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September 30, 2005 ... Portly portsider David Wells held the Bronx Bombers to three runs in seven innings and the beleaguered Boston bullpen preserved the lead. There was no shortage of hype and hysteria as the rivals went through their pregame routines. Sox MVP-designee David Ortiz cranked up the music in the Boston clubhouse, while Wells put on his headphones and sat, Buddha-like, gazing at the mass of humanity wielding microphones and notepads. All the while, Sox catcher/captain Jason Varitek sat in front of his stall, wearing a headset and studying charts of the Yankee hitters. After 68 meetings in three years, it hardly seemed necessary. Wells got himself into a big jam in the first inning, loading the bases on two walks and a hit batsman. Hideki Matsui gave the Bombers a 1-0 lead with a single to center, but Boomer got out of the jam without further damage. In the bottom of the inning the Sox tied the score. Johnny Damon reached on a walk, stole second, and scored on a single up the middle by Ortiz. It was RBI No. 147 for Boston's new cult hero. Varitek staked Wells to a 2-1 lead with a laser shot into the Monster Seats in left-center on the first pitch of the bottom of the second. Wells, working quickly and throwing strikes, made the 2-1 lead stand up into the middle innings. He allowed only two hits both singles by Matsui in the first five frames.
Wells was a fortunate son in the sixth. Jason Giambi led off with a single to right and somehow failed to score when Matsui scorched a double all the way to the bullpen wall with one out. Giambi was trotting into third when he first noticed coach Luis Sojo waving him home. Too late. The big lug stayed anchored at third as Jorge Posada grounded to the left side and Ruben Sierra flied to center. The Yankees fell apart in the bottom of the sixth. Damon led off with a single to right and stole second again. With one out and first base empty, the Yankees intentionally walked Ortiz, but Ramirez singled to left to load the bases. All three runners wound up scoring. Damon came home when Nixon walked, Ortiz scored on an error by Giambi, and Manny crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly by John Olerud. Proud Yankee captain Derek Jeter closed the gap with a two-run homer into the Red Sox bullpen in the seventh. Francona went to his bullpen in the eighth, summoning Chad Bradford, Mike Myers, and Mike Timlin to pitch the 1-2-3 eighth. After "Sweet Caroline," Timlin retired the Yankees in the ninth. He struck out three of the five batters he faced. The Sox dramatically improved their postseason chances. A sweep of these final two games will give them the East title for the first time since 1995. A split puts them in a one-game playoff at New York Monday. They still have a shot at a wild-card berth if the Indians lose. |
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