Saturday, July 26, 2008

  • Pettitte, Yankees win eighth straight, top Boston, 10-3

    MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
    Game played July 26, 2008

    BOSTON – Andy Pettitte (12-7) worked six innings of three-run, five-hit ball with seven strikeouts, and the New York Yankees used a four-run sixth inning to blow open a 10-3 win over the Red Sox to win their eighth straight game, remaining undefeated since the All-Star break and securing a series win in the three-game set.

    Already leading 3-2, the Yankees sent eight men to the plate in the sixth, scoring four more runs. Xavier Nady led off the inning with a walk against Boston starter Tim Wakefield. After Melky Cabrera doubled off the Green Monster in left field, Johnny Damon’s fielder’s choice scored Nady. After a pitching change, Derek Jeter singled to right, scoring Cabrera. Bobby Abreu’s double to center scored Damon before Alex Rodriguez singled to left to score Jeter for a 7-2 lead.

    Boston took a 2-0 lead in their first time at the plate. Dustin Pedroia reached base to lead off on a Rodriguez error and scored on David Ortiz’s single. Kevin Youkilis, who had walked, then scored on a Manny Ramirez forceout.

    New York cut the deficit in half in the third. Jose Molina walked to lead off, took second base on a Wakefield wild pitch and scored on an Abreu single to right.

    The Yankees took the lead in the fourth inning. Robinson Cano led off with a homer to dead center to tie the game. Cabrera then reached on a bunt single, stole second and scored on a Damon single up the middle to take a 3-2 lead.

    The Red Sox got a run back in the sixth on J.D. Drew’s one-out jack to deep right.

    However, New York salted the game away with a three-run eighth frame against Boston reliever Craig Hansen. With the bases loaded, Jason Giambi walked to force in Molina, who had walked and taken third base on a wild pitch. Cano then hit a two-out double off the Monster to score Abreu, who had walked, and Rodriguez, who reached after taking a Hansen fastball after his left arm.

    Cano led the Yankee offense with a 3-for-4 afternoon. Jeter, Abreu, Rodriguez and Cabrera all added two hits to the cause. In relief, Jose Veras, Damaso Marte and Edwar Ramirez worked a combined two innings and David Robertson pitched a perfect ninth.

    For Boston, Youkilis and Ortiz each had two hits. Wakefield (6-8) lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Justin Masterson, Javier Lopez, Hansen and Mike Timlin also saw time on the mound.

    Nady and Marte were playing in their first game for the Yankees after coming to New York in a trade Friday from Pittsburgh.

    Jed Lowrie’s career-long six-game hitting streak and Pedroia’s nine-game streak both came to an end for the Red Sox.

    The Yankees (58-45) will pitch Sidney Ponson in the series finale Sunday night, while Jon Lester is slated to throw for Boston (60-45).

    With the win, the Yankees temporarily drew to within 2.5 games of AL East-leading Tampa Bay in third place, with the Red Sox 1.5 back of the Rays in second. Tampa Bay’s Saturday night contest at Kansas City ended too late for this edition.

    Video credit – FOX

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