Final, Red Sox 9-8: Koji Uehara earned himself another perfect save, and the Red Sox completed an eventful 9-8 victory in 10 innings.
There was a point in this game when it looked like the Red Sox were going to blow out the Yankees. Then, there was a point when the Yankees were one strike away from handing the Red Sox a crushing defeat. Finally, the game ended with Boston pulling off yet another resilient win.
The Red Sox carried a 7-2 lead into the seventh inning, but the Yankee struck for six runs to grab an 8-7 lead. Jake Peavy, Matt Thornton and Junichi Tazawa were each charged with two runs in the six-run frame.
The Yankees carried that 8-7 lead into the ninth inning, at which point they handed the ball to the greatest closer of all time. Mariano Rivera couldn’t close things out, though.
Rivera got two quick outs in the ninth, but Mike Napoli lined a 3-2 cutter into right-center field to keep the game alive. Pinch-runner Quintin Berry immediately stole second base, took third base when Austin Romine’s throw got away and scored one pitch later when Stephen Drew delivered a huge single into right field.
The Red Sox grabbed a 9-8 lead in the 10th inning when Shane Victorino singled home Jacoby Ellsbury from second base. Victorino almost struck out on a 1-2 slider away, but first base umpire Joe West ruled that the Red Sox outfielder did indeed check his swing. Victorino then lined the next pitch into right field, and Ichiro Suzuki’s throw to the plate just didn’t have enough on it to reach Romine in the air.
It was a long, eventful and unpredictable game. In other words, it was a typical Red Sox-Yankees thriller.
Good night, everyone.
Mid 10th, Red Sox 9-8: Boone Logan made sure that the Red Sox didn’t score any more runs.
After intentionally walking David Ortiz, Logan retired pinch-hitter Brandon Snyder on a fly ball to right-center field.
Koji Uehara will now look to close out a Red Sox victory. He’s scheduled to face Alex Rodriguez, Lyle Overbay and Ichiro Suzuki.
If Uehara can close this game out, there will certainly be plenty of talk after the game about Shane Victorino’s check swing on a 1-2 slider. It was a questionable call by first base umpire Joe West, and it gave Victorino a second chance that The Flyin’ Hawaiian immediately took advantage of.
11:24 p.m., Red Sox 9-8: Shane Victorino was given a second life, as first base umpire Joe West ruled that he checked his swing on a 1-2 slider. The Flyin’ Hawaiian made it count.
Victorino drilled the next pitch into right field to score Jacoby Ellsbury from second base with the go-ahead run. Ellsbury singled with one out and stole second base prior to Victorino’s single.
Joba Chamberlain surrendered the run. Joe Girardi, who wasn’t happy with West’s call, will now turn to lefty Boone Logan with David Ortiz coming up.
End 9th, 8-8: We’ll have bonus baseball in the Bronx.
Alfonso Soriano walked with one out in the ninth inning after Robinson Cano lined out to second base. Then, it was as if Soriano was determined to run into an out.
Craig Breslow almost picked Soriano off first base, but the lefty’s throw over didn’t go too smoothly. Soriano, who had taken off for second, advanced easily.
Soriano got caught leaning between second and third base, though. And this time, the Red Sox were able to wipe him off the bases for the second out of the ninth.
Breslow ended the inning by striking out Curtis Granderson.
Will Middlebrooks, Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino are due up for the Red Sox in the 10th inning.
Mid 9th, 8-8: These Red Sox just don’t stop fighting.
Mariano Rivera was a strike away from closing this one out, but Mike Napoli lined a 3-2 cutter into right-center field to keep the game alive.
Quintin Berry pinch ran for Napoli, and he took off for second base on the first pitch to Stephen Drew. Catcher Austin Romine’s throw was in the dirt, and the ball ended up in left field. That allowed Berry to get up and scamper to third base.
Drew wasted no time knocking in the tying run. He ripped a single into right field to score Berry from third base, and we’re all knotted up at eight apiece at Yankee Stadium.
End 8th, Yankees 8-7: It’s Mo Time.
Craig Breslow pitched a perfect eighth inning for the Red Sox, and Mariano Rivera will enter with a one-run lead.
Austin Romine grounded back to the mound, Brett Gardner struck out and Derek Jeter flied out to right field in the bottom of the eighth.
David Ortiz, Daniel Nava and Mike Napoli are due up against Rivera in the ninth.
Mid 8th, Yankees 8-7: And just like that, the Yankees are three outs away from a victory.
David Robertson followed up New York’s six-run offensive attack in the seventh inning with a clean eighth inning on the hill. He retired the side in order.
Robertson struck out Jacoby Ellsbury and Shane Victorino to begin the eighth. Ellsbury went down looking at a pitch that caught the bottom of the strike zone, and Victorino fanned on a 92 mph cutter.
Dustin Pedroia grounded out to short to end the inning, and Mariano Rivera will now have a chance to close things out in the ninth. He’ll be scheduled to face David Ortiz, Daniel Nava and Mike Napoli.
Craig Breslow is tasked with keeping this a one-run game.
End 7th, Yankees 8-7: The Red Sox watched a five-run lead evaporate in the seventh inning, and the Yankees now hold an 8-7 advantage.
Alfonso Soriano shot an RBI single into right field to make it 7-5 after Junichi Tazawa took over for Matt Thornton with runners at the corners and one out. The Red Sox put the shift on expecting the right-handed-hitting Soriano to pull, but he did a nice job of going the other way.
Curtis Granderson nearly jacked one out of the yard. It hit off the base of the right field wall, and Robinson Cano scored from second base. Granderson cruised into second while Soriano advanced to third.
Tazawa got the Red Sox to within one out of exiting the inning with a lead, as Alex Rodriguez struck out swinging on a pitch down and in. But Lyle Overbay came up with a big two-run single into right field to catapult New York ahead.
The Yankees scored six runs in the monster inning. Jake Peavy, Thornton and Tazawa were each charged with two runs.
10:16 p.m., Red Sox 7-4: Things have tightened up.
Brett Gardner welcomed Matt Thornton to the game with an RBI single into center field. Ichiro Suzuki scored and Vernon Wells moved up to second base on the hit.
Wells then aggressively stole third base, giving the Yankees five stolen bases for the contest. Ryan Lavarnway’s throw actually beat Wells to the bag, but Will Middlebrooks couldn’t get the tag down in time.
Derek Jeter walked to load the bases, meaning that Robinson Cano represented the tying run. Cano hit a ground ball to second base that ended with a run-scoring forceout. Initially, it looked like a double-play ball, but the turn took a long time to develop.
Junichi Tazawa is taking over for Thornton with runners at the corners and one out. Alfonso Soriano will be Tazawa’s first opponent.
10:04 p.m., Red Sox 7-2: Jake Peavy will depart after allowing the first two hitters of the seventh inning to reach.
Ichiro Suzuki led off with a walk. Vernon Wells, who pinch-hit for Chris Stewart, followed with a single that sent Ichiro from first to third.
Matt Thornton will take over for Peavy with runners at the corners and no outs.
Mid 7th, Red Sox 7-2: Ryan Lavarnway is really starting to look comfortable at the plate.
Lavarnway demonstrated a nice piece of hitting in the seventh inning when he went the other way with a breaking ball for an RBI single. He’s now 2-for-4 with two RBIs in this game, and he’s hitting .462 (12-for-26) over his last seven games with a plate appearance.
The RBI single was set up by a one-out double from Daniel Nava. Nava drove a 3-1 fastball into the right-center field gap.
Mike Napoli also walked in the inning, while David Ortiz and Stephen Drew both struck out swinging. Will Middlebrooks ended the inning with a fly ball to left field.
Jake Peavy is coming back out for some more in the seventh inning. He might have a short leash, though, with his pitch count climbing.
End 6th, Red Sox 6-2: Alex Rodriguez has a couple of doubles, but his sixth-inning knock didn’t result in any damage.
Jake Peavy picked up two quick outs in the sixth. Alfonso Soriano flied out to left field, and Curtis Granderson struck out looking on a changeup on the inside corner.
Rodriguez then doubled down the left field line, but Peavy quickly ended the inning with a strikeout of Lyle Overbay.
Peavy has four strikeouts thus far. In the sixth inning, he featured a heavy dose of changeups, particularly to Overbay.
Mid 6th, Red Sox 6-2: Jacoby Ellsbury singled to lead off the sixth inning. He got a little too anxious on the bases, though.
Adam Warren threw over to first base a number of times once Ellsbury reached, and he finally picked off the Red Sox’ speedy leadoff man with Dustin Pedroia batting. Ellsbury tried to get a walking lead, and Warren caught him with his momentum going in the wrong direction.
Pedroia struck out looking on a pitch on the outside corner to end the inning.
End 5th, Red Sox 6-2: Jake Peavy provided a nice shutdown inning in the fifth.
Peavy retired the top of the Yankees’ lineup in order, capping the frame with a strikeout of Robinson Cano.
Brett Gardner popped out in foul territory and Derek Jeter lined out to the right side before Cano went down looking at a 2-2 cutter on the black.
Mid 5th, Red Sox 6-2: The Red Sox posted one more run, giving them three for the fifth inning.
Ryan Lavarnway hit a slow ground ball back up the middle. Derek Jeter fielded it near the second base bag, and the only play that he had was to step on the bag. Jeter tumbled to the ground as Mike Napoli slid into second and David Ortiz crossed the plate with Boston’s sixth run.
Adam Warren finally ended the inning by striking out Will Middlebrooks.
9:08 p.m., Red Sox 5-2: Cesar Cabral faced just one batter. He struck out Stephen Drew, and Joe Girardi will now turn to Adam Warren.
9:04 p.m., Red Sox 5-2: Preston Claiborne took over for Ivan Nova in the fifth inning, and he failed to record an out.
Shane Victorino ripped Claiborne’s second pitch over the left field wall for his 13th home run of the season. That extended Boston’s lead to 4-2.
Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz hit back-to-back singles, and Daniel Nava walked to load the bases. Mike Napoli then singled up the third base line, as Alex Rodriguez couldn’t make a difficult play, and the Red Sox now lead 5-2.
Cesar Cabral is taking over for Claiborne with the bases still loaded and no outs.
8:58 p.m.: Want to predict what is going to happen next? The MLB PrePlay app allows you to predict every play of every game. By correctly selecting the outcome of every at-bat in real time, you’re able to earn points.
End 4th, Red Sox 3-2: Jake Peavy is fired up, and for good reason. He just pitched his way out of a second-and-third, one-out jam.
Curtis Granderson hit a pop up into foul territory along the third base line to start the frame. Stephen Drew raced over with the shift on, and he tripped on the grass in foul ground. Because of the stumble, Drew needed to lay out in order to make the catch. What an eventful play.
Alex Rodriguez followed Drew’s circus act with a double into the right-center field gap. A-Rod completed the two-bagger with an ugly dive into second base.
After Lyle Overbay walked, the Yankees caught the Red Sox off guard with a double steal. Ichiro Suzuki ended up striking out in a nine-pitch at-bat, though, and Peavy exited the inning by getting Chris Stewart to fly out to left field.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 3-2: Will Middlebrooks looks locked in right now.
Middlebrooks, who smoked a grand slam Wednesday, drove a two-out solo blast into the second deck in left field to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.
Middlebrooks has really given the Red Sox’ offense a boost since rejoining the club. He’s 2-for-2 in this game, and he’s now hitting .361 (26-for-72) with four homers and 14 RBIs since being recalled on Aug. 10.
Alfonso Soriano started the inning with a tumbling, shoe-top grab in left field. He also put away the third out of the inning.
End 3rd, 2-2: Robinson Cano missed a grand slam by about two feet. His lined shot still banged three quarters of the way up the right field wall, though, and the Yankees posted two runs in the third inning.
Ichiro Suzuki got things going with a one-out single into center field. He stole second base, as Ryan Lavarnway’s throw was off the mark.
Jake Peavy looked poised to avoid any damage after Chris Stewart’s little pop up to first base was snagged by Mike Napoli on the edge of the outfield grass. But Brett Gardner’s bunt created some confusion that ultimately paved the way for New York’s two runs.
Gardner bunted in front of the plate with two outs, and Peavy charged in as Lavarnway stormed out from behind the dish. It should have been Lavarnway’s ball, but Peavy slipped while trying to field it. The right-hander had no play at first base, and he was fortunate that his ill-advised throw to third base only got away from Will Middlebrooks for a second.
Peavy walked Derek Jeter on seven pitches to load the bases. The righty jumped ahead of Jeter, 0-2, but he couldn’t put him away with multiple pitches located down and away.
Cano dug in with the bags packed, and he turned on a first-pitch cutter in on the hands. His line drive to right field almost left the yard, but it smacked off the wall and two runs scored.
Peavy made sure that the Yankees didn’t grab the lead by retiring Alonso Soriano on a fly ball to left field. It’s now up to Ivan Nova to give the Yankees a shutdown inning.
Mid 3rd, Red Sox 2-0: Ivan Nova struggled mightily with his command in the third inning.
Ryan Lavarnway, who hit one of Boston’s eight home runs in Wednesday’s blowout, blooped a single into center field to lead off the inning.
Will Middlebrooks then shot a single into right field, setting up runners at first and second for Jacoby Ellsbury.
Ellsbury worked the count full after falling behind, 0-2. He won the battle by driving a ball into the right-center field gap. It kicked up over the fence for a ground-rule double, resulting in the Red Sox’ first run.
Shane Victorino came up with two runners in scoring position and still nobody out. He grounded to short with the Yankees’ infield playing back. Derek Jeter’s throw to first was picked by Lyle Overbay for the first out, but Middlebrooks crossed the plate with Boston’s second run.
Dustin Pedroia nearly dropped a line drive down the right field line. It landed just foul, though, and Pedroia ended up grounding out to short. Ellsbury couldn’t advance.
Nova intentionally walked David Ortiz with first base open to face Daniel Nava. That’s all fine and good, except Nova couldn’t find the strike zone against Nava, either. He walked him on four pitches to load the bases for Mike Napoli with two outs.
Fortunately for the Yankees, Nova escaped the jam. He dropped a curveball on the outside corner to freeze Napoli, who has now struck out twice in this game.
Nova has already thrown 82 pitches through just three innings. The scoreboard could be much worse given how poorly he pitched in the third inning, though. Nova simply commands his offspeed stuff.
End 2nd, 0-0: It’s been six up, six down for Jake Peavy.
Alfonso Soriano, who was the hottest hitter on the planet the last time the Red Sox saw the Yankees, drilled a line drive right at Will Middlebrooks down at third base for the first out.
Curtis Granderson then lifted a lazy fly ball into left field. Stephen Drew ranged out as Daniel Nava coasted in, and it was Nava who put it away.
Alex Rodriguez hit a ball on the screws with two down. It was right at Jacoby Ellsbury in deep center, though.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: Ivan Nova finished off the second inning strong.
David Ortiz began the frame by beating the shift for a single into right-center field. It was career hit No. 2,002 for Ortiz, who reached the 2,000-hit mark during his three-hit, two-homer performance against the Tigers on Wednesday.
Daniel Nava then sent Brett Gardner back toward the warning track in left-center. The ball carried well, and Gardner had to get on his horse to record his third putout of the game.
From there, it was all Nova. Mike Napoli couldn’t hold up on a curveball in the dirt, and Stephen Drew fanned on a 3-2 splitter down in the zone. Nova did a very nice job of keeping the ball down — even when he missed — in the second inning.
End 1st, 0-0: Jake Peavy followed in Ivan Nova’s footsteps and tossed a 1-2-3 inning.
Brett Gardner popped out to Ryan Lavarnway in foul territory and Derek Jeter grounded to second base before Robinson Cano pieced together a good at-bat.
Cano fouled off a few pitches — including one off his foot area — before sending Jacoby Ellsbury back near the warning track with a fly ball to center field.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Ivan Nova used three flyouts to toss a scoreless first inning.
Nova fell behind Jacoby Ellsbury to begin the game. But after working a 3-0 count, Ellsbury lifted a fly ball to left-center field that Brett Gardner handled.
Shane Victorino also found himself in a three-ball count, but he, too, flied out. Victorino hooked one down the left field line that Alfonso Soriano hauled in.
Dustin Pedroia ended the inning with a fly ball to center.
7:07 p.m.: Ivan Nova’s first pitch misses for a ball.
6:58 p.m.: Jake Peavy certainly doesn’t have history on his side in this one.
Peavy is 0-4 with a 3.96 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees. The Yankees, Rangers, Angels and Padres are the only major league teams that Peavy hasn’t defeated in his career.
6:46 p.m.: The Red Sox went 7-2 during their nine-game homestand. They’ll now play the next seven games on the road, as they have three games with the Rays after this four-game weekend series in the Bronx.
6:38 p.m.: While the Red Sox were beating the crap out of the Tigers on Wednesday, there was an interesting development in the minors.
Allen Webster pitched out of the bullpen for Triple-A Pawtucket in the PawSox’ playoff game against Rochester. It was the first time all season that Webster pitched out of the bullpen, and it might mean that another major league stint is in the cards for the 23-year-old in 2013.
Click here for more on Webster >>
6:07 p.m.: The Red Sox enter Thursday’s game with a season-high 5 1/2-game lead in the AL East.
The last time that the Red Sox held a larger divisional lead was back in 2007. We all know what happened that year.
5:40 p.m.: Jake Peavy really has his work cut out for him Thursday. In addition to going up against the Yankees in the Bronx, he’s facing the reigning AL Pitcher of the Month.
Ivan Nova went a perfect 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in August. He tossed a complete-game, three-hit shutout against the Orioles to cap the month.
Nova, who enjoyed a successful July as well, has really rebounded from a rocky start to the season. He enters Thursday’s start with an 8-4 record and 2.88 ERA, and he’s a huge reason why the Yankees are still in the thick of the playoff race.
4:50 p.m.: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who is dealing with a back issue, will once again be out of the Red Sox’ lineup. Ryan Lavarnway will get the start behind the plate and bat eighth.
Red Sox (84-57)
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Shane Victorino, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Daniel Nava, LF
Mike Napoli, 1B
Stephen Drew, SS
Ryan Lavarnway, C
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Jake Peavy, RHP (11-5, 3.91 ERA)
Yankees (75-64)
Brett Gardner, CF
Derek Jeter, SS
Robinson Cano, 2B
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Curtis Granderson, DH
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Ichiro Suzuki, RF
Chris Stewart, C
Ivan Nova, RHP (8-4, 2.88 ERA)
8 a.m. ET: Jake Peavy has pitched very well since joining the Red Sox. On Thursday, he’ll get his first taste of the Boston-New York rivalry.
Peavy will take the ball Thursday as the Red Sox kick off a four-game series with the Yankees in New York. He’ll enter the start on the heels of back-to-back wins, which include a complete-game victory over the Dodgers and a seven-inning performance against the White Sox. Peavy is 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in six starts since being acquired by the Red Sox.
Thursday’s game should really get the blood flowing, though. Not only will it be Peavy’s first start against the Yankees with the Red Sox, but it’s also the teams’ first matchup since Ryan Dempster drilled Alex Rodriguez at Fenway Park on Aug. 18.
Both teams would be wise to put the Aug. 18 fireworks in the rearview mirror, as the Yankees are 2 1/2 games out in the AL wild card race and the Red Sox can’t afford to let anyone gain ground in the AL East. There’s no telling what will happen when these two teams meet up, though, so it should be an interesting four days in the Bronx.
Thursday’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET. Be sure to tune in on NESN, and stay strapped in right here.
