A TEAM THAT COULDN'T
GET THE JOB DONE ...
The Yankees hand the Red Sox
a walk-off win

July 14, 2017 ...  A sold-out Fenway Park was about to pop a rivet, as being cool and calm won the game for the Red Sox. They scored twice in the ninth inning to beat the Yankees, 5-4. Andrew Benintendi won the game, drawing a bases-loaded walk off Aroldis Chapman. His reaction was to step back from the plate, bend over to take the shin guard off his right leg and trot to first base.

Without getting the ball out of the infield, the Sox rallied to take the first game of a four-game series. Two infield singles, an error, and two walks beat Chapman as the Yankees melted down and lost for the 19th time in their last 26 games.

Mookie Betts led off the ninth with an infield single to the shortstop hole. Dustin Pedroia then grounded a 100-miles-per-hour pitch to the same spot. Didi Gregorius’ throw to second base was high and Betts slid in safely. Pedroia was credited with a base hit. With Xander Bogaerts up, Betts and Pedroia took advantage of an inattentive Chapman and pulled off a double steal. It was a play the Sox discussed in their scouting meeting before the game. Chapman is slow to the plate and like many dominant closers, is not adept at holding runners.

Bogaerts then grounded to second for what should have been an out but Ronald Torreyes booted it and Betts scored the tying run. The Yankees next intentionally walked Hanley Ramirez to get to Benintendi. Chapman fell behind, 2 and 0, missing inside and then outside. Benintendi fouled off a fastball before two more fastballs missed, the last one well inside for ball four and the walk-off.

The Red Sox pitchers retired the final 14 Yankees in order. Robby Scott was the winner. It was the Red Sox’ second win in six games against the Yankees, this season.

The Yankees had recalled lefthander Jordan Montgomery from Triple A Scranton to start the game. He allowed three runs over four innings as the Sox took a 3-1 lead. It could have been more as the Sox left six runners on base against Montgomery, four in scoring position. They were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position for the game.

Ramirez was 2 for 4 with a home run. He is 18 of 49 (.367) in his last 11 games with seven extra-base hits and six RBIs. His OPS has climbed from .762 to .811. Bogaerts singled in the third inning and scored when Ramirez homered deep to center field. It was his 14th of the season.

The Sox loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth inning but scored only one run. Sam Travis walked and went to second on a second by Christian Vazquez. When Deven Marrero grounded to shortstop, Torreyes dropped the feed from Gregorius and Vazquez was safe. Betts fouled out, but Pedroia singled to left field to drive in Travis. Vazquez had to hold at third. Bogaerts then grounded into a double play.

Shane Green followed Montgomery to the mound and retired all six batters he faced, five by strikeout. Facing Adam Warren in the seventh inning, Bogaerts singled with two outs. Ramirez singled high off the wall to send Bogaerts to third. Benintendi pinch hit for Chris Young against the righthander and drove a pitch deep to center field. Jacoby Ellsbury, familiar with the territory, was able to track it down.

Drew Pomeranz was 6-1 with a 2.60 earned run average in nine starts prior to the break. The lefthander, pitching on the one-year anniversary of his trade to the Red Sox, was not as sharp this time. He allowed four runs on six hits, one that was particularly loud.

Singles by Chase Headley, Torreyes and Gary Sanchez scored a run in the third inning. Travis then bailed Pomeranz out by starting a 3-2-3 double play when Matt Holliday grounded to first base. It was an impressive play by the rookie, who has been working diligently on his defense.

Headley doubled to start the fifth inning and scored on a single by Brett Gardner. Sanchez was next and Pomeranz got ahead 1 and 2. But he left a fastball high in the strike zone and Sanchez sent it screaming into the night over everything in left field.

Matt Barnes followed Pomeranz with two innings of perfect relief, keeping the Sox a run down until the ninth.