You really have to wonder where the Boston Red Sox would be this season without the services of Tim Wakefield. Whatever Terry Francona and company ask of him, he does and without hesitation or complaint no matter what the situation may be.
When Daisuke Matsuzaka and John Lackey went down with injury, Wake and Alfredo Aceves stepped up their respective games. On Wednesday night, the pair combined to beat the New York Yankees 11-6 with plenty of help from the offense.
Had Wake not stumbled over Brett Gardner to get the final out of the fourth inning, there’s no telling what the end result could have been. He’d been cruising right along at that point as he had given up one run (Alex Rodriguez home run) on three hits and a walk. But it appeared the little incident took a bite of the ageless wonder as he struggled in the fifth inning.
The Yankees got to him for three runs that cut a comfortable 7-1 margin down to 7-4. He was charged another run in the sixth after the Sox got him a four run lead. He gave way to Aceves who allowed two quick singles which brought in the inherited runner but got a huge double play off the bat of Derek Jeter to end the threat.
Aceves was solid after that though giving up a meaningless run in the bottom of the ninth to basically stick it to his old team with a 3.2 inning save of Wake’s 196th career win. Remember this is the same Yankees team that gave up on Aceves after the season was over when he had some injury concerns. Obviously those are a thing of the past and he continues to rub salt in that open wound.
Like Tuesday night, the Red Sox roughed up the Yankees starter, this time A.J. Burnett, for three runs in the first inning.
The tablesetter Jacoby Ellsbury got things going with a single, a one out stolen base and came into score on an Adrian Gonzalez groundout. The big blow came though when David Ortiz worked his way back from a 0-2 count to 3-2 and then got a fastball from Burnett. Big Papi showed Pedroia what his Laser Show is like with the two-run blast to right field.
They added a run in the second when Marco Scutaro singled, stole second and ended up on third with throwing error by Francisco Cervelli (his second of the game). Scuts came into score on a J.D. Drew sac fly. The visiting nine would add three more runs in the 4th but not even that chased Burnett from the game since Joe Girardi used his bullpen pieces on Tuesday.
Carl Crawford and Drew homered in the 9th to push the lead from 8-5 to 11-5 and that’s all the boys would need.
Obviously, Red Sox Nation will be waiting to hear what is going on with the right knee of Dustin Pedroia. It was reported after the game last night that Pedroia may need right knee surgery but the media’s sources are also saying he may be being a little bit over-dramatic.
After the 0-6 and 2-10 starts, the Red Sox now find themselves with the best record in the American League. When you look back to those dreadful days, it makes you wonder how much of a lead the Red Sox could have right now if not for that start. But the past is behind us and we can only look to the future.
Hopefully that future finds the Red Sox leaving New York tonight with a two-game lead and not back into a tie for first place.
We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
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It’s another first-rate win [Boston Globe]
Aceves picking up pen [Boston Globe]
Pedroia to have right knee examined [Boston Globe]
Some were on inactive list [Boston Globe]
Top draft pick Barnes is ready to change his stripes [Boston Globe]
Red Sox alone atop AL East with another David Ortiz HR [Boston Herald]
Red-hot Sox look set to run away [Boston Herald]
Papi and Pap may be making a pact [Boston Herald]
Knee look-see for Dustin Pedroia [Boston Herald]
Red Sox out-slug Yankees, 11-6 [CSNNE.com]
Sources: Knee surgery ‘unlikely’ for Pedroia [CSNNE.com]
Notes: Varitek forced to catch Wakefield [CSNNE.com]
Sox set Hill, Daisuke surgeries [ESPN Boston]
Aceves in jam? No sweat [ESPN Boston]
Video: BBTN breaks down Sox-Yankees [ESPN Boston]
Home runs, not the flips, keep coming for Papi [ESPN Boston]
Burnett angered by talk of past success vs. Sox [ESPN NY]
Alfredo Aceves no longer has his bike, but he does have some revenge [Full Count]
Closing Time: Red Sox 11, Yankees 6 [Full Count]
Red Sox Day 3 Draft Recap: Sox take Yankees fan who demanded that Epstein draft him [Full Count]
Rich Gedman’s Son Among Those Selected by Red Sox on Final Day of MLB Draft [NESN.com]
David Ortiz Goes Deep Again, Puts an End to Bat-Flipping Controversy [NESN.com]
Tim Wakefield, Alfredo Aceves Team Up for Strong Effort to Sink Yankees in Bronx [NESN.com]
Will Red Sox or Yankees Have More All-Stars This Summer? [NESN.com]
Former Red Sox Prospect Anthony Rizzo to Make MLB Debut Thursday With Padres [NESN.com]
Ted Williams Sets Pace for Record-Setting Red Sox Offense in 1950 [NESN.com]
Boston’s dominance in Bronx reaching historic proportions [Providence Journal]
Bad luck, predictability contribute to Papelbon’s recent struggles [Providence Journal]
Jeter on Red Sox: ‘If you don’t play well, they’re going to beat you’ [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Girardi says media overhyped Ortiz bat flip [Providence Journal]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the New York Daily News, New York Post, New York Times and The Journal News websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, NYY Stadium Insider.
