Yankees Score a Pair

26 runs gains sweep

It took 26 runs, 8 hours and 41 minutes, 20 pitchers, and 783 pitches for the Yankees to complete a huge sweep of their day-night doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox yesterday in Fenway Park. After blasting the Red Sox 12-4 in the 1:10 afternoon start, the Yankees and Sox battled for a 9 inning record time of 4:45 before the Yankees prevailed 14-11.

Unlike previous trips to Fenway Park, Johnny Damon shrugged off the boos and destroyed his former teammates. Damon homered in both games, and drove in 7 runs on a 6-12. His 2nd HR of the night was his 20th of the season, matching his career high set in 2004. Bobby Abreu was 6-9 as the Yankees had 17 hits in each game.

Chien-Ming Wang (14-5) struggled in and out of jams in game 1, allowing 3 runs in 6 innings, but held the Sox hitless in 10 at-bats with runners in scoring position. He also put the collar on David Ortiz, who ended up 0-4. The Yankees held a 4-3 lead when they blew things open with 4 runs in the 7th. They added 4 more runs in the 9th. Jason Johnson (3-12) managed his own little Houdini act before it finally caught up with him in the 3 run 5th that gave the Yankees the lead for good. Johnson was designated for assignment after the game.

The nightcap saw two starting pitchers that didn't have much of everything. Underachiever Sidney Ponson started for the Yankees, in what one can only hope will be his last appearance in pinstripes. Rookie Jon Lester went for the Sox. Trailing 1-0 in the 2nd, the Yankees jumped on Lester for 5 runs. Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, and Damon each drove in a run before Abreu delivered a 2-run double. But Ponson gave most of it right back as the Sox scored 3 runs on doubles by Kevin Youkilis and Mark Loretta. The Sox tied the game in the 3rd when Craig Wilson made like Bill Buckner, letting Coco Crisp's grounder skip through his legs. Manny Ramirez came home with the tying run.

The Yankees came right back at Lester to take the lead on Damon's 2-run shot. His 3rd straight game with a home run. But Joe Torre, hoping to save his bullpen, let Ponson go back out to start the 4th. 3 straight singles to start the inning finally convinced Torre to go to the pen for Ron Villone. Ortiz hit into a fielder's choice to drive in one run and then Ramirez singled to tie the game once again at 7-7.

A clearly overworked Villone couldn't keep the game tied one inning later. Alex Cora singled in the go-ahead run and Mark Loretta delivered a 2-run single off of Bob Bruney for a 10-7 lead. Neither team actually scored in the 6th, but the Yankees took advantage of a weakened Sox pen in the 7th.

Youngster Craig Hansen retired Cano to start the inning, but the Yankees then loaded the bases on a walk to Jason Giambi and singles by Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada. Terry Francona went to veteran Mike Timlin who has struggled since coming off the DL. His struggles would continue. Melky Cabrera, who is quickly establishing himself as a very good 2-strike hitters, quickly fell behind in the count 1-2. But after working the count full, Cabrera lined a single to run to cut the lead to 10-8. Damon flied to shallow left for the 2nd out, but Derek Jeter ripped a 2-strike pitch into the right field corner. Williams and Posada scored easily and when rightfielder Wily Mo Pena bobbled the ball, 3rd base coach Larry Bowa sent Cabrera home as well. Melky easily beat the relay for an 11-10 Yankees lead.

The Yankees weren't done either. The Sox opted to walk Abreu to pitch to the struggling Alex Rodriguez, but A-Rod came thru with an RBI double. Cano, who started the inning, kept it going with a 2-run single for a 14-10 lead. Giambi finally made the final out, but the damage was done.

The Yankees had hoped not to use Scott Proctor after he threw in the first game, but Pena lined a shot off the knee of Kyle Farnsworth. Remarkably, Farnsworth was able to recover to throw Pena out at first, but had to leave the game. X-rays were negative, but the big righthander is expected to be out a few days. Proctor finished his good day by tossing 1 1-3 scoreless innings - giving him 3 scoreless on the day. Ortiz got the Sox final run in the 9th when he hit his major league leading 43rd home run off Mariano Rivera. Another A-Rod error on a Ramirez ball kept the inning going, but Mo shut it down and the Yankees could get a very good night's sleep.