Satan's Luau

The bad news of the day ... Wang on the DL, and he has been the Yankees' best starter so far this year

TOP 1: Arroyo going for BOS -- Jeter pops to center, one down -- Cano bloops a ball to left ... Ramirez attempts a sliding catch, not even close ... it falls in and rolls away, Cano cruises into second ... now wants to take third ... challenging Manny, he is WAY GONE, two away, a baserunning blunder by Cano

full count to Sheffield, the payoff ... low, ball 4, he draws a two out walk -- full count to ARod, he grounds a two out single up the middle and into center -- runners now at the corners for Matsui, he hits it hard but lines to center to retire the side

BOT 1: Mussina going for NY -- Damon bloops a leadoff single to right -- On tthe 1-0 to Renteria, Damon goes ... pitch is low, the throw is not in time, Damon steals second -- Renteria lays down a beautiful sacbunt to third, fielded by Posada who makes the putout at first, runner moved to third, one away

Runner at third for Ortiz, he grounds the first pitch through the infield and into right, one run scores -- Red Sox lead, 1-0

Manny draws a walk, runners on first and second -- full count to Nixon, he blasts one out to right, gone, a three run shot -- the score is now BOS 4-0

Millar draws a four pitch walk -- Stottlemyre out to confer -- runner on first for Varitek, he is frozen, down looking, two down -- full count to Mueller, the payoff ... low, ball four, another walk -- runners now first and second for Bellhorn, he flies to left center ... Matsui and Cabrera converge ... they almost collide, Cabrera catches it to end the rally

A 34 pitch inning for Muss ... that's not good

TOP 2: Full count to Giambi, the payoff .... he blasts it towards the Pesky Pole, Nixon racing after it, into the crowd ... he doesn't have it, a leadoff solo shot -- Red Sox lead cut to 4-1

Foiled by the bolohead guy in the pink shirt ... you never know with these guys who wear pink. From the replay, the guy leaned in and basically took it away from Nixon ... and from what I said in the earlier series at Fenpark, these fans are Bartmanesque to say the least

Posada chops to first, the pitcher covers and makes the play, one down -- Bernie hits another Pesky Pole special ... Nixon tracks, no chance at this one, GONE, another solo shot to right -- the score is now BOS 4-2

Cabrera grounds to second, two away -- Jeter chops to short to end the rally

BOT 2: Damon goes down swinging, one down -- Renteria grounds the full count payoff up the middle and into center for a single -- Ortiz grounds to first to start the inning ending 363 double play ... great to see the defensive confidence by Giambi to make a throw that he usually doesn't make well

TOP 3: Cano lines leadoff single to right -- Sheffield gets a hold of one ... Damon backs, to the wall, leaps ... it's off the wall, Nixon backs it up well to prevent the triple (replay: Sheffield wasn't exactly hustling it out), one run scores -- Red Sox lead cut to 4-3

Runner at second for ARod, he goes down swinging, one down -- Matsui flies to center, Sheffield tags ... the throw from Damon is offline, runner at third -- Giambi is plunked, runners now at the corners -- Posada flies to left to end the rally

BOT 3: Manny grounds to short, one down -- Nixon hits a Pesky Pole special ... it looks gone, the umps call it FOUL ... and on replay, it definitely is -- full count, the payoff ... he lines one off the Monster, a long single (side note: great throw in by Godzilla, right on the bag)

Millar bombs one high off the Monster ... Cabrera plays it well off the wall, holding Nixon at third -- runners second and third, one down for Varitek, he grounds to short, one run scores, two away -- Red Sox increase to 5-3

Runner at second for Mueller, he pops the first pitch to ARod to end the rally

TOP 4: Bernie grounds up the middle to short, one down ... great play on a tough hop by Renteria -- Cabrera pops to left, two away -- Jeter lines a two out single up the middle -- Cano pops foul to first

BOT 4: Bellhorn goes down swinging, one away -- Damon lines to center, two down -- Renteria pops to second behind the mound to end the inning

TOP 5: Sheffield just crushes one ... deep to center, near the small seating section in center.... right of the yellow line (ground rules say HR), a leadoff solo shot, the score is now BOS 5-4

ARod pops foul to first, one away -- Matsui grounds to second, two down -- Giambi grounds to first to end the rally

BOT 5: Ortiz goes down swinging, one away -- Manny hits an atom ball at third, two down -- Nixon hits the first pitch and lines to right to end the inning

TOP 6: Posada lines a leadoff single to right ... with the new Magic Mizuno bat --
Myers warms for BOS -- Bernie pops foul to third ... great catch by Mueller on a wind tailed ball, one away -- On the 1-1 to Cabrera, the pitch is in the dirt ... the runner to second on the passed ball

Cabrera flies to center, Posada shows tag and retreats, two down -- Jeter hits a sharp grounder to third ... INCREDIBLE STOP by Mueller, the throw to first is ... in the dirt and skips into the crowd, one run scores, Jeter to second on the throwing error -- the game is now tied 5-5

Cano hits a sinking flare to left ... Manny makes a great catch to end the rally

BOT 6: Millar grounds the full count payoff through to right for a leadoff single -- Varitek also lines a single to right, runners now first and second -- Mueller grounds to short, the force is made at second, the throw to first is not in time, one down

Runners at the corners for Bellhorn, he goes down swinging, two away -- full count to Damon, he is FROZEN, down looking .... GREAT PITCHING BY MUSS to end the inning

TOP 7: Bradford the new pitcher for BOS -- Sheffield hits a slow roller to the mound and is put out by the pitcher, one away -- ARod draws a four pitch walk -- that's all for Bradford, Francona calls for Embree to match L-L

Matsui gets a lot of one ... but flies to the warning track in left, two down -- Giambi hits the first pitch, fielded by Bellhorn in short right in the shift, and is put out to retire the side

Seventh Inning Stretch, Yankees and Red Sox tied, 5-5

BOT 7: Sturtze now pitching for NY, Tino at 1B -- full count to Renteria, he is frozen, down looking, one away -- Ortiz lifts one to deep right ... Sheffield tracking, tracking ... that one is caught by the wind and just out, a solo shot -- Red Sox edge back ahead, 6-5

Full count to Manny, the payoff ... he chops to short, tow down -- Nixon grounds to second to end the rally

TOP 8: Embree continues for BOS -- With the original non-magical bat, Posada rips a shot down the third base line, in for a leadoff double -- Womack in to PR for Posada at second

Francona will get the ball, he will bring in Timlin -- Bernie grounds to first, Embree covers, one down, the runner moved to third on the play -- Sierra in to PH for Cabrera, he lines one inside the bag and down the rightfield line, one run scores ... Sierra trying for second ... in there, safe

Jeter grounds to first, the pitcher covering, the runner to third, two away -- Cano pops the first pitch to short in shallow right to end the rally

BOT 8: Gordon in for NY -- Millar takes the full count pitch ... ball four and draws a leadoff walk -- Adam Stern in to PR for Millar at first -- Varitek pops to left, one down

Stern goes, Mueller grounds to first, two away, runner to second on the play -- Olerud in to PH for Bellhorn, he chops to short to end the inning

TOP 9: TBFM Schilling in to pitch for BOS -- Sheffield hits a screamer to center off the wall ... he is hustling for two, in there with a leadoff double -- ARod absolutely busts the first pitch to center ... Damon with the courtesy chase ... GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, a 2-run shot, the Yankees edge ahead, 8-6 ... and Mo begins to warm

Oh, that has to be sweet for ARod, given all the crap the Sawx players heaped on him over the offseason, esp. the BFM ... and the BOS fans in general

Full count to Matsui, he goes down looking on an outside pitch ... (on the replay, that was outside), one down -- Tino flies to left, two away -- Womack pops the first pitch to short to end the rally

BOT 9: Damon goes down swinging, one down -- Renteria also goes down swinging, two away -- Ortiz goes down swinging ... MO HAS STRUCK OUT THE SIDE to end the game

FINAL: Yankees win, 8-6

Your typical nip and tuck Yankees and Red Sox battle ... must have been sweet for ARod to bomb the game winner off Schilling

47UP 40DOWN ... two straight wins and a nice beginning to the second half

Season Series
Yankees: 5
Red Sox: 5