Monday, June 04, 2007
Two Innings of Grit
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The Yankees showed they can fight.
After watching a 4-1 lead turn into a 5-4 Sox lead, they Yankees wound down to two innings, the two toughest innings they will face all season.
The Red Sox turned to Hideki Okajima who has shut down the Yankees since his arrival gave up a single to Hideki Matsui and a big RBI triple to Robinson Cano.
Game is tied 5-5 entering the ninth, and come enter Jon Papelbon, another pitcher who has mastered the Yankees line up.
Derek Jeter grounded out to Papelbon for the first out and Bobby Abreu struck out for the second out.
Two outs, game tied, series on the line; perfect timing for Alex Rodriguez. With the humiliation he suffered through out the weekend of the mystery blond, the "I got it" play, and him being a Yankee, it was time to end the talking.
A-Rod takes Papelbon deep to right field for the go ahead home run into the Boston bullpen giving the Yankees the 6-5 lead in which Mariano Rivera will capitalize on.
Mariano Rivera came in the ninth to face the beast of the Sox line up featuring David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Kevin Youkilis.
Rivera battled Ortiz in an eleven pitch epic that Ortiz lost to a deep fly out to right.
Manny jumped out ahead of Rivera 2-0, however, three strikes later, Manny sat right back down.
The second pitch slipped away from Rivera and hit Kevin Youkilis on the arm.
It all came down to Mike Lowell, the Red Sox leader in hits, home runs, and runs batted in, tying run on first, Lowell, the potential winning run.
Rivera quickly ran the count to two strikes and no balls; Lowell responded back evening the count at 2-2.
The fifth pitch ran foul and the entire stadium was on their feet looking for a last pitch comeback.
Rivera said no thank and struck out Lowell on a foul tip giving him his fifth save and the Yankees the series two games to one.
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Posted by Steve Kenul at 12:36 AM
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