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(Andy Marlin/Getty Images)

Yankees game 143: Wild pitch walk-off

(Andy Marlin/Getty Images)

Boston Red Sox 3 — New York Yankees 4

 

A pitch in the dirt brought in the walk-off winner in today’s 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox.

Hiroki Kuroda matched up with Jon Lester in an attempt to avoid the sweep. The game would be close but only on the scoreboard. David Ortiz led off the second inning with a double. Mike Carp would follow up with a double of his own to bring in the first run of the game. Hiroki Kuroda would not give up anymore runs in the 48-pitch second inning.

A strange decision would take place in the bottom half of the second inning. Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez would hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. Power-hitting Mark Reynolds would try to bunt but popped it up for the first out. The strange decision would be followed up with a pair of strikeouts to waste away the opportunity with runners on.

After four innings, Hiroki Kuroda was at 92 pitches and trailed by one still.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, Alex Rodriguez would hit a single to center field. After bunting in his first at-bat, Mark Reynolds would swing away and hit a double to deep center field just off the wall. The double by Reynolds would bring home a hustling Rodriguez to tie the game at one.

In the fifth inning, the Red Sox may have felt snake-bitten. With one out, coincidentally on a pop up, Chris Stewart would hit a bloop single just in front of left fielder Jonny Gomes. This hit snapped an 0-for-23 skid for the Yankees catcher. Ichiro Suzuki would hit a vintage bloop single to left field. Vernon Wells would follow with a bloop single of his own where shortstop Stephen Drew had a hold of the ball but couldn’t come down with it. The bases were loaded with one out on three bloop singles. Alfonso Soriano would strike out but Robinson Cano would come through. Cano would go the opposite way, hitting a double to left field and gave the Yankees a 3-1 lead.

Kuroda would allow one more run in the sixth inning. A ground out brought in the run but Kuroda would need a season-high 117 pitches for this start. In six innings, Kuroda gave up two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. It was amazing that he got as deep into the game as he did with the pitch count he had.

Shawn Kelley, seemingly recovered from his tricep issue, took the mound in the seventh inning. Kelley was cranking his fastball up to 95 when he got the first out on a strikeout. He would give up a pair of singles but he would have a scoreless inning.

With the lead at one, in the eighth inning the Yankees turned to…Mariano Rivera? The Yankees 43-year-old closer emerged from the bullpen for a rare six-out save opportunity. How rare is it? The last two inning save that Mariano Rivera got was on July 16, 2006.

Mariano Rivera would begin the eighth inning with David Ortiz striking out looking on a cutter on the outside corner. Rivera would give up a single but the runner would be stranded on first in a scoreless eighth inning. The Yankees would not be able to tack on anymore runs so Mariano Rivera would need to hold a one-run lead.

The seventh blown save of the season would take place when a fly ball by Will Middlebrooks would carry and carry before it went over the short porch for a shocking game-tying home run. Rivera would bounce back with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Mike Napoli before getting the next two outs and give the Yankees a chance to walk-off.

For the bottom of the ninth, Brandon Workman would get the call after eight innings by Jon Lester. Pinch-hitter Brett Gardner would strike out but Ichiro would hit a single. He would steal second successfully and advance to third on a fly out to right field. With Alfonso Soriano batting, a fly ball would be enough but a wild pitch would do. A pitch in the dirt would bounce away from catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ichiro would race home to be the game-winning run.

The last walk-off win on a wild pitch was on September 27, 1977 against the Cleveland Indians. Thurman Munson scored on a wild pitch by Jim Bibby.

 

Win – Mariano Rivera (5-2)

Loss – Brandon Workman (5-3)

 

Notables

Red Sox

*Will Middlebrooks – 2 for 3, R, BB, Solo Home Run (15) in the 9th, RBI (41)

*Mike Carp – 2 for 4, 2B, RBI (33)

Yankees

*Ichiro Suzuki – 2 for 5, 2 R

*Robinson Cano – 3 for 4, 2B, 2 RBI (97)

 

Current Yankees Record: 76-67

 

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