Thoughts on Game 4 of the Yankees/Red Sox
Thought I’d start a running diary of this the fourth, of about 100 games between the Yankees and Sox this season. Who did the scheduling? They both arrived in New York sometime around 3am for the third time in a week, will play two games and not see each other again until July 3rd.
I was at the gym when the first pitch was thrown. I tell my class I don’t feel well and need to cut out early; this was mostly true. I was pissed off because the microphone did not work in my first class so I’ve had enough for tonight.
I get in the car. ESPN radio. I hear, “John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman here from Yankee Stadium. Yankees have a 3-1 lead on back to back homers by Abreau and Arod". John opines that Arod’s should count for 1and ½ runs he hit it so far. Ugg. Believe me, I think Arod is a fine specimen of a man and baseball player, but John needs to get a grip. Suzyn chuckles. They go on to say that if the pitcher puts the ball in the wrong spot it’s going to get hit. Really. I never would have picked up on that.
I arrive home. Did I mention I am married to a member of Red Sox nation? I come into the sounds of NESN and the Rem Dawg. Great bases are now loaded. Wang does not look good. Ball gets hit and Arod makes the sure out at first, but wait, Varitek gets caught in a rundown. Arod tags him somewhat gingerly. I guess he wants to avoid a brawl.
I go to take my post workout shower and the radio in the bathroom is on the Red Sox channel. Trupiano is talking about Giambi who promptly hits into the shift. Jerry exclaims that Giambi is such a slow runner that clearly even David Ortiz would beat him in a foot race. I’m not so sure about that. Push comes to shove my money is on Giambi.
Bottom of that inning, Big David is still not hitting. Manny comes up and gets the count full. I close my eyes. He walks…no wait, he’s out. McClellan made the call as Manny was halfway up the baseline. He wouldn’t have been that far up if he thought he hit a home run. Manny argues but avoids getting tossed from the game. Too bad.
Moving to the top of the fourth Matsui makes a beautiful backbend catch. He smiles. He’s still a newlywed. The mysterious Hideki. Then a series of hits and a bad throw by Melky. Score gets tied. As we move to the bottom of the inning, the Yankees come back. Hit after hit. Oh wait, let’s flash to Al Leiter in the booth…huh, Al’s back, thought he might have gotten canned with Justice. He shows us the change up grip. Perfect hair and his mouth keeps running. Clay stays in to face Jeter who comes up to the bases loaded. Let’s hear how Jeter has only hit one grand slam in his illustrious career. Bam, a single for two runs. Who cares about the granny. Julian Tavarez comes in (yeah). He passes a ball. Melky scores. 7-3 as we go to the fifth.
The fifth begins at 8:55 EST. I don’t know why I wrote that down except to learn that the fifth would end 50 painful minutes later. Papi manges to come to life and get a hit, Euk bloops, Drew hits. According to Michael Kay the Tawainese economy rests on the shoulders of Chien Ming Wang. He wins, it’s up, he loses, not so good. Once Wang is pulled from the game and sits by himself on the bench to watch all of his earned runs come in, I start to believe Michael. Chien has disappointed a nation. As the Red Sox take their slim 9-7 lead into the bottom of the inning, we all know it’s not over yet. Tavarez gets banged around. My husband starts yelling at the tv, “Take him out b****!” I stifle my laughter because who knows what will happen next inning.
As we round 10 pm and Latroy Hawkins prances out, I start to get irritated. Who signed this guy? So far he sucks. Yuk takes a hard foul off his toe and goes down. Looks painful. Flash to Manny at first. He looks bored. I wonder how many inches his hair has grown in the last three seasons. I don’t think my hair grows that fast. Or maybe those are extensions? We get out of the top half.
At some point I fall asleep. Can’t blame me. This game has been on forever. I wake to the weight of my dog at my side and hear something about a Giambi double. I doze again and then see a flash of Mo in the bullpen…was this before or after the Giambi double? It’s not a save situation anymore and he’s pitched the last three days. I’m down again and wake around midnight to the postgame with Lorenz and Cone. They sound chirpy so we must have pulled it out.
I go to bed and get ready to do this again tomorrow.
