Sabathia dominant as Yanks eye sweep over Boston
NEW YORK – When asked on Friday about his performance to this point in his first season with the Yankees, CC Sabathia described it as “So-So”. He would go on to say his best performances were yet to come.
How prophetic.
Pitching his best game of the season as a Yankee, Sabathia would save his best game of the year for Saturday, stifling the Red Sox for 7 2/3 innings as the Yankees won their sixth in row and third straight against Boston 5-0 at Yankee Stadium. The win increased their lead in the AL East to 5 1/2 in front of a sellout crowd of 48,796.
After a marathon, five hour and 33 minute game the previous night where they used five relief pitchers, the team needed their $161 million prized acquisition to go deep into the game to save the rest of the team. This he would do emphatically, triumphantly, and almost completely.
For the first 4 2/3 innings, he did not allow a man to reach base. This ended when Sabathia walked David Ortiz on a close pitch appearing to have the inside part of the plate, but was ruled a ball by home plate umpire Jim Joyce. He carried a no-hitter until two outs in the top of the sixth, when Jacoby Ellsbury singled to center for the Red Sox first hit.
At the time, the score was only 1-0, as the Yankees scrapped out a run in the third inning against Boston starter Clay Buchholz
Melky Cabrera singled to lead off and Jose Molina drew a walk. Derek Jeter hit into a double play, but Johnny Damon was able to walk to put runners on first and third. Mark Teixeira came to the plate, and after being fooled in his first at bat by Buchholz’s changeup, the Yankee first baseman swung at the first pitch and lined a single to right field to score Cabrera and open the scoring.
The score would remain 1-0 until the sixth. Robinson Cano doubled to start the inning for his third hit of the game. Nick Swisher sacrificed him over to third and the Red Sox elected to intentionally walk Melky Cabrera to pitch to Molina. Needing to get the ball in the air, Molina would drive a 1-0 pitch into left center for a sacrifice fly, scoring Cano and giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
Considering Buchholz’s struggles throughout the season, he pitched admirably, nearly matching Sabathia zero for zero with the exception of the two hiccups. He would finish the game going six innings, giving up those two runs on six hits, walking five and striking out three.
However, he was not as good as Sabathia, who continued to mow down the Boston offense as the Yankees pitching staff has been able to do over the last 24 innings. Starting with last night’s game, they have not allowed a run to the Red Sox and have limited them to only eight total hits.
The seventh inning represented Boston’s best chance to get on the board against the left hander. Victor Martinez walked and Kevin Youkilis singled to center to put the first two runners on. Sabathia though would settle down and work out of trouble. He struck out David Ortiz swinging for the first out and then was able to induce Mike Lowell into a 4-6-3 double play, as Derek Jeter was able to avoid Youkilis’ slide by leaping over him, keeping his balance on the way down and still being able to fire to first to get the slow-footed Lowell.
In the bottom of the inning, the Yankees would expand their lead, but not before a little drama. With one out, Teixeira walked and with Ramon Ramirez pitching, drilled Alex Rodriguez with a pitch in the back. Umpire Jim Joyce immediately ejected Ramirez from the game. In the previous at bat, the Red Sox reliever had come up and in on Teixeira and now had hit Rodriguez.
There could have be a revenge motive from Thursday night when Yankee reliever Mark Melancon hit Dustin Pedroia when the score was 13-4 in the eighth inning. The umpire issued warnings to both sides in an attempt to not escalate the situation.
Enrique Gonzalez, who was called up before the game entered in and gave up an infield single to Hideki Matsui. Cano would then reach on a fielder’s choice when first baseman Casey Kotchman came home on the chopper. But with two out, Nick Swisher was able to draw a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0.
That was all Sabathia would need on this day. He had all of his pitches working and very few Boston hitters were able to generate a good swing off him. He would remain in the game into the eighth as was able to get JD Drew to line out to second and struck out Casey Kotchman for the second out.
Out from the dugout came Joe Girardi to take the ball from his ace as he would leave to a thunderous ovation from the Stadium crowd.
Like AJ Burnett the previous night, Sabathia (12-7, 3.76) would work 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing only two hits, while walking two and striking out nine in 123 pitches. Phil Hughes came into the game and blew away Nick Green to close the inning.
Jeter would give the Yankees much needed insurance in the bottom of the eighth when he connected to old time Yankee Stadium short porch home run that barely hit the yellow rail at the foul pole for a two run shot to make it 5-0. With David Roberson pitching, he was able to throw a scoreless ninth to make a three for three this weekend against Boston.
The Yankees will attempt to go for the sweep in another nationally televised Sunday night game on ESPN. Andy Pettitte takes the ball for the Yanks and Jon Lester will look to avoid a sweep for the Red Sox.
NEW YORK – When asked on Friday about his performance to this point in his first season with the Yankees, CC Sabathia described it as “So-So”. He would go on to say his best performances were yet to come.
How prophetic.
Pitching his best game of the season as a Yankee, Sabathia would save his best game of the year for Saturday, stifling the Red Sox for 7 2/3 innings as the Yankees won their sixth in row and third straight against Boston 5-0 at Yankee Stadium. The win increased their lead in the AL East to 5 1/2 in front of a sellout crowd of 48,796.
After a marathon, five hour and 33 minute game the previous night where they used five relief pitchers, the team needed their $161 million prized acquisition to go deep into the game to save the rest of the team. This he would do emphatically, triumphantly, and almost completely.
For the first 4 2/3 innings, he did not allow a man to reach base. This ended when Sabathia walked David Ortiz on a close pitch appearing to have the inside part of the plate, but was ruled a ball by home plate umpire Jim Joyce. He carried a no-hitter until two outs in the top of the sixth, when Jacoby Ellsbury singled to center for the Red Sox first hit.
At the time, the score was only 1-0, as the Yankees scrapped out a run in the third inning against Boston starter Clay Buchholz
Melky Cabrera singled to lead off and Jose Molina drew a walk. Derek Jeter hit into a double play, but Johnny Damon was able to walk to put runners on first and third. Mark Teixeira came to the plate, and after being fooled in his first at bat by Buchholz’s changeup, the Yankee first baseman swung at the first pitch and lined a single to right field to score Cabrera and open the scoring.
The score would remain 1-0 until the sixth. Robinson Cano doubled to start the inning for his third hit of the game. Nick Swisher sacrificed him over to third and the Red Sox elected to intentionally walk Melky Cabrera to pitch to Molina. Needing to get the ball in the air, Molina would drive a 1-0 pitch into left center for a sacrifice fly, scoring Cano and giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead.
Considering Buchholz’s struggles throughout the season, he pitched admirably, nearly matching Sabathia zero for zero with the exception of the two hiccups. He would finish the game going six innings, giving up those two runs on six hits, walking five and striking out three.
However, he was not as good as Sabathia, who continued to mow down the Boston offense as the Yankees pitching staff has been able to do over the last 24 innings. Starting with last night’s game, they have not allowed a run to the Red Sox and have limited them to only eight total hits.
The seventh inning represented Boston’s best chance to get on the board against the left hander. Victor Martinez walked and Kevin Youkilis singled to center to put the first two runners on. Sabathia though would settle down and work out of trouble. He struck out David Ortiz swinging for the first out and then was able to induce Mike Lowell into a 4-6-3 double play, as Derek Jeter was able to avoid Youkilis’ slide by leaping over him, keeping his balance on the way down and still being able to fire to first to get the slow-footed Lowell.
In the bottom of the inning, the Yankees would expand their lead, but not before a little drama. With one out, Teixeira walked and with Ramon Ramirez pitching, drilled Alex Rodriguez with a pitch in the back. Umpire Jim Joyce immediately ejected Ramirez from the game. In the previous at bat, the Red Sox reliever had come up and in on Teixeira and now had hit Rodriguez.
There could have be a revenge motive from Thursday night when Yankee reliever Mark Melancon hit Dustin Pedroia when the score was 13-4 in the eighth inning. The umpire issued warnings to both sides in an attempt to not escalate the situation.
Enrique Gonzalez, who was called up before the game entered in and gave up an infield single to Hideki Matsui. Cano would then reach on a fielder’s choice when first baseman Casey Kotchman came home on the chopper. But with two out, Nick Swisher was able to draw a bases loaded walk to make it 3-0.
That was all Sabathia would need on this day. He had all of his pitches working and very few Boston hitters were able to generate a good swing off him. He would remain in the game into the eighth as was able to get JD Drew to line out to second and struck out Casey Kotchman for the second out.
Out from the dugout came Joe Girardi to take the ball from his ace as he would leave to a thunderous ovation from the Stadium crowd.
Like AJ Burnett the previous night, Sabathia (12-7, 3.76) would work 7 2/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing only two hits, while walking two and striking out nine in 123 pitches. Phil Hughes came into the game and blew away Nick Green to close the inning.
Jeter would give the Yankees much needed insurance in the bottom of the eighth when he connected to old time Yankee Stadium short porch home run that barely hit the yellow rail at the foul pole for a two run shot to make it 5-0. With David Roberson pitching, he was able to throw a scoreless ninth to make a three for three this weekend against Boston.
The Yankees will attempt to go for the sweep in another nationally televised Sunday night game on ESPN. Andy Pettitte takes the ball for the Yanks and Jon Lester will look to avoid a sweep for the Red Sox.
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