New York Yankees 2 — Boston Red Sox 4
A pair of home runs are enough in tonight’s 4-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Andy Pettitte didn’t get the second half of the season started the way he wants to. On the second pitch to Jacoby Ellsbury, the Red Sox outfielder went deep for a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. Then in the second inning, Mike Napoli led off the inning with a walk and Jonny Gomes would take Pettitte deep onto the Green Monster. After two innings, the Red Sox were up by three.
The Yankees could not figure out Felix Doubront. In the second inning, Vernon Wells would walk to get on base but Zoilo Almonte would ground into a costly double play. The first time through the lineup, Wells would be the only Yankee to reach base.
But in the fourth inning, it was a one-man show to get to Doubront.
Brett Gardner would start the fourth inning with a walk. After Ichiro Suzuki popped out, Gardner got moving. During Robinson Cano’s at-bat, Brett Gardner would steal his 14th base of the season. Then on the next pitch, Gardner got moving one more time, stealing third and Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s throwing error would let Gardner jog home for the first run for the Yankees. In the fourth inning, Brett Gardner was the one-man show, stealing two bases and scoring on an error, all created by him.
In the fifth inning, Gardner’s presence would be felt once more, just not in a good way. First, Lyle Overbay ended Doubront’s no-hitter with a double off the Green Monster. Recent call-up Brent Lillibridge struck out and Eduardo Nunez grounded out but Chris Stewart would come through. The Yankees catcher would double to left field and the Yankees were only trailing by one. On a low 3-2 pitch, Brett Gardner thought he walked but home plate Mike Everitt called him out on strike three. Brett Gardner slammed the bat down with both hands and Everitt promptly ejected Gardner from the game.
To start the bottom half of the fifth inning, Luis Cruz took over at third base and replaced Zoilo Almonte in the lineup at fifth. Brent Lillibridge started the game at third base and moved to right field. Ichiro Suzuki moved from right field to center field to replace the ejected Brett Gardner defensively. Alberto Gonzalez took over in left field for the injured Zoilo Almonte. Understand? Don’t worry, we were all a little confused.
After the first two innings, Andy Pettitte settled down but would be replaced in the game after he got a double and a ground out. Shawn Kelley came in and got one out before a crucial wild pitch. Jose Iglesias singled in the fourth run of the game. Boone Logan came in after Kelley and walked one but finished off the inning.
Through 6.1 innings, Andy Pettitte allowed four runs on six hits while walking one and striking out four.
In the eighth inning, Ichiro Suzuki singled and Robinson Cano hit a double with one out but Vernon Wells and Luis Cruz could not bring either one of them home. The Yankees would go down in order for the ninth inning and they started the second half of the season with a loss against the top team in the American League.
Zoilo Almonte exited the game with a left ankle sprain that could have occurred in the double play in the second inning.
Win – Felix Doubront (7-3)
Loss – Andy Pettitte (7-7)
Save – Koji Uehara (9)
Notables
Yankees
*Chris Stewart – 1 for 3, 2B, RBI (15)
*Brett Gardner – R, BB
Red Sox
*Jonny Gomes – 2 for 4, 2 R, 2B, 2-Run Home Run (7) in the 2nd, 2 RBI (24)
*Jacoby Ellsbury – 2 for 3, R, BB, Solo Home Run () in the 1st, RBI (34)
Yankees Current Record: 51-45
Get your Yankees Tickets from our friends at TiqIQ.
