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June 1, 2007
It isn't like Chien-Ming Wang was good, or even average, or even mediocre for the Yankees through the first three innings tonight at Fenway Park. He allowed 10 baserunners in the first three -- seven hits, two walks and a hit batter -- and the Sox twice loaded the bases against him. In the inning they didn't, they had runners at second and third.
Problem for the Red Sox was, Wang looked like Pedro Martinez circa 1999 compared to their pitchers.
Tim Wakefield was gone after 3 2/3 innings, allowing five hits, six walks, a hit batter and eight runs. Kyle Snyder relieved him with two men on base and allowed both inherited runners, plus one of his own, to score.
So, on a night when both teams seem intent on proving the baseball adage that pitching -- or lack thereof -- is everything, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 9-5, at Fenway Park.
Wang, to his credit, settled down after being given the big lead. He held the Red Sox to three hits over the next 2 2/3 innings, and was lifted in favor of left-hander Mike Myers with David Ortiz at the plate and a man on first with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
Myers struck out Ortiz to end the inning.
The Yankees touched Wakefield for three runs in the second, two coming on a monstrous home run by Robinson Cano into the bleachers behind the bullpens. But the Sox, who had failed to score despite loading the bases in the first, came back with two in the bottom of the inning and one in the last of the third, making the score 3-3 after three.
The Yankees then went at Wakefield again in the fourth, pushing across six runs for a 9-3 lead.
Trailing 3-0, Coco Crisp opened the Red Sox second with a single. With one out, Dustin Pedroia continued his hot hitting with a double to right. A high chopper to second by Julio Lugo scored Crisp from third, making the score 3-1.
The Yankees looked as though they were out of the inning when Wang slipped a 2-and-2 pitch past Kevin Youkilis on the outside corner, so close that Wang and catcher Jorge Posada both began trotting off the field. But the plate umpire Brian O'Nora called it a ball, running the count full.
Youkilis walked on the next pitch. And Ortiz knocked in the second run with a line single to left-center field.
The Sox loaded the bases again on a single to right by Manny Ramirez, with Youkilis stopping at third. But, for the second straight inning, Wang left them loaded when he retired J.D. Drew on a popup.
In the bottom of the third, Wang hit Mike Lowell with a pitch to open the inning. Lowell was erased at second on a fielder's choice grounder by Crisp, and a single by Doug Mirabelli put runners at first and third. Pedroia's second double of the game, this one to left, tied the score at 3-3.
Mirabelli was erased at the plate on a grounder to third by Lugo, with Pedroia talking third. Lugo then stole second, again giving the Sox runners at second and third. But Youkilis grounded to short, ending the inning.
The Sox stranded eight runners, six in scoring position, through the first three innings.
After going quietly in the third, the Yankees starting running at Wakefield again in the fourth. Cano singled, went to second on a passed ball, Bobby Abreu walked and Josh Phelps was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Cano then scored on a wild pitch, making it 4-3 and putting runners on second and third. A single by Melky Cabrera scored Abreu, and a passed ball with Johnny Damon at bat brought in Phelps.
Damon then popped out and Derek Jeter grounded out. When Hideki Matsui walked -- the sixth walk of the night allowed by Wakefield -- manager Terry Francona lifted his veteran knuckleballer in favor of Kyle Snyder.
Snyder hit the first batter he faced, Alex Rodriguez, loading the bases. Jorge Posada cleared the bases with a double up the gap in left-center field. Cano flied to right, finally ending the inning.
Snyder was little better in the fifth, allowing a double to Abreu, walks to Cabrera and Damon and a single by Jeter. The Sox caught a break when Abreu, attempting to steal third, was called out by third base umpire Jerry Crawford even though replays showed he clearly was safe. Even so, the Yankees had the bases loaded with two outs when Francona took him out and brought in J.C. Romero.
As Romero warmed up, the Yankees resumed the argument over Abreu -- since the call cost them at least one run -- and manager Joe Torre was ejected by Crawford.
Romero got out of the jam unscathed by retiring Matsui on a long fly to right.
The Red Sox didn't score again until the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Youkilis was hit by a pitch -- prompting the benches to empty and the umpires to eject Yankee pitcher Scott Proctor -- and Ortiz singled off reliever Ron Villone. With a 1-and-0 count to Ramirez, Yankee bench coach Don Mattingly, managing the team after Torre's ouster, called on closer Mariano Rivera with a six-run lead.
Ramirez singled off the wall, scoring Youkilis and sending Ortiz to third. A fielder's-choice grounder by Wily Mo Pena forced Ramirez but scored Ortiz, making it 9-5. Eric Hinske ended the game by grounding out.
Posted by Art Martone 
at 11:24 PM | Permalink
