These Yankees-Red Sox games are going to be the death of me: the length–last night’s was 3 hrs and 47 minutes; the lead changes–last night only two but throughout the game a perpetual, tension-filled lead narrowing; the ineffective pitching–last night 9 pitchers combined to allow 26 hits, 7 of them homers, just flat out wipe me out.
But a loss last night would have been particularly debilitating after the Yanks jumped out to a big lead, with Phil the Thrill on the Hill. Hughes finally met his match for the first time this year–the Red Sox worked the kid with long at-bats getting him to the 100 pitch mark by the 5th inning and particularly, with JD Drew’s game-narrowing 5th inning homer, it appeared as if the Red Sox were looking for the pitch that has been Hughes’ surprise pitch to lefties–a cutter on the hands. If Hughes is going to continue to use that pitch to lefties he’s going to have to make sure to get it all the way in, and maybe to dust a lefty early in a game a la Pedro to keep them worried about it. But it’s a game of adjustments.
Yes, a loss would have been particularly hard, especially after Rivera’s stunning implosion on Sunday, and with Chan Ho Park returning to an injury-depleted bullpen offering the hope of alive arm but delivering the a performances as bad as his opening performance in Fenway, with other injuries mounting–Nick Johnson facing surgery (toldja so), Swisher out, Posada out again.
But A-rod continued his hitting off Papelbon. He’s 4-for-12 with 2 homers and 5 RBIs. Javy Vazquez, in a weird moment of baseball irony got his first win pitching against the Sox in relief with a great performance against a single batter. And Marcus Thames, of all people, finished the job, took the season’s first pie in the face, and I could lay my head down to a restful night’s sleep.
My favorite headline of the night, from the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy: Another Round of Torture.
Warning signs and worries from last night. Well, Hughes, though I didn’t see so much warning signs as growing pains–a good, disciplined lineup which went to school on tape of the youngster worked long counts, looked for predictable pitches, and beat the kid getting pitches to hit out after long at bats. Even with all that Hughes still left the game with a chance to win it. The bullpen was offered the biggest worry. With Aceves out and Mitre performing in spot-starter service, Park’s return was much anticipated and it was a major stinker. Robertson has been atrocious all year. Logan can’t get out lefties. Marte is an enigma–he did yeoman’s work last night while he looked horrible against the Twins. And of course the injuries are mounting. With Granderson, Johnson, and Aceves out, and Swisher and Posada day to day, the Yanks are getting by night after night with half a line up of marginal major leaguers. They’ve been mediocre during this stretch–going 5-5 over their last 10–but maybe tredding water will be enough until Granderson gets back and the Yanks can make a move for a veteran DH. Except during games against the Red Sox where winning is essential.
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