On Tuesday night David Ortiz hit a massive home run and honored it with a party at home plate. He had so much fun, he did it again in his first at bat on Wednesday night, smashing a two-run, two-out drive deep into right field. This time he held the dinger a private affair in the dugout, but nevertheless set the tone for a route for the Red Sox. There was some pre-game blather about beaning Ortiz, but I guess Burnett didn’t read the back pages this morning. And anyway, I doubt he could have hit him even if he wanted to.
The Red Sox stomped on the Yankees, Burnett and Francisco Cervelli’s private parts until the score was 7-0. Then the Yankees finally solved the knuckle ball and began chipping away in the fourth. They knocked out Tim Wakefield and the score was 8-5 when they loaded the bases in the sixth for Derek Jeter. But he couldn’t keep the heat on former Yankee Alfredo Aceves and tapped into a rally-killing double play.
The double play was still in order because Brett Gardner couldn’t find the errant ball on a wild pitch and none of the runners advanced. For shame. In past years, Gardner scored over 45 per cent of the time he reached base. This year, he’s down to 39 per cent, and I have to think he’s spooked on the bases.
In a year where rousing, come-from-behind victories are the rarest breed, the Yanks’ fate was likely sealed with the double play. But Red Sox added three more with two outs in the ninth to put it beyond reach. The final, embarrassing scoreline was 11-6. Hello second place.
Even after getting rocked tonight, the Yankees have the best run differential in baseball by a hefty margin. They have had several heartbreaking blown leads and only a few miracle comebacks, so their actual record is less impressive than their statistics would suggest. The Red Sox have a more ordinary track record, but without the bad luck, they’ve got an actual record that matches their output. The result is a virtual tie atop the American League East, and one would think, two fairly even teams.
The results on the field have been anything but even. The Red Sox have dominated the Yankees this year with seven wins and only one loss. It’s annoying, disgusting and depressing but it’s not definitive. We know it’s not definitive because in 2009, the Yankees lost the first eight games against the Red Sox yet clawed back and ended the season with nine wins apiece. And then won the World Series.
Whether the 2011 Yankees may be able to pull off a similar turnaround remains to be seen, but either way, the season doesn’t end tonight. They send out their best pitcher tomorrow night against one of their biggest villains. I’d like to see them pull themselves off the mat and hand CC an early lead. Then I’d like to see CC hand Mariano a late lead. And then I’d like Mariano wrap up a win and reclaim a share of first place. It won’t seem so impossible once they do it.
I have absolutely no idea what Gardner saw on third base. The "I thought it hit Jeter" explanation makes no sense.
i can't believe i just read something that said the yankees have NEVER hit fat liar with a pitch. never?! are you fucking kidding me?! that just can't be right. no fucking way.
he needs to be drilled in his fat ugly ass in every frickin' at-bat tomorrow night. every fucking one of them. that goddamn cocksucker.
[1] Didn't Jeter tell him not to run? Jeter clearly put up his hands in a stop sign. I think Gardner wanted to try for home.
[0] Sounds like the game was a total cluster fuck. Every time I turned it on, I turned it off.
Why are the Yankees playing to shitty all of the sudden? The West Coast trip ended on such a positive not. It seems like this team has no positive momentum. They are up and down up and down.
Thank you, Brett Gardener. Thanks for coming to the ballpark.
True Grit was pretty damn good, I can tell you that much.
[3] i thought jeter was waving him home.
and even seemed a bit exasperated when gardner didn't come home.
and then the god damn dp.
[6] Right?
[3] Jeter was absolutely waving him home. When Gardner didn't come, a look of frustration came on his face. There is no excuse for making a mistake like that. It's a read that even a little leaguer should be able to make. It cost the Yankees at least one and likely two runs as well as any realistic chance at winning the game. Mistakes are easy to stomach when they occur on difficult plays, but any fan in the stands could probably have scored on that wild pitch.
I am kind of at a cross roads with Gardner. I love his defense. It is really off the charts. I also think he has developed into a better hitter than I ever thought, although I am not sure if his career will sustain an above league average bat. All that would be fine if Gardner had any kind of instincts on the bases, but he doesn't. As a result, his value is so much less than it could be and probably less than what it is perceived to be now. For that reason, if I was Cashman, I would start taking calls on Gardner.
Frustrating loss. Yankees pulled close, but bad baserunning & poor hitting and then more bad pitching. Ugh. Getting home to a 4-0 game already, I didn't even bother going to the game thread.
one of the best things about the Banter (and there are many) is the recap following a teeth-grinding loss (no shortage of these).
DeRosa and Waddles especially, you have this thing down. Serving us steaks when the Yanks come up stale buns.
Good show, fellas!
Terrible night at the ballpark. Stinking hot, indifferent crowd, the swells underground in AC leaving the "legends" seats looking empty, bad pitching, bad catching, bad hitting, bad baserunning...and yet the Yankees had their chances. Why Gardner didn't break for home is a mystery. Jeter hitting into that double play (anything but that...please) let the rest of the air out of the balloon.
How those two throws by Cervelli on the steals got through both Jeter and Cano was a lesson of what not to do in little league.
I have loved the Yankees for a long time, and still do, but I am not a fan of the New Yankee Stadium. Hopefully some crust and patina with age will help.
And thanks for great game recaps. The Banter has moments of brilliance.
Mike Francesa is an irritating bore most of the time but today his spleen venting about the game last night was almost cathartic