Red Sox earn split against Yankees
Boston gave the Red Sox nation something to cheer for after being tumbled on Sunday night by New York. The Red Sox led by Jon Lester edged out the American League East-leading Yankees 2-1 on Monday at Yankee Stadium, and left the Bronx with a split of this four-game series.
It wasn’t always perfect and it wasn’t always pretty, but the Red Sox did manage to escape New York with a much needed victory, and look no further than luck for an explanation. "If a lot of good things didn’t happen [Monday] we don't win that game," said manager Terry Francona. "We didn't have a lot of runs and we made it hold up. Like I said, that was one of the funniest days. That was a good day of baseball."
It’s always a good day for your club when you win a close game. The fact that it’s against your division rivals is a bonus. Lady Luck combined with talent are the main reasons why the Sox took the final game of the series. First it was Marcus Thames who had a chance for a game- tying two-run homer in the seventh.
After connecting with the ball, Thames was almost certain that it had just enough momentum to get over the fence. But the ball fell inches short of hopping over the wall in right center and bounced back on the field to stay in play.
Then it was Boston’s pitcher Daniel Bard, who escaped without damage from a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning, catching Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher swinging at the plate. Those two guys don’t usually strikeout —let alone back-to-back.
“That last pitch he threw me, at 99 mph, is not supposed to move like that," said Swisher.
Lester went 6 1/3 innings and yielded four hits, recorded six strikeouts and allowed no runs in taking the victory.
New York did rally in the eighth inning when Mark Teixeira got his team on the board with a homer and cut the Red Sox lead to one. But it was too little too late, and Jonathan Papelbon retired the last four batters to earn his 28th save of the season and give the Lester the win.
"I felt good," said Papelbon. "I think if I can put my body in a position to be at its best, my pitches are going to be at their best. I think that goes hand in hand. I felt good today. I would say that was one of the better days I've felt this year."
With the win, the Red Sox sit in third in the American League East division and four and a half games behind Tampa Bay in the wild-card race.
As for New York, the Yankees squandered an opportunity to increase their division lead over the Rays.
The Sox and Yanks’ rivalry will resume on September 24th when the two teams are set to meet again.
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