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Masahiro Tanaka's absence in the second half may cost the Yankees a post season spot. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Yankees game 79: Power decides the duel

 (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Boston Red Sox 2 — New York Yankees 1

The pitcher’s duel between Jon Lester and Masahiro Tanaka came down to a few bad pitches.

Great pitching by Jon Lester and Masahiro Tanaka was expected and they lived up to the billing. Through the first three innings for Tanaka, he would strike out the side in one inning but a first pitch fastball to catcher David Ross in the third inning would not come back. Ross would put the Red Sox ahead with his fourth home run of the season into the left field seats.

The Yankees would respond in the bottom half of the inning, mostly thanks to the Red Sox.

After Stephen Drew committed an error on the Brian Roberts ground ball, Lester would hit Yangervis Solarte on the front of the foot to put two on with no outs. Solarte would stay in the game and the runners would advance on a sacrifice by Brett Gardner. Derek Jeter would ground out to tie the game. Without the benefit of a hit, the Yankees scored the tying run.

Why is the run without a hit relevant? The Yankees would be held out of the hit column until the sixth inning.

In the fourth inning, Tanaka allowed a single and double to Pedroia and Ortiz to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Masahiro Tanaka would turn up the intensity and struck out Mike Napoli and Stephen Drew before getting Xander Bogaerts to ground out and pump up the Yankees rookie ace.

In the sixth inning, Brett Gardner would open with a single. He would proceed to get caught stealing easily during the Derek Jeter at-bat. A pair of singles and a fly ball to right field would follow the poor steal attempt.

In the eighth inning, Jon Lester had already exceeded 100 pitches and started with a walk to Brett Gardner. On a 3-1 count to Derek Jeter, the Yankees shortstop would get the green light but grounded into a double play. Ellsbury would single after the double play but would be stranded on a called third strike to Mark Teixeira.

Masahiro Tanaka would go the distance tonight. Dustin Pedroia would lead off the ninth inning with a single but would be erased on a double play. On a 1-2 count, Tanaka would throw a high fastball to Mike Napoli but that would be the difference maker. The 96 mph fastball would be put into the first row of the short porch, a Yankee Stadium treat, to break the 1-1 tie.

Closer Koji Uehara would get a pair of strikeouts in a harmless ninth inning as Tanaka made two bad pitches and took his second loss in as many starts for the first time in his major league career. The Yankees offense did not come through in two prime opportunities as the pitcher’s duel was a close one that went the Red Sox way.

In nine innings, Masahiro Tanaka allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out eight and walking one.

 

Win – Jon Lester (9-7)

Loss – Masahiro Tanaka (11-3)

Save – Koji Uehara (17)

 

Notables

Red Sox

*Mike Napoli -1 for 3, R, BB, Solo Home Run (10) in the 9th, RBI (31)

*David Ross – 1 for 3, R, Solo Home Run (4) in the 3rd, RBI (7)

Yankees

*Derek Jeter – 1 for 3, BB, RBI (18)

*Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 for 4

 

Current Yankees Record: 41-38