El
Bronx -- On a hot early September muggy evening in the Bronx a Red Sox-Yankees faceoff took
place - well, not really as it was just
another game in a not 'that type of a season' for these two teams; the Red Sox
with no hope (had dropped 11 of their last 15 games) and the Yankees whose hope
for the post-season gets dimmer with regular play drawing to an end.
The Yankees found themselves in second place 8.5 games behind Baltimore; the Sox 19.5 games behind and dead last in the AL East. Yet they trounced the Yankees 9-4 and the lost was the third in a row for New York.
The Yankees found themselves in second place 8.5 games behind Baltimore; the Sox 19.5 games behind and dead last in the AL East. Yet they trounced the Yankees 9-4 and the lost was the third in a row for New York.
The
Yankees entering the game with just 5 more games won than they have lost can't
seem to put a sustained long winning streak together as they struggle to score
runs. If catching up with Baltimore for first place in the AL East is just
wishful thinking the second Wild Card is an outside possibility.
Both
teams are last and next to last in runs scored.
In
this contest, the Red Sox after 4 innings were playing like their 2013
championship season with 3 home runs and
a 7-1 lead over the Yankees whose only hit up to then was a Marin Prado home
run.
The Yankees had won each of Greene's last five starts. He has left the game with the Yankees leading or
tied in eight of his nine starts. Greene was unbeaten in his last six starts, allowing 3ER
or fewer in each of those outings. In
his last four starts (since 8/7), Greene is 2-0 with a 2.42 ERA (26.0IP, 7ER,
7BB, 30K) but today he
just lasted 2.2 innings allowing 6 runs on 6 hits while walking and striking
out 3 batters. Certainly a bad outing for a team running out of time; for a
team needing to win every day.
Skipper
Joe Girardi said of Shane Green's performance: "I just don't think he had
his location and he got into some bad counts ... he got into some long at bats
as well."
A bottom of fifth mix up and the Yankees miss out on possibly scoring more than 2 runs.
A bottom of fifth mix up and the Yankees miss out on possibly scoring more than 2 runs.
Carlos
Beltrán singled to center and Brian McCann laid down a bunt up the third base
line where no infielder was playing due to the shift . Then Martin Prado hit a ball over the left
fielder, the Cubano Yoenis Cespedes. But
Carlos Beltrán stayed close to second base instead of half way between the
bases and thus just managed to reach third while McCann just got to second.
Prado
running a double all the way got to second
where he discovered McCann was standing.
Prado had no chance in getting back to first base and was tagged out. The
next batter, Yankees third baseman Chase Headley walked to load the bases and
catcher Francisco Cervelli also walked to force in a run.
After
Jacoby Ellsbury made the second out, Derek Jeter hit a grounder to the short stop
whose throw to first was called an out by the umpire. The play was challenged
and Jeter was ruled safe with an infield single and an RBI for the Yankees
second run of the inning.
With
the bases still loaded Brett Gardner looked at a third strike and wound up
being thrown out of the game for expressing his displeasure. (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 3 LOB)
On
the play Beltrán did not position himself between second and third to score on
the Prado double, it may well be that Beltrán thought Cespedes would get to the
ball and the reputation he has of a rifle accurate arm may have stymied Beltrán,
but on the other hand, Prado seemed to run with his head down thinking his
blast was good for a double.
Both
teams scored on the ninth. Boston on a Cespedes triple followed by a Napoli
sacrifice fly and the Yankees on a homerun by McCann.
Can
the Yankees with respectable pitching still get to the post season with a
miracle run in September?
Article written for Latino Sports and an edited vesion www.latinosports.com
