Boston Red Sox ward off Yankee blues with Daniel Bard and Bullpen
Whenever the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox meet, there is an air of uncertainty about the ground. A lot goes into the game, apart from the ball club squad members. There is history and then there is rivalry which has been prevalent for decades. What is even more astonishing is the fact that the two teams have been champions for a great number of years. The two have had many major encounters in the championships and the World Series and going in to the final match of the recent series, last night, fans were glued to the screen to see what would happen. For one, the team from Big Apple was leading the series 2-1 with two consecutive victories over their bitter rivals.
The Boston Red Sox went into the match, fielding the right talent. The New York Yankees did the same as the management was moving in to bring in regulars for the line up.
The Red Sox brought in Jon Lester. The pitcher had starred in 18 games as the strike zone ball thrower. Of those appearances, 11 were wins and 7 were loses. The 26-year old had a hard responsibility and the bullpen was present to assist the experienced starter if the need ever was realized. Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard were the relievers and they were ready to take the action into full swing when the time came.
The Yankees fielded Phil Hughes, who had featured in 17 games for the team. The pitcher came into the match with 13 wins and 4 losses, a record that outclasses the Boston’s ace man. At the age of 24, the youngster carried a good supporting cast in the bullpen.
The match was heightened in the media as a possible preview to a coming series match-up. Fans flocked into the Bronx stadium in good numbers with 49,476 turning up for the game. They were expecting another stellar performance. Pressure built up in the ball park as the temperature started rising. The weather was partly cloudy but the 92 degrees humidity dampened much of the flexibility in the players’ athleticism.
The match began with Boston on hitting duties for the top 1st. The first innings saw very little action with just 2 hits. However, the scoring came in the top 2nd with the Red Sox turning the screws to lighten things up. Ryan Kalish, who has been a formidable player for the team in the past, began his bid for the score by starting off with a single to the right. When Bill Hall was in the strike zone, the power hitter stole second base. In a moment of confusion, Jorge Posada made a throwing error, allowing the stealer to run to the third for another clear. Eventually, the runner got through as Hall converted on Hughes’s pitch to reach the infield single to shortstop. This allowed the visitors to post their first run of the match.
Another run was made in the inning as Jonathan Drew singled to the centre, allowing Hall to get on the score sheet. The rest of the following innings saw limited action. However, Jacoby Ellsbury’s base stealing antics got the team to a tie on the act with 4. One in the top 2nd, two in the top 7th with second and third base stealing and the last in the top 9th as the player made his effort count on the second position again. The last scoring run came off a 26th Mark Teixeira homer of the season, to the right, in the bottom 8th, as the Yankees were looking for a comeback. The action ended with Yankees 1 and the Red Sox 2.
The memorable moment, nevertheless, came off Boston’s reliever, Danial Bard as he came on for Lester in the bottom 7th. The bases were jammed pack and only one player was out. With Austin Kearns, Marcus Thames and Posada filling all positions and Derek Jeter on batting duties, Bard came in to throw the ball. Fans were at the edge of their seat as the pitcher got onto the mound to deliver. And that’s exactly what he did as he struck out Jeter and Nick Swisher in quick succession to keep the lead intact.
With a game going well into its final encounter, the match provided drama and suspense as the fans truly got to see some decent action from both teams. The match extended for 3 hours and 33 minutes. That would be worth any fan’s hard earned dollars, given the quality of action provided in the event. Fans will look forward to more games like these. As the season goes further into its climax, match ups like these would completely drive the crowds wild and bring in great revenue for the ball squads.
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