The Yankees improved to 89-66 this afternoon after defeating the Red Sox by a score of 4-3. The game lasted just two hours and 38 minutes, compared to the four hour, 45 minute affair yesterday.
Ramiro Mendoza started for the Yankees and went six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits. Opposing him was Aaron Sele, who went the distance and allowed 10 hits and four runs. With the game tied at three in the seventh, Paul O’Neill hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Derek Jeter and to take the lead. Mariano Rivera had already come on in the top of the inning, and went on to pitch a scoreless eighth inning to qualify for the win. John Wetteland was able to convert his league leading 42nd save.
Driving in the other three runs for New York was Bernie Williams, who doubled home Tim Raines in the first, and tripled home Jeter and Raines in the fifth to tie the game at three.
The Yankees will finish their series with the Red Sox tomorrow, when Andy Pettitte starts against Roger Clemens.
Line score:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Red Sox 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 9 0
Yankees 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 X 4 10 0
