Red Sox have Yankees' number this year
BIO
Red Sox Tickets
Bob Klapisch covers baseball for The Record in New Jersey and worked at the New York Post and New York Daily News. The author of five books, he was recently voted a top-five columnist in the country by the Associated Press Sports Editors.
BOSTON
Mariano Rivera didn’t rationalize, alibi or otherwise evade the painful truth about the Yankees’ 3-2 loss in 10 innings to the Red Sox on Sunday night.
“I can’t blame anyone but myself. I didn’t get it done,” is what the great closer said as the Bombers packed up and left Fenway — if not traumatized then at least shaken. The series that’d held such promise only a day earlier ended in near-catastrophe, as the Yankees’ two most dependable assets, Rivera and CC Sabathia, failed in back to back games.
Rivera blew the save in what would’ve been a 2-1 victory on Sunday. And Sabathia was smoked for seven runs in just six innings on Saturday, dropping his record against Boston this year to 0-4.
That gave the Sox an astounding 10-2 mark against the Yankees this year, the first time since 2004 they’ve taken the season series. If you don’t think that matters in October, you’re forgetting an important component of this thousand-year war.
The Yankees and Red Sox not only duel on the field, but in each other’s heads, both sides looking for whatever psychological advantage they can find. With just less than 50 games left in the season, the Bombers know that the Sox – the team most capable of blocking their path to the World Series – are capable of dominating Sabathia, and has proven once again, that Rivera can be beaten, however infrequently, at Fenway.
Even Joe Girardi conceded how “unusual” it was to see Rivera go down in flames in the ninth, although the manager was quick to add, “we’re going to bounce back from this. We always do.” Still, he was noticeably more upbeat on Friday, after the bullpen threw 4.1 scoreless innings in a 3-2 victory.
The alignment was perfect, alright – practically the way the Yankees imagined it in spring training. From Boone Logan, who struck out Adrian Gonzalez on three pitches with the bases loaded in the fifth, to Cory Wade, to Rafael Soriano, David Robertson and Rivera.
Rivera blew the save in what would’ve been a 2-1 victory on Sunday. And Sabathia was smoked for seven runs in just six innings on Saturday, dropping his record against Boston this year to 0-4.
That gave the Sox an astounding 10-2 mark against the Yankees this year, the first time since 2004 they’ve taken the season series. If you don’t think that matters in October, you’re forgetting an important component of this thousand-year war.
The Yankees and Red Sox not only duel on the field, but in each other’s heads, both sides looking for whatever psychological advantage they can find. With just less than 50 games left in the season, the Bombers know that the Sox – the team most capable of blocking their path to the World Series – are capable of dominating Sabathia, and has proven once again, that Rivera can be beaten, however infrequently, at Fenway.
Even Joe Girardi conceded how “unusual” it was to see Rivera go down in flames in the ninth, although the manager was quick to add, “we’re going to bounce back from this. We always do.” Still, he was noticeably more upbeat on Friday, after the bullpen threw 4.1 scoreless innings in a 3-2 victory.
The alignment was perfect, alright – practically the way the Yankees imagined it in spring training. From Boone Logan, who struck out Adrian Gonzalez on three pitches with the bases loaded in the fifth, to Cory Wade, to Rafael Soriano, David Robertson and Rivera.
Sabathia was next on Saturday, drawing John Lackeyin what the Yankees assumed would be a mismatch. You couldn’t blame them for liking their odds – Friday’s victory was the Bombers’ eighth straight, and Sabathia was on a roll of his own, winning 9 of 10 since June 9, which just happened to be the last time he faced Boston.
To say CC was weapon-less against on Saturday is only the Disney-version of the truth: even though he was hitting 96 mph on the radar, he didn’t get a single swing and miss from the 47 four-seam fastballs he threw.
The location that makes Sabathia so unhittable was missing against the Sox, who were happy to wait and draw him into bad counts. The Sox, who lead the majors averaging 3.98 pitches per plate appearance, were like poison to Sabathia – patient and unintimidated in a five-run rally in the fourth inning.
“We tried everything,” Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli said. “But if you get behind, if you make mistakes, you’re gonna pay. … (The Red Sox) know what they’re doing.”
Sabathia’s inability to beat the Sox is clearly disturbing to the Yankees. It’s also extremely rare – 36 years, in fact, since a Bomber pitcher (Pat Dobson in 1975) has lost four times to Boston in one season. The Yankees still think they have the weapons to win a pennant, but how sturdy can that assumption be if their ace has a mental block about pitching to their No. 1 rival?
Sabathia insists, “I can beat anyone when I’m right.” For the most part, he’s right, boasting a 13-2 record against the rest of the American League. But Sabathia knows the Yankees and Sox live in a world of their own. The other teams, it seems, are just satellites orbiting the epicenter of this rivalry.
To say CC was weapon-less against on Saturday is only the Disney-version of the truth: even though he was hitting 96 mph on the radar, he didn’t get a single swing and miss from the 47 four-seam fastballs he threw.
The location that makes Sabathia so unhittable was missing against the Sox, who were happy to wait and draw him into bad counts. The Sox, who lead the majors averaging 3.98 pitches per plate appearance, were like poison to Sabathia – patient and unintimidated in a five-run rally in the fourth inning.
“We tried everything,” Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli said. “But if you get behind, if you make mistakes, you’re gonna pay. … (The Red Sox) know what they’re doing.”
Sabathia’s inability to beat the Sox is clearly disturbing to the Yankees. It’s also extremely rare – 36 years, in fact, since a Bomber pitcher (Pat Dobson in 1975) has lost four times to Boston in one season. The Yankees still think they have the weapons to win a pennant, but how sturdy can that assumption be if their ace has a mental block about pitching to their No. 1 rival?
Sabathia insists, “I can beat anyone when I’m right.” For the most part, he’s right, boasting a 13-2 record against the rest of the American League. But Sabathia knows the Yankees and Sox live in a world of their own. The other teams, it seems, are just satellites orbiting the epicenter of this rivalry.
That’s why Rivera’s failure on Sunday (his fifth blown save of the season) had such a deeper impact on the Yankees. The losses at Fenway just seem to hurt more, as Rivera himself struggled for an explanation.
“I just let him put to the ball in play, the pitch was too good,” the closer said, explaining how Marco Scutarowas able to lead off the ninth inning with a blast off The Wall. That was the first sign of trouble. Even the Yankees’ handling of Jacoby Ellsbury’s sacrifice bunt was a warning: The ball landed at Rivera’s feet in plenty of time to cut down Scutaro – except Eduardo Nunez was charging, too, leaving third base unoccupied.
Rivera graciously tried to cover for the rookie infielder, saying, “there’s no way he could’ve known” there was a possibility of a play on Scutaro. But a more experienced third baseman would’ve retreated quickly enough to be at the bag in time for Rivera’s throw.
Instead, Scutaro advanced and with one out, Dustin Pedroia tied the score, smashing a sacrifice fly to left field. Again, Rivera took the blame.
“Not where I wanted it,” he said, as the tying run crossed the plate. One inning later Phil Hughes, making his first relief appearance of the year, gave up the winning run – an ending that seemed almost predetermined. The Sox mobbed Josh Reddick for his decisive single into the left field corner while the Yankees took that million-mile walk back to the clubhouse.
Rivera smiled ruefully and said, “that’s baseball” although what he wanted to say is that baseball at Fenway can drive you crazy. And this is only August. Imagine what October will to do to the brain waves.
“I just let him put to the ball in play, the pitch was too good,” the closer said, explaining how Marco Scutarowas able to lead off the ninth inning with a blast off The Wall. That was the first sign of trouble. Even the Yankees’ handling of Jacoby Ellsbury’s sacrifice bunt was a warning: The ball landed at Rivera’s feet in plenty of time to cut down Scutaro – except Eduardo Nunez was charging, too, leaving third base unoccupied.
Rivera graciously tried to cover for the rookie infielder, saying, “there’s no way he could’ve known” there was a possibility of a play on Scutaro. But a more experienced third baseman would’ve retreated quickly enough to be at the bag in time for Rivera’s throw.
Instead, Scutaro advanced and with one out, Dustin Pedroia tied the score, smashing a sacrifice fly to left field. Again, Rivera took the blame.
“Not where I wanted it,” he said, as the tying run crossed the plate. One inning later Phil Hughes, making his first relief appearance of the year, gave up the winning run – an ending that seemed almost predetermined. The Sox mobbed Josh Reddick for his decisive single into the left field corner while the Yankees took that million-mile walk back to the clubhouse.
Rivera smiled ruefully and said, “that’s baseball” although what he wanted to say is that baseball at Fenway can drive you crazy. And this is only August. Imagine what October will to do to the brain waves.
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