Recap: Boston vs. NY Yankees
Sports Network | September 28, 2008
Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Jonathan Van Every singled home the game-winning run in the 10th inning to give the Boston Red Sox a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees to split a regular season-ending doubleheader.
In the first game, Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina recorded his first 20-win season in a 6-2 victory.
In a game played by mostly reserves, Alex Cora went 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Red Sox (95-67), who will face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Wednesday at 10 p.m. (et) to start their title defense.
Tim Wakefield was excellent in five innings of work, allowing only two hits without allowing a run while striking out three. Devern Hansack (1-0) got the win after pitching a scoreless 10th inning.
Sidney Ponson surrendered only one run on four hits in six innings, with three strikeouts. Jose Veras (5-3) took the loss after allowing the game-winning single in the 10th.
Melky Cabrera had three hits while Robinson Cano went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored for the Yankees (89-73), who will miss the playoffs for the first time since the new division alignment was instituted in 1994.
The Red Sox managed to win the game in the 10th off Veras. Cora led off the inning with a triple. Chris Carter struck out, and the Yankees followed by walking the bases loaded. Veras was able to strike out David Ross to get to Van Every, who singled to right field.
Boston broke a deadlock in the eighth. With Darrell Rasner pitching, the Red Sox loaded the bases on three straight one-out walks. Jeff Bailey struck out looking for the second out, but Sean Casey came through with a single up the middle to plate two runs for a 3-1 lead.
David Aardsma was brought in to close the game for the Red Sox, but ran into some trouble. Wilson Betemit singled to start the ninth inning for the Yankees and pinch-hitter Johnny Damon worked a walk. After a Cabrera bunt single loaded the bases, Juan Miranda lofted a sac fly to cut the deficit to one. After a strikeout, Cano lifted a single to right-center to tie the game at three.
The Red Sox manufactured a run in the first. Coco Crisp doubled to lead off, went to third on a groundout to shortstop and scored on a Carter groundout to first.
The Yankees tied the game in the sixth. Justin Masterson started the inning for Boston, and Cano and Jason Giambi began the inning with consecutive singles. Xavier Nady grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Cano to scamper home.
New York was unable to break the deadlock in the eighth. Mike Timlin came on in relief for Boston, and Brett Gardner hit a lead-off single. After Gardner stole second and moved to third on a groundout, Nady worked a two-out walk and stole second, but Francisco Cervelli struck out on a full count to end the threat.
The season series between the clubs ends in a tie, 9-9...Boston finished with the best record in the AL since August 1 (34-19)...New York left nine runners on base while the Red Sox left 10.
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