After a 2-10 start this season the Boston Red Sox weren’t about to write their chances off regarding making a run for the American League East division. Continuing their turnaround with an offensive outburst in the seventh inning and a strong start from the rejuvenated Josh Beckett, the Boston Red Sox completed a sweep of the New York Yankees and kept control of first place.
Following a long rain delay, the Yankees got on the board first when Curtis Granderson hit his eighteenth homerun of the season to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
Nobody scored again until the seventh inning, but there was plenty of excitement in the fourth when David Ortiz was plunked by CC Sabathia and both benches were warned. Ortiz blamed the media for getting hit, as they had pointed out the Yankees had never plunked him in the past.
Going into the top of the seventh both pitchers were on cruise control when the Red Sox started to rally off Sabathia. The Red Sox got six hits and four runs off Sabathia before forcing him out of the game with two out in the inning.
David Robertson couldn’t stop the bleeding, allowing three more runs to cross the plate (two of them charged to Sabathia). The biggest blow came from Ortiz, who had a two run double to cap the inning (after starting the inning off with a single).
Down 7-2, the Yankees gave up another run in the top of the ninth and needed to make up a six run deficit against the Red Sox bullpen to avoid being swept and tie the Red Sox atop the division standings.
They managed two hits and a run off of Dan Wheeler, but lost 8-3 and fell two games behind Boston.
The sweep of the Yankees puts a nice exclamation point on Boston’s resurgence as the weather warms up. The Red Sox have now surpassed all other teams and have the best overall record in the American League.
Just as important to Red Sox fans, it’s an opportunity to celebrate a sweep over a hated rival.
Used with permission of the author.
Along with contributing to Sports Climax, Brett Kettyle is the Atlanta Braves Community Leader on Bleacher Report and maintains a Braves column for MTR Media. Follow Brett on Twitter.
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