Not only were the Sox unable to catch up, the Yankees offense was scoring at will. New York plated two in the first, four in the second, six in the fifth, three in the sixth and four in the ninth as the Yanks out-hit the Sox 23-12.
Brad Penny took the loss in the series opener after allowing eight runs in four innings. The big righty dug himself a hole early by allowing six runs in the first two innings, highlighted by two-run double in the second off the bat of Mark Teixeira.
Boston was able to plate one run in the opening frame thanks to a sacrifice fly to center field by Victor Martinez to plate Jacoby Ellsbury. The Sox then added three in the fifth highlighted by a two-run single by Ellsbury before adding three more in the sixth. Mike Lowell (two-run homer) and Jason Varitek (solo homer) each went deep off of Sergio Mitre in the bottom of the ninth for the Red Sox but it was too little, two late.
Adding to the Yankees offense were Derek Jeter (three hits, two RBIs, three runs), Teixeira (three hits, three RBIs, three runs), Melky Cabrera (four hits, two RBIs), Alex Rodriguez (four hits, two runs scored) and Jorge Posada (two hits, two runs scored, two RBIs).
Yankee starter Andy Pettitte picked up the win despite sitting through very long breaks on the bench as his offense ate up a lot of time scoring runs. Pettitte went five innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. He struck out four and walked two en route to his 10th win of the season.
Yankees 20, Red Sox 11
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
August 21, 2009
Headliner: Hideki Matsui led the Yankees with a pair of three-run homers, his 20th and 21st of the season. Matsui's first blast came in the fifth inning to put New York up 9-1. The designated hitter struck again in the ninth, this time wrapping another three-run homer around Peksy's poll down the line. He finished the night 2-for-6 with two homers and a career-high seven RBIs.
Dirt dog: Jacoby Ellsbury accounted for Boston’s first four runs of the night, scoring the first, driving in the next two and crossing home plate for the fourth. Ellsbury went 1-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored, two RBIs and a stolen base, which tied Tommy Harper’s club record for most steals in a single season with 54.
Better luck next time: Brad Penny picked up his eighth loss of the season and his fourth in as many decisions. The big righty went just four innings after allowing eight earned runs on 10 hits and a walk. Penny struck out just four batters and threw 82 total pitches. He’s now allowed 25 earned runs in his last five starts and has yet to make it seven full innings in 24 starts this summer. He has just one win in his last 11 starts.
Key moment: Eric Hinske, who filled in for Johnny Damon in left field after Damon injured himself by fouling a ball off his knee in the first, smacked an RBI ground-rule double to get the Yankee offense started in the second inning. New York would go on to plate four runs in that frame to jump-start the offense that would go on to plate 20 runs. It was the first Fenway Park at bat for Hinske as a member of the Yankees.
On deck: Saturday afternoon’s matinee at the old ballyard features A.J. Burnett for the Yankees taking the bump against rookie Junichi Tazawa.
Burnett is 5-1 in 11 career starts against the Sox with a 3.39 ERA. The offseason import from Toronto is 10-6 on the season and has been able to maintain a 3.69 ERA despite recent struggles. He has been winless in his last four starts after capturing five in a row from June 27 to July 27.
Slated to face Burnett is rookie Junichi Tazawa. Tazawa is 1-2 this season with a 5.40 ERA. The young righty lost his last start by allowing four runs in five innings against the Rangers in Texas. The last time he faced the Yanks, he watched Alex Rodriguez’s game-winning homer rocket over his head and into the seats back on Aug. 7 at Yankee Stadium. That loss came in what was his first career MLB appearance. Since then, Taz has picked up his first career win – a 7-5 victory over the Tigers when he went five innings and allowed one earned run – his only other appearance at Fenway Park.
