NewsSox prove versatile in sweep of Yanks
Boston uses different means to reach one end at Fenway
04/27/09 1:10 AM ET
BOSTON -- As April draws to a close, what the Boston Red Sox primarily have to worry about is, well, peaking too early.The usual reasons for worry need not apply with this group. Certainly, there may be questions, issues and concerns, because the fans require something to chew on beyond the Cracker Jack. Yes, there is -- for the moment -- the inconvenience of the Toronto Blue Jays occupying first place in the American League East. But the trend lines are all headed in the direction of the Red Sox.
 Red Sox-Yankees
Tue.: BOS 7, NYY 3• Bay's HR holds up • Joba fans 12 in loss • Sox iron out flaws • No comfort for N.Y. • Ellsbury exits game • Papelbon given rest • Pain sidelines Youk • Posada lands on DL Mon.: BOS 6, NYY 4 • Lester stifles Yanks • Hughes no help • Youkilis exits early • Posada hurts hammy • Girardi ejected • Francona backs Papi • Aceves called up • Lugo gets a break • Kotsay hits snag |
There will still be crises as the season goes on. Some of them will be real, some of them will be imagined. But as we speak, the season ahead beckons to the Red Sox, offering a spring and summer -- and a large chunk of autumn -- full of promise and possibility.
For this early in the season, the baseball news doesn't get much better, at least in New England. In the Bronx, this series will fall on the other end of the news spectrum. The Red Sox just swept the Yankees -- dismantled them, really, in a three-game series. In the process, they stretched their winning streak to 10 games. This is the first time in franchise history that the Sox have won 10 straight in April.
But the good news for Red Sox supporters goes well beyond even those tidings of comfort and joy. The Red Sox beat the Yankees in three distinctly different ways this weekend. This provided a clue as to their depth and versatility. This became something more than a series for the Red Sox -- it became a festival, a celebration.
To briefly review -- on Friday night, the Red Sox won with serviceable pitching and extraordinary, 11th-hour clutch hitting. One out away from defeat, down by two runs, facing Mariano Rivera. That's a situation that has historically meant only victory for the Yankees. Not this time, because Jason Bay hits a home run. In the 11th inning, Kevin Youkilis, who could only get hotter by taking up residence on the surface of the sun, hit the game-winning home run.
The only similarity that the second game had to the opener was that it required exactly the same amount of time to complete -- four hours, 21 minutes. Major League Baseball's "pace of the game" initiatives seem to be suspended when these two outfits play. Players become folk heroes for fouling off numerous pitches, or even taking a reasonable amount of pitches. It's a little outside the norm, but it has become a way of life.
Saturday's was the game in which the Red Sox beat the Yankees about the head and shoulders -- it was cudgel time. The final score was 16-11, but that doesn't tell you about the epic Boston comeback. The Red Sox were down, 6-0, early. This became just the third time in Yankees history that they lost a game by at least five runs after leading by at least six runs. The last time it happened was in 1956.
Jason Varitek hit a game-turning grand slam. Mike Lowell drove in six runs in two innings. The Yankees also were not exactly halted when they had the bats in their hands, but this was an impressive Red Sox display of run-production capability.
On Sunday night, the Red Sox went back to the basics and won, 4-1, primarily on strong pitching. And here was a case in which their admirable pitching depth was on full display. Justin Masterson, in the rotation because of an injury to Daisuke Matsuzaka, gave the Red Sox 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball, a performance that was desperately needed after the bullpen had been heavily taxed in the two previous games.
Then Boston got two outs from Hunter Jones, making his second Major League appearance, and two innings from Michael Bowdon, just called up from Triple-A Pawtucket to provide some temporary but much-needed bullpen depth. For the ninth inning, closer Jonathan Papelbon was given a needed breather, as Takashi Saito nailed down the save.
Most clubs will spend the season trying to figure out a way to magically turn not enough pitching into enough pitching. The Red Sox appear to be the extreme rarity in the contemporary game -- a team with what resembles a pitching surplus.
And as a special bonus to round out the weekend, and bring the 38,154 Fenway Park patrons to their feet, there was another bona fide rarity -- a steal of home. Fleet-of-foot center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury made it happen.
With two outs in the fifth and the bases loaded -- the Red Sox leading, 2-1 -- Ellsbury surveyed the situation from third base. He had Andy Pettitte, a left-hander, pitching from a windup. He had a left-handed hitter, J.D. Drew, at the plate. This was helpful because, with no play on, Ellsbury needed a hitter who could see him coming.
"The biggest thing is getting the courage to go," Ellsbury said. "In that situation -- bases loaded -- you've got to make it. It could be one of the worst baserunning mistakes if you don't make it."
Ellsbury edged away to a larger-than-usual lead off third, then got an absolutely immense jump. Between his speed and his instincts, even the veteran battery of Pettitte and Jorge Posada had no chance. The only drawback would be no style points in his landing. Ellsbury acknowledged with a smile that he planned to slide with his feet first, then made a late decision to go headfirst and wound up stumbling as he came to the plate. It did not matter. He was safe, safe, safe and the Fenway audience went suitably bonkers.
How rare is this? It was the first straight steal of home by a member of the Red Sox since 1994, when Billy Hatcher accomplished the feat. Nice job, but Hatcher didn't get that straight steal of home against the Yankees.
Jacoby Ellsbury's dash to the plate will now pass into Red Sox legend and lore, there to live on eternally, or a bit longer than the average Red Sox-Yankees game.
This weekend will also find a niche in the collective Red Sox Nation memory bank. Playing the Yankees, the Red Sox -- throughout this weekend -- were the better team. But beyond that, they gave a clear demonstration of their potential to become a better team in 2009 than anyone else.
Mike Bauman is a national columnist for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
