📌 Join the BPCrew Chapter in your city and meet up with more Yankees fans! 👉 CLICK HERE
Joba's exasperation matched all those who treasure the Yankees. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Yankees Game 141: Drained bullpen blows up

Joba’s exasperation matched all those who treasure the Yankees. (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

Boston Red Sox 12 — New York Yankees 8

 

High-scoring affair features the drained bullpen struggling in tonight’s 12-8 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

With one out, Derek Jeter worked out a walk against Red Sox starter Felix Doubront. Alfonso Soriano would make Doubront pay for that with a no-doubt two-run home run. His 30th home run of the season gave the Yankees an early two-run lead.

Andy Pettitte would start the game with a pair of strikeouts and a single but he would respond with another strikeout in a great first inning. The second inning wouldn’t go as smoothly. Mike Napoli would open the second with a single and Daniel Nava would walk to put two on with no outs. Pettitte would get another strikeout but catcher David Ross would plate the Red Sox first run. Will Middlebrooks would ground into a double play and the Yankees would respond in the bottom half.

Vernon Wells would open with a walk and Eduardo Nunez would hit a deep fly ball to left center field. Nunez would lose his helmet after second base before sliding into third base with a run-scoring triple. Mark Reynolds would be called out on strikes but Chris Stewart would get the productive out. His sacrifice fly would bring home the fourth run.

The Yankees would continue to have the upper hand in the scoring.

The Red Sox would score in the fourth inning on a ground out and the fifth inning on a home run by Middlebrooks. In the fourth inning, Brett Gardner would follow two walks with a two-run triple to left field. In the fifth inning, Robinson Cano would score on Vernon Wells’ single and later, Vernon Wells would score on a single by Mark Reynolds.

The score was 8-3 with the Yankees holding a solid lead. But the problem would be evident.

Andy Pettitte allowed three runs in his six innings. He struck out eight in his impressive start. In the fourth inning, the strikeout of David Ross would be a milestone. It was the 2,000th strikeout as a Yankee for Andy Pettitte.

Shawn Kelley (triceps), David Robertson and Mariano Rivera would be unavailable. The seventh inning would feature a first for this season.

After 26 starts, Phil Hughes emerged for his new role from the bullpen. The first single was a laser that deflected off the glove of Eduardo Nunez for a single. Middlebrooks would fly out but Shane Victorino would hit a single. Mike Carp would pinch-hit and in a hard fought battle, worked out a walk. Dustin Pedroia would hit a single for one run and the Red Sox were down by just four.

This was Phil Hughes’ first regular season relief appearance since September 28, 2011.

Boone Logan would be called on for David Ortiz and would succeed, baffling the left-handed slugger with a nasty slider. Unfortunately, with the bullpen drained, Boone Logan would need to face Mike Napoli. This would hurt as Mike Napoli would hit a home run off the top of the right field wall for a game-tying grand slam.

At 335 feet, Mike Napoli’s home run was a Yankee Stadium gift. It would not have left any other ballpark.

Daniel Nava would follow with a single just past Boone Logan but it appeared something tightened up on Logan and he would exit with an injuy. He would later explain that he felt discomfort in his left tricep. Preston Claiborne would finish the inning.

In the eighth inning, Preston Claiborne would give up the lead with a deep two-run home run to Shane Victorino. Mike Carp would hit a single and that would be the end of Claiborne’s night. Joba Chamberlain would come in. One of the least liked players in pinstripes would walk in one run and give up a single for another run.

In two innings, the Yankees bullpen (Hughes, Logan, Claiborne, Chamberlain) gave up nine runs on nine hits and four walks.

Matt Daley would be the 53rd player to make his Yankees debut and was impressive. He would pitch a scoreless ninth despite runners getting into scoring position. He also struck out two.

The loss is tough but the good thing about baseball is that there is another game tomorrow.

 

Win – Brandon Workman (5-2)

Loss – Preston Claiborne (0-2)

 

Notables

Red Sox

*Mike Napoli – 3 for 3, 3 R, 2 BB, 2B, Grand Slam (19) in the 7th, 4 RBI (82)

*Shane Victorino – 2 for 5, 2 R, 2-Run Home Run (14) in the 8th, 2 RBI (56)

Yankees

*Alfonso Soriano – 1 for 5, R, 2-Run Home Run (30) in the 1st, 2 RBI (94)

*Eduardo Nunez – 2 for 3, R, BB, 3B, RBI (23)

 

Current Yankees Record: 75-66

 

Get your Yankees Tickets from our friends at TiqIQ.