia banged into a double play to end the inning. Buchholz cruised in the bottom of the third. Mark Teixeira grounded out, Chase Headley lined out to JBJ and Mason Williams looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox offense continued to sputter in the top of the fourth. Bogaerts grounded out softly, Ortiz whiffed badly and Mr.Mookie grounded out to end the inning. Absolutely pathetic. The Yankees were equally incompetent in the bottom of the fourth although Gardner beat out an infield single. Ellsbury popped up on the infield but Sanchez moved Gardner to second with a ground out. McCann popped up to end the inning.
The horrid offense continued in the top of the fifth. Hanley Ramirez worked a miracle walk but naturally was thrown out at second trying to steal. JBJ walked which meant the Sox would have had first and second with nobody out. JBJ swiped second and Holt walked as well. The Sox would have had the bases loaded and nobody out if Ramirez wasn't an idiot. It didn't matter anyway as Benny The Kid popped up on the first pitch and Leon grounded out softly to end the inning. The Sox caught a break of their own in the bottom of the fifth when a ground ball by Castro bounced off Holt's wrist to Bogaerts who threw him out at first. Gregorious nearly beat out an infield single to second but was out at first. Teixeira struck out to end the inning.
Mitchell returned for the top of the sixth and Pedroia lined out to first. Bogaerts grounded out and Ortiz flied out to end the inning. Buchholz returned for the bottom of the sixth and got Headley to ground out. Williams flied out but Gardner walked. Ellsbury whiffed to end the inning. An incredible start by Buchholz wasted.
The Sox offense blew another chance in the top of the seventh. Mr. Mookie led off with single but Ramirez flied out. JBJ hit one to the wall but the wind knocked it back in play for an out. Holt walked but Benintendi grounded out to end the inning. Brad Ziegler got the ball in the bottom of the seventh and cruised. Sanchez, McCann and Castro all grounded out to end the inning.
The Sox FINALLY scored in the top of the eighth against Adam Warren. Castro went OLE! on a ground ball by Leon allowing Sandy to reach first. Marco Hernandez pinch ran for Sandy and Pedoria hit a ground rule double. With the go-ahead run 90 feet away the Sox gagged. Bogaerts lined out and the Yankees intentionally walked Ortiz to get to Mr. Mookie. Bad idea...Mookie hit a chopper over the head of Headley for a 2 run double to make it 2-0. The Yankees had Ramirez walked to set up the double play as Tommy Layne was brought in to pitch to JBJ. Bradley didn't have to do anything as a passed ball on Sanchez scored Ortiz from third. Both runners advanced but JBJ flied out to short center. Aaron Hill pinch hit for Brock Holt and Layne intentionally walked him. Benny The Kid failed to make them pay by flying out to end the inning.
The Sox were 6 outs from the division title when Koji Uehara was brought in to pitch the bottom of the eighth with Bryan Holoday catching. Uehara got Gregorious to strike out on a foul tip but walked Teixeira. Headley flied out as Aaron Hicks pinch hit for Williams. Hicks absolutely crushed a ball deep to center but the same wind that knocked Bradley's ball down, knocked Aaron's down to JBJ for out 3 to end the inning.
Hicks stayed in the game in right as Jonathan Holder came on to pitch the top of the ninth. Holoday struck out and Pedroia grounded out but Bogaerts singled to chase Holder. James Pazos was brought into pitch to Ortiz in what could possibly be his last at bat in Yankee Stadium. Ortiz grounded out to end the inning. He was 0-9 in the series, not the way he wanted to go out. It was up to Craig Kimbrel to clinch Boston's first division title since 2013 in the bottom of the ninth.....and it turned out it didn't matter because Toronto had lost moments before Kimbrel took the mound meaning the Sox had won the division regardless. It was a good thing too as Kimbrel completely imploded. Gardner walked and took second on defensive indifference only for Ellsbury to walk. A wild pitch moved both runners and Sanchez walked to load the bases. Ronald Torreyes pinch ran for Sanchez and McCann walked in a run to chase Kimbrel. He had a 3 run lead, walked 3 guys and gave up a hit. Joe Kelly came in as Eric Young Jr pinch ran for McCann. Castro looked at strike three and Gregorius popped up. Kelly was one out away from a save when Marx Teixeira hit a walkoff grand slam to win the game for the Yankees. One of the most bizzare endings to a night ever as the Yankees turn the tables on the Red Sox with a walkoff win...only for the Sox to celebrate the division title anyway.
Jackass of the Night is Craig Kimbrel. Yes Kelly gave up the grand slam but Kimbrel was the one who walked 3 guys and gave up another hit to put Kelly in that position. Plus 4 runs were charged to Kimbrel so he technically gets the loss anyway.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with 2 rbis. Hanley Ramirez walked twice in four at bats. Jackie Bradley Jr was 1 for 3 with a walk. Brock Holt walked twice in 3 at bats. Aaron Hill pinch hit for Brock and walked. Marco Hernandez pinch ran for Leon and scored a run. Clay Buchholz was outstanding. Gardner walked twice and got a hit but no other Yankee reached base in 6 innings while Clay struck out 6. Brad Ziegler pitched a scoreless seventh. Koji Uehara got a big assist from the wind to pitch a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 4 with a strikeout. Sandy Leon was 0 for 2 with a strikeout. Bryan Holoday was 0 for 1 after coming in for Leon. Joe Kelly gave up the walkoff grand slam to lose the game.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5 with a run scored. Xander Bogaerts was just 1 for 5. David Ortiz was 0 for 4 but walked and scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
This may be the first and only time in our lifetimes that the Red Sox and Yankees are both winners in the same game. The retiring Mark Teixeira gets one last moment in the sun and the Red Sox are Eastern Division Champs. The funny thing is its not even that concerning the Sox blew the game because Kimbrel usually has one meltdown per month and that just happened to be it. The only thing concerning is Joe Kelly giving up that bomb, this was pretty much his audition to be a factor in the playoffs. Still, it was a tough loss but can't complain too much because now the next 4 games can be a breeze. Plus, the loss also keeps the Red Sox behind the Texas Rangers. Why is that good? It was learned Corey Kluber will be out for 6-9 days with a bad groin. That means the Cleveland Indians are down THREE starters going into the playoffs. If I were the Red Sox I'd rest everybody the final four games to keep the Rangers ahead so the Sox can play Cleveland. The loss dropped the Sox to 92-66 but are Divison Champions anyway. The Sox play their final road game of the year tomorrow night with Henry Owens on the mound opposite CC Sabbathia. Congratulations to the champs who've gone from Worst to First To Back to Back Worst To First in the last 5 years. What a roller coaster.
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