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Inside The Game -- Ortiz vs. Rivera »
September 16, 2007
By JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- It came down to the wire. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera against Red Sox slugger David Ortiz.
It was the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, and Boston trailing by a run. The legendary closer won the battle as New York held on for a 4-3 victory Sunday night at Fenway Park as Ortiz popped up to Derek Jeter.
On a night when both starting pitchers were in the spotlight, the Yankees’ Derek Jeter stole the show.
Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling was winning the pitchers’ duel against Roger Clemens as Boston held a one-run lead heading into the eighth inning.
Then boom!
Jeter crushed an 84 mph hanging splitter from Schilling and deposited it into the Monster seats for a three-run home run to give New York a three-run lead and eventually the Yankees held on for a 4-3 victory last night at Fenway Park. New York took 2 of 3 from Boston this weekend as the Sox’ lead in the A.L. East standings is now 4 1/2 games.
Clemens entered the game undefeated (5-0) with a 3.14 ERA in nine career regular-season starts as an opponent at Fenway Park. He was given the hook after six innings and allowed just one unearned run on two hits. Schilling finished 7 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
As Schilling and Clemens warmed up in the bullpen prior to tonight’s series finale at Fenway Park, both the Red Sox and Yankees’ respective pitching staffs stood almost at attention looking on.
It was a sign of respect. It was a gesture of longevity. It meant this is September and this game meant a whole lot for both clubs.
Leading up to this matchup of one certain Hall-of-Famer versus a possible hall inductee, both clubs wanted to downplay the excitement, saying it was just another game. Deep down the Red Sox and Yankees must feel the vibe.
Boston utility man Eric Hinske admitted as much after Saturday’s victory by the Red Sox.
''Everybody knows that when we’re playing the Yankees it’s a lot more intense than any other game no matter what,” he said. ''So, when you come to the yard you better be ready to play. If you’re not the fans will let you know it right away. If you can’t get up for a Red Sox-Yankees game, you’ve got something wrong with you. The electricity in stadium, and everything else – it’s awesome to be a part of.”
Schilling and Clemens are two pitchers who certainly wanted to prove something to the baseball world. In the end Schilling proved to have a better outing, but the Jeter had the final say.
Things looked promising for Boston early as Red Sox rookie Jacoby Ellsbury continues to shine for Boston and, again, he provided a huge spark early.
He reached base in the bottom of the first inning when Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon misplayed a shallow liner. Ellsbury quickly stole second easily – his fourth swipe for Boston – and later scored on a Mike Lowell grounder through the hole on the left side to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead.
Schilling was cruising and kept New York at bay until he made a simply mistake to the Yankees’ Robinson Cano in the fifth inning. The veteran right-hander left a fastball over the middle of the plate that Cano deposited into the Monster seats to tie the game at 1-1.
The Red Sox threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Hinske led off with a double and reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Coco Crisp. Julio Lugo followed and struck out swinging, before Ellsbury grounded out to first to end the inning.
New York responded with a threat of its own in the top of the eighth.
With one out, the Yankees’ Doug Mientkiewicz collected his second hit of the night off Schilling, which was followed by a pinch-hit single by Jason Giambi, who barely missed a two-run homer at the top of the Monster.
Jeter, however, didn’t miss.
He launched a shot well above the left-field wall and into the Monster seats for a three-run homer and a 4-1 lead. When the ball exploded off his bat, Schilling knew it was gone and dropped his head. Ellsbury just stood and watched it go. That was the end of Schilling’s night.
Offensively, the Red Sox weren’t done.
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Mike Lowell provided a solo homer off Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain. Even though the rookie pitcher threw a 98 mph fastball, Lowell proved to the kid that everybody at this level can turn on a heater.
Rivera earned the save in the ninth, but not before allowing a RBI-double to Lugo.
Posted by Joe McDonald 
at 10:18 PM | Permalink
