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Yankee reaction to 8-7 win over Red Sox »
September 15, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
BOSTON -- Jonathan Papelbon left the Red Sox clubhouse Friday night without answering questions about his third blown save of the season, his first since July 28.
He had gone 16 2/3 scoreless innings before allowing a run-scoring single to Derek Jeter (the run charged to Hideki Okajima), a two-run double to Bobby Abreu (one run charged to Okajima; the other to Papelbon) and an RBI single to Alex Rodriguez.
Remarkably, it marked the first time in his major league career than Papelbon had allowed three consecutive hits. He had converted his previous 12 save opportunities
Okajima had begun the inning, but gave up two solo homers, a walk and a double before needing to be rescued by Papelbon.
''It wasn't the way we drew it up,'' said Terry Francona, ''but we always feel good when Pap is in the game . . . He jammed Jeter, who fights balls off better than anyone in the league. Abreu (took) a nice swing, and Alex got on top of a fastball.''
''We were just a few pitches away from stopping that situation,'' said catcher Jason Varitek. ''We just didn't do it.''
Marathon men
With two weeks to go in the season, it's officially a spint for the finish line. But Friday's game was a marathon.
The Sox and Yanks needed 4 hours and 43 minutes to complete the game, making it the second-longest nine-inning game in major-league history. The longest was a game played between the same two teams Aug. 18, 2006, which took 4:45.
The teams have played 16 times this season and the games have averaged 3:35, more than 40 minutes longer than the average Major League Baseball game.
''I think it's a by-product of these two teams,'' said Yankee manager Joe Torre. ''(Many of the games are on network) television (and nationally televised have more commericial time between innings) . . .Everything takes so much time because you go back and forth and meetings and stuff, and wait all night to win one of these.''
Torre jokingly added that the Yanks ''were only five minutes away from using Joba (Chamberlain),'' a reference to the so-called Joba Rules that mandate the rookie reliever's usage. Chamberlain was unavailable Friday night after pitching 1 2/3 innings Wednesday night in Toronto.
Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp said the length of games is eased somewhat by having younger reinforcements like Jaocby Ellsbury.
''We've got some young guys in here capable of doing the daily grind,'' said Crisp.
Late scratch
Crisp was scratched from the starting lineup because a sore hip that has been bothering him the last few days. He came in Thursday and got some treatment, but had difficulty getting loose Friday night, resulting in a last-minute lineup change.
Out went Crisp and in went Ellsbury.
Crisp was later called upon to pinch-run for Mike Lowell in the eighth, but was thrown out trying to steal second.
''I was hoping it would be loose (late in the game), but not thinking I would be needed,'' said Crisp, in reference to the Sox' 7-2 lead. ''I was trying to get something going. It was a good throw (by catcher Jorge Posada) and a good call.''
Here and there
Reliever Mike Timlin made his 1,005th career appearance, tying him with Mike Jackson for 11th place all-time . . . Julio Lugo stole his 30th base of the season, the most by a Sox player since Johnny Damon stole 30 in 2003. He's just the 13th player to reach that mark in a single season.
Posted by Sean McAdam 
at 12:30 AM | Permalink
ed | September 15, 2007 8:26 AM link
Where is the parade?