New York Yankees receive series sweep by Boston Red Sox – MLB Review
The 2011 season was getting tough for the New York Yankees with every past series. They had received a surprising 1-2 series loss by the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium. The expectations of the fans, the pressure of the defeats and the fear of the Boston
Red Sox had combined to create some massive tension in the camp.
For a three-game series, the heat had reached a point where a single mistake can burn the entire atmosphere. In April, while the competition was staged at Fenway Park in Boston, the Yankees had received a 2-1 series loss, including a 4-0 shut-out on April
10. The Yankees now had to remove the wrongs of their previous performances.
In the first outing at Yankee Stadium on May 13, fans witnessed an electrifying competition, which remained undecided until the end of the ninth inning. Boston earned a 5-2 lead until the seventh and then Yankees scored a run each in the bottom of the eighth
and the ninth. However, time was not in the Yankees favour as the club could not beat the lead and lost another outing 5-4.
However, it did not slacken Girardi’s confidence over his batting line-up.
"We had our shot," Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi said. "We didn't get it done."
Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Jorge Posada and Russell Martin each managed to earn their scores in different innings. As Alex Rodriguez was again in struggling condition, experts considered it as the main cause of the Yankees defeat.
As the series move ahead, the Yankees were to receive one of the worst blows of the season. The Red Sox shut the Bronx Bombers out 6-0.
Red Sox Josh Beckett did not allow any of the Yankees’ batters to touch for more than a base run. Jeter, Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Brett Gardner, Nick Swisher and Robinson Cano each were helpless against the unplayable cutters of the right-hander.
"That's probably the best cutter I've seen him have in a while. Changeup -- he used all his pitches," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "We have a lot of confidence in him. We always have. He worked hard and said last year he was going to come back with
a vengeance, and I think he has."
Sabathia on the other hand, received his third loss of the season allowing six runs on seven hits off just over six innings. Girardi was stunned while watching the pitches been struck for base runs and homers. Girardi was so upset that Home Plate umpire
Mike Winters had to eject him in the seventh inning for arguing over strikes and balls.
His enragement was evident not only in the park but also in the camp. The third outing now had changed into a matter of survival for the club. However, by no means were the Red Sox ready to lose their hand over the series shut-out.
Yankees had to face another defeat on May 15 as the Red Sox batting and pitching combined perfectly to give another wound to an already injured club.
Despite a good start in the game, the Yankees began to struggle near the end of the outing, which cost them a 7-5 game loss and 3-0 series sweep.
"It seems like when things are going bad, they're going bad," Girardi said. "We’re going to turn it around."
None of the Yankees’ batting could touch any considerable hit. Each one was struggling at their position. The entire season was at stake now, but the club had to go through a long journey.
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