Live Comment/Blog: Yankees at Red Sox (4/22)

Looked like Matsuzaka could have just thrown the gyroball to Bobby Abreu...

Well, that's one way to keep A-Rod from hurting you, hit him. ESPN is blaming this on his conversation with Julian Tavarez the other night.

Oh well, hopefully the Sox will come back in the bottom of the inning like they did last night. That was actually a fairly good pitch by Matsuzaka to Giambi. I'm not really worried too bad yet... give Daisuke a little bit to get his control right.

The rookie Chase Wright takes the mound against Julio Lugo in the bottom of the first. One note: Wily Mo Pena is batting 8th tonight in place of Coco Crisp, who was a late scratch.

Wright seems concerned with Lugo over at first. There has been a bunch of smallball that the Sox have been playing, but I hate stolen bases.

The Greek God of Walks strikes again. No outs, Big Papi to the plate. A rough start for both pitchers in the beginning, although DiceK did manage to get 2 outs before his problems.

Oooh, the Red Sox are celebrating their Jackie Robinson day today, since they got rained out last weekend. Ortiz is wearing 42.

That was a mistake by Wright, but Papi weakly flied out to Abreu. Lugo advanced on the throw, so that will bring Manny to the plate with 1 out and runners at the corners.

Same out from Manny that Ortiz had. His timing still isn't there.

Wright really buckled down there, after walking the first two he got Ortiz, Manny, and Drew in order. He threw around 25 pitches in the inning. Mientkiewicz, Cabrera, and Nieves up for the Bombers in the second.

Mientkiewicz grounds to Pedroia, one out.

Wily Mo had an adventure out there in center, but he made the catch to retire Melky Cabrera as he bangs into the Monster.

Nieves is still hitless as he lines out to Myglowl hard at third. It will be Lowell, Varitek, and Pena up for the home team.

Wright strikes out Lowell on a real good change-up, while the brilliant announcers talk about the the NFL draft. Gotta love the Worldwide Leader.

Varitek flies out to Abreu, two outs. Wright is using his fastball very effectively as a reverse change-up of sorts.

The rare walk of Wily Mo brings Pedroia to the plate. Wright really doesn't have control of anything but that change up so far.

Dusty Pedroia lines a double past A-Rod, but Lugo grounds out to Jeter to end the inning. Still 2-0 Yankees, with Damon, Jeter, and Abreu coming to the plate.

Damon hits a grounder right back past Matsuzaka for a base hit.

Matsuzaka is really having trouble going inside today, as he just plunked Jeter.

Strike three looking to Abreu, who is not real happy about it. That'll bring A-Rod to the plate in a dangerous spot. All of New England is looking for a grounder here.

They are averaging one showing of the Tavarez/Matsuzaka clip per inning.

Dice-K catches A-Rod looking, as Fenway erupts! Giambi to the plate with two outs, as Matsuzaka seems to be settling down.

Matsuzaka just hit 97 on the radar gun, which is the fastest I've seen his fastball.

Giambi hit it just out of the reach of Pedroia, as another run scores.

Cano strikes out on a high heater to end the inning. 3-0 Yankees, as the Red Sox send Youkilis, Ortiz, and Ramirez to the plate to try to get back in this one.

Youk puts a big swing on it but Abreu catches it a few feet short of the warning track as it cut to his left.

Ortiz now 0-2 with two popouts as Manny comes to the plate trying to get off the schneid.

That ball is GONE! Home Run, Manny Ramirez! That ball is over the monster on Landsdowne street right about now. 3-1, Yankees.

Drew looks like he's pressing a bit... BUT that is gone! Back-to-back jacks by Ramirez and Drew!

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK AS LOWELL GOES DEEP!!!! Tie ballgame!

HOLY CRAP!!!! VARITEK HOMERS for four in a row! Red Sox lead 4-3, all four solo jobs with 2 outs.

Pena strikes out, but the Red Sox are now on top 4-3 with four straight home runs. Different ballgame now, as the bottom of the Yankees order comes up. The Red Sox scored four times as many runs in that inning has they had in Matsuzaka's last two starts combined.

Matsuzaka now can't let the Yankees back in this game. He's got to lock them down this inning.

Mientkiewicz manages a ground rule double as DiceK gets into quick trouble.

Cabrera grounds to first advancing the runner as Wil Nieves comes up.

Nieves almost conked Mientkiewicz over at third on a foul ball-- nice job getting out of the way.

Nieves lines out HARD on an At'em ball to Pedroia for a big second out. Damon now up.

Promo for Manny's DRays

A promo for the Igawa-Fossum matchup tomorrow that Manny will be live-blogging tomorrow!

Damon grounds out to first as Matsuzaka works around a leadoff double by Mientkiewicz. Doug had better not do much through the rest of the game because I'm getting tired of typing his name. Pedroia, Lugo, and Youkils due up for the Sox.

Wright is out of the game, as Colter Bean comes in to try to stop the bleeding.

Cabrera makes a nice play over in left to put Pedroia out.

Hey, guys. How about that sh*t? Only in a Yankees/Red Sox game. Two out, none on, and four homers on 8 pitches. Never seen anything like it. Ever.

Dice-K's starting to overthrow a bit. He might be starting to get caught up in the excitement himself. Guarantee there's no rivalry like this in Japan. Next inning will be a key one for him.

Yankees catching a red eye after the game, I don't think Torre's going to his bullpen much tonite. Looks like Wright's going to have to take one for the team. That's OK though, he'll have plenty of time to think about it on his way to Scranton tomorrow.

Lugo draws another walk to bring up Youkilis.

No, certainly nothing to justify the reputation. I heard the same as you. Where the hell is Philip Hughes?

Youkilis hits a double play ball but beats out the relay. Nice play by Jeter and Cano to make it even that close.

Ouch! Papi smokes one but it hops over the wall costing the Red Sox a run. Youkilis has to return to third on the ground rule double. Ramirez is up now....

Ramirez is now above the Mendoza Line!

Nice pitch, dumbass. Four pitches down in the zone, Papi has no clue. Then hang a 78 mph change. BANG!! Boy, the Yanks pitching sucks.

Bad break for the Sox as the ball hits Manny's bat on a check swing. The Yankees big bats up next: Jeter, Abreu, A-Rod.

Happy birthday Terry Francona!

Here's the game right here, fellas. Dice-K gets through the inning 1-2-3 with a decent pitch count, game over. Anyone remember who predicted a Red Sox sweep? It was me. And if I knew how to link to comments/articles, I could actually prove it.

I was looking at Colter Bean's AAA stats, and he dominated the batters... then I noticed he was 30-years-old. A guy that old should be able to dominate AAA hitters.

Tie ballgame as Jeter hits one just over the monster. His first of the year...

Take that, Manny. In whatever Tampa watering hole you happen to be in.

Abreu strikes out looking for the second straight at-bat.

BIG swing and a miss as Matsuzaka handles A-Rod for the second time tonight.

Red Sox must be using a Canadian radar gun. No way Dice-K has a 93 mph slider.

Varitek... has room! Matsuzaka settles down after the Jeter homer to get the next three Yankee hitters. Tie game, 4-4, with Drew, Lowell, and Varitek coming up for the Red Sox. All three homered in their last at bats. ...boy, that's fun to say.

All in all, pretty impressive inning. It'll be interesting to see how Dice performs his second time around the league but so far, so good. Dude's got game.

Ball four, Drew walks.

Inquiring minds want to know. When Dice goes to the top with his arms over his head, he pauses, then rocks back and forth. That, my friend, is a balk. So, are the umps going to gift him for awhile til he gets used to our rules and the league?

Drew steals the second base of the game for the Sox as Scott Proctor and Andy Pettitte are up in the bullpen -- Andy's probably just throwing a side.

Bean walks Varitek to bring up Wily Mo Pena with men on first and second and 1 out.

6 walks for Red Sox batters today.

Well, we all knew that Wily Mo was liable to strike out. Pedroia now comes up with two out.

Wily Mo is going yard.

Pedroia grounds out to end the threat. Cano, Mientkiewicz, and Cabrera up for New York in the top of the 6th, all tied.

Cano ropes the first pitch to left for a single to start off the inning.

Wily Mo is a pretty good breaking ball hitter. His problem is strike zone recognition. He can hit the ball as far as anyone, but probably gets himself out more than anyone too. No need to throw him a strike.

If you put two brackets [these kind] around the title, it makes a link.

and... that drops in front of Drew for a base hit for Doug M. Cano runs aggressively and takes third on the play.

That was a total break for the Yanks. Cano is a TERRIBLE baserunner.

The Red Sox turn two, but Cano scores to put the Bombers on top 5-4. Nice baserunning, again. I can't imagine that Dice K will pitch the seventh. Maybe.

Nieves remains hitless as the inning ends. Top of the lineup for the Sox as they must come from behind once again in the 6th.

Hmmm... Andy Pettitte comes in in relief for the second time this year. Lugo hits it hard but Abreu makes the place easily.

Ball four as Youkilis walks again. Big Papi comes in to face Pettitte with one out and a man on first.

Bah, double play ball from Ortiz. Still 5-4 yanks as the top of the order looms.

Matsuzaka is indeed out to pitch the 7th inning.

Damon was totally confused there as he strikes out. Matsuzaka has struck out 6.

Jeter grounds out to Lugo as J.C. Romero warms up in the bullpen for the Red Sox. Looks like Scott Proctor up for the Yankees. 1-1 to Abreu.

The hat trick for Abreu! Ramirez, Drew, and Lowell up after the stretch.

No reason for Dice not to come out for the 8th, he seems to have gotten a second wind. That was his best inning of the game by far.

Proctor comes in to face Manny, who has 3 HR's in 8 AB's against him.

Manny singles through the hole to right field, bringing up Drew.

Drew just gets it to the Monster with a Fenway double. Manny to third, bringing up Lowell.

Lowell crushes it.... HOME RUN! His second of the day, as the Red Sox take the lead 7-5! Miller and Morgan were just talking about how Proctor has worked all three games in this series, and he has let this one get away from him.

This has been a really good game. Back and forth, lots of good hitting from both sides, Matsuzaka has pitched well, four straight home runs, exciting game all around.

I guess I released Lowell off my fantasy team a couple days too early.

Varitek grounds out for the first out of the inning, in steps Wily Mo who takes a strike.

They mentioned this earlier, but the Yankees bullpen is on track to pitch over 600 innings this year, which would be the second time that's ever happened (2005 Texas Rangers). They're also dead last in the AL in quality starts.

Wily Mo joins Abreu in the hat store, and Dusty Pedroia lines a single up the middle to bring up Lugo with two outs.

Wow, that was close. K zone says it's a ball, but everyone thought that was strike three.

Lugo walks to bring up Yooooouuukilis. That's 8 walks by Yankee pitchers now.

Got excited for a second there. I thought Ron Guidry was actually going to PITCH.

Youkilis grounds to Jeter. A-Rod, Giambi, and Cano coming up to try to get the Yanks back on top. Will Matsuzaka come back into the game?

TS, nice job here! Join in tomorrow night when the Yankees extend their losing streak! I'm blogging live from the press box at the Trop!!!

Matsuzaka is still in the game! Strike one to A-Rod.

Coco Crisp comes in for Wily Mo in center field.

Nice piece of hitting for A-Rod as he fights it over Pedroia's head. In comes Giambi as Matsuzaka's night is over. He's on the hook for Rodriguez on first, but is in line for the win. He struck out 7 over 7+. Hideki Okajima, who has pitched extremely well of late, relieves his countryman.

Giambi pops up, and it almost got away from Lowell playing short in the shift after the wind grabbed it. He'll look for a grounder here from Cano to get out of the 8th.

Crisp can't quite get to it, but A-Rod has to hold at second. In comes Jorge Posada, pinch hitting for Doug Mientkiewicz.

F. Posada walks, and Okajima's evening is over. In comes Brendan Donnelly to try to work out of the jam against Melky Cabrera. Big spot.

Cairo is pinch running for Posada as the go-ahead run. Ball one to Cabrera.

Not sure this is the right move. If I'm the Red Sox I want Cabrera hitting from the right side.

*tense*

That's a bush league play by Cairo, as he blatantly interfered with Lugo but touched the bag, so it doesn't count. Two on, two outs, 7-6. The run was charged to Matsuzaka, which closes the book on him.

Josh Phelps comes in and hits for Nieves, making him the catcher. He is the emergency catcher for the Yankees. Quick 0-2 count from Donnelly.

WHAT A PLAY from Pedroia! Inning over! 7-6 Red Sox heading to the bottom of the eighth. Big bats from Boston here, with Ortiz, Ramirez, and Drew due up.

Sean Henn is in to face Ortiz.

Jonathan Papelbon is looming in the bullpen as the Red Sox look to get him some insurance runs.

Ortiz flies out to Cabrera, one out.

Full count to Manny...

Drew grounds weakly to third, A-Rod's only play is to first. Two outs, runner on second for Mike Lowell, he of the two home runs today.

Lowell walks, and in comes Varitek.

Varitek grounds out to Jeter on the first pitch, inning over. Papelbon comes in against the top of the Yankee lineup with a one-run cushion. Rodriguez lurks if anyone gets on. This one will come down to the wire, folks.

The best thing about the Yankees current pitching situation is it will get better soon. Wang, Mussina, Pavano are all decent. But the Yanks bench is just as bad. Miguel Cairo at first base? Josh Phelps? Hey, ESPN has shown [Barry Bonds]' homer like 10 times so far, other than the homers in the Sox/Yanks game, did he hit the only other homer in the majors today?

As we go into the 9th inning, I'd just like to thank you for following along, sports fans.

No chance Papelbon loses. The big three have 1 hit against him in their career.

That was a 94mph splitter according to ESPN's radar gun for strike two.

Damon flies out to Manny, one out. Here comes Jeetah.

Man Ram being Man Ram. LEt's see what Jeter does

Holy shit. 98 MPH

YES! I'm gonna be a bad news blogger now, but there's nothing I like more than watching Jeter strike out. YES!

What if A-Rod gets up. GOd, I don't want a new A-Rod Story almost as much as I don't want a Bonds or TO story

Full count, two outs, bottom of the ninth. God I love baseball!

A-Rod will come up to bat. NOOOOOOO!!!!!

Argh!

Strike 1

If anyone can handle him, it's Papelbon. Strike one.

Strike 2

Foul ball, strike two.

A-Rod was "un-clutch" Damn. that means a week of A-Rod sucks content from ESPN. Damn.

Greatest baseball player my ass

Wheres the clutch hitter of the year now? Or has A Rod returned to his old self?

Watch out Manny, the Yankees are going to take out their frustration on your boys the next few days.

Ground ball, game over! The Red Sox sweep the Yankees at Fenway for the first time in 17 years. {{PitchingResult|Daisuke Matsuzaka|(2-2)|Scott Proctor|(0-1)|Jonathan Papelbon|(6)

Thanks again to everyone who participated! What a fantastic game! Good night, folks!