Wrapping up a most unlikely victory
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- September
- 15
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A few facts and figures first:
The game lasted 4 hours and 43 minutes. That’s two minutes short of the nine-inning record set last Aug. 18 by – who else? – the Red Sox and Yankees. “We were five minutes away from being able to use Joba,” Joe Torre said.
A-Rod now has 141 RBI, the most for a Yankee since Tino Martinez had 141 in 1997. Rodriguez said the win was the biggest of the year. “It feels like we stole something,” he said.
The Yankees have won five straight against Boston and eight of 10.
Mariano Rivera’s last 9 outings: 10 4 0 0 2 11.
The Yankees have played 147 games. Jorge Posada, their catcher, is hitting .339.
Torre, who was furious with Brian Bruney in Kansas City, gave him the lineup card after the game. His four outs were huge.
Now this …
According to Torre and several players, Derek Jeter told the infielders in the sixth inning during a pitching change that the Yankees would win the game.
“I don’t always say that but I felt that way,â€? he said. “We had missed a lot of opportunities before.”
We’ll give the last word to Torre:
“It wasn’t one of our better efforts but it sure was a great result for us. We never gave up the fact that we could win.”
Thanks for hanging in tonight and all those comments. Come back tomorrow for more.
This entry was posted
on Saturday, September 15th, 2007 at 1:05 am by Peter Abraham.
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Chad Jennings
Sam Borden
Josh Thomson
never underestimate the rally squirrel
What have I been saying?
OPTIMISM WORKS!
You don’t give up until the 27th out. You always have to have faith.
I mean, these ARE the Yankees!
Good post Pete, that shows how Derek Jeter leads by example. He knew that they could still win, and it rubbed off on everyone else on the team. Fantastic.
First post!! What a fantastic finish on a game I gave up on and came back to. What has been missing from this team all year hasn’t just been pitching, it had also been the timely hits by anyone but AROD. As long as we stay ahead of the Tigers this game doesn’t mean much for the standings. I doubt the collapse will be so bad or the sox that they lose the division, but this has got to give the Yankees confidence and bring back all the old ghosts for the sox.
Red sox nation, your tears taste delicious. Papelbon the Punk’s especially.
Great work and coverage as always, Pete. And a fantastic win by the boys from the Bronx.
Papelbon is turning into Pedro: fearsome to the rest of the league…kitty litter to the Yankees.
This was the worst loss of the year for the Sox. A crushing loss. It wouldn’t shock me if the Yanks go on to sweep this series and the race comes down to the final week of the season. Unbelievable.
This was the worst loss of the year for the Sox. A crushing loss. It wouldn’t shock me if the Yanks go on to sweep this series and the race comes down to the final week of the season. Unbelievable.
Ouch. Big ouch. Congrats Yankees. See ya tomorrow. Rather today. (I think we can all agree that a shorter game, better played and better umpired, would be appreciated. In any case, gotta love baseball and this blessed rivalry.) Great work Peter A. Enjoy Beantown, but try not to splash in the puddles of tears.
In space, no one can hear Boston scream…
good luck sox fan.
and pete- you know, after seeing your eye on tv, amid a big crowd of mics and reporters- it made me appreciate all the time and work you spend filling us in on this site. thanks for all the hard work.
again sux fans relax you are in the playoffs… these games are over the top. too long etc..
great win for the yanks.. the 2 Arod HR games, the hr against papelbon, and this one are the only steals they have had this yr. and the 6 -5 win over Boston was not a real steal…
The Yanks have lost more tough games then they have stolen..
huge win and joba is rested.. what is the story with Kyles neck, this is a joke…
Football coaches enjoy giving out game balls- after this game Brian Bruney would definitely be a candidate for a game ball, along with Mo, A-Rod, Jeter, and Damon. And I’m sure that I left out somebody.
WOW! Holy Batman! Hit the road when the Yanks were down 7-2. Just came home to find out they came back to win. Against the Dynamic Duo?
Gonna read through the game thread, but any recaps by you guys would be really appreciated.
this game had me on the blog from early am till now with a roller coaster of emotions. this game was huge. beckett must be stewing in his juices. wang has long been asleep. i like the yankees chances tomorrow as we move to the next biggest game of the year.
*JACKPOT!!*
Angels LOSE
Indians WIN
And, oh yeah, another legendary game was minted!!
CALL 911 !! – BOSTON HAS FALLEN AND THEY CAN’T GET UP
ITS BEDLAM! I’m don’t have all the details, cuz there was alot of crying in the background, but My family reports *it’s worse than Billy Buckner and 1986*
Lottsa pix, tricks & licks in mañana periódico (here’s some ankle):
http://tinyurl.com/2hxfl7
Mmmmmmwhaaaaaaa!!
IM AM SO FREAKIN PUMPED!!!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
What I loved most about this game was, despite the several moments of sloppy play, everybody came up big at one point or another. Besides the obvious, there was Giambi, Cano, Bruney, Melky, even Pettitte – who really battled in spite of the bad defense around him, as well as his own.
This wasn’t a game where one player – e.g. A-Rod – carried us on our backs.
This was the ultimate team victory.
Mel: Sixth run eighth inning off of Okajima and Papelwhachamacallhim
Giambi and Robby went back to back, and then melky walked, damon did something, Jeter got a hit, Abreu got a game-tying hit and A-Rod drove Abreu in!
Sorry, that should read, “carried us on HIS back”.
Hey, it’s late, and I think my heart only just now got back to beating at its normal rate.
Mel: A game recap would not do it justice. You need to see it to believe it.
Big win. Can’t believe more articles aren’t out already.
dontfirecash – I watched the whole 4 and a half hours, and I still don’t know if I believe it!
Great stuff.
It’s hard to believe the Yankees won this game. If they can win a game like this, they can just win any game! A very, very big win!! I feel too excited to fall asleep.
As painful as the first 6 innings were, I’ll definitely watch the whole game. Thanks, guys.
The biggest thing about this win is that we didn’t lose ground to Detroit who won tonight. Got keep it going, Tigers are too close for comfort. They thought they were going to pick up a game tonight. They must be devastated.
Hopefully, the guys can get some rest. Come back pumped tomorrow. Looking for a good game from NightGame Robbie. He was a key part of the rally so maybe he’ll be pumped. I still can’t believe that 8 guys came to the plate before they got the first out. Day game on Fox?
OK,we need to stop with the rally squirrel. I’m sorry. No monkey’s, squirrel’s, cheerleaders or mascots. Take pride in the fact the Yankee’s have class.
4 Biggest wins of the year:
4/7 vs. Orioles, 2 outs, bottom 9, Grand Slam.
4/19 vs. Indians, 2 outs, bottom 9, 3 run Home Run.
(^I was at this one until the end^)
6/3 vs. Red Sox. Tie score 0-2 count against Paplebon. Strike on the ouside corner. Deposited in the bullpen. Home Run.
9/14 vs. Red Sox. And you all know who got the game winning RBI.
52 HR, 141 RBI, .316 Avg., 134 Runs scored. And he’s not done.
Best player to put on a uniform since Willie Mays.
32 million a year? 35 a year? I’d give him 40.
He’s better than Willie Mays.
such a good feeling to touch up Papelblown.
Yanks had a big night, one we wont forget for a while. The early innings were the lethargic Yanks of the early months. Gotta break that trend and carry this momentum not only through the weekend but into the end of the season, Yanks should be riding high.
“I think it’s the biggest win of the year, certainly,” said Alex Rodriguez, who delivered the go-ahead hit off closer Jonathan Papelbon. “It’s definitely a character builder. It gives us a lot of confidence, coming into a place like this and being down five runs late in the game with their bullpen. It’s good character.”
Well said, MVP.
Haven’t missed a game all season…..until tonight.
It’s the wife’s birthday, so we head out and leave the Tivo recording the game. Not only do I record the game, but I always record the postgame just in case the game runs a little long.
We make sure we go to a place with no TV’s and I make the waiter promise not to give us any scores.
We get home and I start watching the game and my recording ran out exactly after the final out in the 7th.
I pretty much think we got crushed since it was 7-2 and I hop online to see what’s happening on this blog and then I see the headline, “wrapping up a most unlikely victory” and my head starts to spin.
I turn to YES. Kevin Bacon is on. I turn to ESPN. Football Tonight? Where’s Baseball Tonight?
Finally, I get to see the little clips on espn.com.
I missed one of the best wins of the season. After all those Tampa Bay games and that series in Denves, I miss an instant classic.
I’m just happy we’ve beaten their vaunted bullpen again. They may take the division, but they are not a championship team. Not by a long shot. We’re in their heads now. Their fans know the same thing now that we’ve beaten Papsmear twice this season in convincing fashion.
I just hope tomorrow doesn’t turn ugly with the beanballs. I don’t want to see any Yankees get suspended or hurt at this point in the season. We just need to keep playing them like we have been.
And how about Mr. Clutch proclaiming to the infield they would win the game? Jeter, you have magnificent timing and the ability to sniff when a win is coming with that deficit.
“Melky Cabrera worked a walk, and Damon doubled to chase Okajima before Derek Jeter — making good on a sixth-inning dugout proclamation that the Yankees would win the game — singled home the fifth New York run, blooping a ball to right field.”
-Yankees.com
STICK THAT WIN IN YOUR RED SOX PIPE AND SMOKE IT, BILL SIMMONS! Red Sox (-130) over the Yankees, yeah right MY BEHIND!
That’s Mr. MVP.
I wouldn’t put Mr. MVP above Willie Mays yet. He’s in the top ten though. 6-8 more typical Mr. MVP type seasons and he will be top 5 all time for sure. That’s Ruth, Cobb, Wagner, Mays, Ted Wiliams territory. FYI a typical season for him is:
44 HR’s, 127 RBI’s, 128 Runs scored, .306 AVG., 23 stolen bases (5 times caught), and 77 walks. You’re an MVP candidate any time you put those numbers up. Think of that and remember the morons that booed him last year.
Maybe, just maybe the booing got him over the edge and back on track.
I didn’t agree with the booing, BTW, but it did motivate him for this year.
And if they don’t come back and win, Jeter’s comment is forgotten and never mentioned.
Abreu’s hit was just huge- runners on first and third, and his double clears them to tie the game.
Did anyone see Paplebon’s obnoxious fist pump tonight?….I didn’t think so
The BoSox are going to win the East, but the best thing about this win is the STATEMENTS that was sent to them:
1) This offense can beat their best pitching, starters and relievers
2) That’s just 1 quality start in 16 games for their starters
3) That was the 2nd time A=Rod drove the winning run off Papelbon at Fenway. That’s 2 consecutive times.
The Yankees are not scared by the Red Sox, and they know it very well.
JOE TORRE won todays game against the Red Sox.
1) He didn’t extend Vizcaino last night like some “blog experts” here wanted to.
2) He didn’t use Mo for an inning or two in last games like some braindead wanted(NoMass for example)
3) He left Giambi in the game
It sucks being in Turkey. I’m missing the excitement that is the Yankees beating Boston. I don’t think Giambi will be playing first in the playoffs, IMO. Go Yankees.
Hey all, too bad I missed it, but I was so tired after watching a few Bronx Is Burning episodes (never saw it before) that I fell asleep.
Weird thing: I was dreaming about the Yankees being down, and in my dream there was a blogpost by Pete, something along the lines of “well, they’ll need a miracle to get back in this one”, followed by a post two minutes later “well, that’s the yeankees for you”, when they tied the game. (Unfortunately, in my head, we lost the game in the 11th, 5-4.
Gonna watch the game now then.
Oh, interesting note: at one point, our Win Probability was at 1%. That’s a comeback for you
Giambi won’t be playing 1B today with Wang pitching. I would hope it would be Betemit.
Hopefully, it is Betemit.
Watching the late YES encore broadcast, and browsing over at the ’sons of sam horn’ sox forum- i figure if i have to tolerate the trolling here, i at least get to go witness the tragic, terrified response to our fricken sweet comeback…
had to post these for y’all:
“I will be very surprised if the MFYs do not sweep this series. We had it and gave it away. All we have to do is win one and we can’t seem to do it. I doubt we come out of this weekend with more than a 2 1/2 game lead. Like somebody said, its like 2004 never happened.”
“Last series they beat our top three starters. This series they bludgeon our top two releivers. The Yankees have made a statement.”
“MFYs in town. Grab Ankles.”
c’mon guys, take heart: tonight – we pwned these boston chumps…
Sweep em. Go Yanks.
Not a dry eye in the clubhouse, nor a dry seat in Boston
http://tinyurl.com/yp7w2r
It’s Deja Vu, all over again!!
Is Big Poopie still laboring around 3rd base with a piano on his back ? And people thought molasses was slow ? Guess again.
WICKED AAHWSOME!!!
This was a totally insane victory. You gotta love our Yanks.
the best thing about the comeback was watching the baffoons behind home plate. all thru the game they were laughing & acting like the jerks they are.during the bosox foldup it looked like a painting of the last supper , they were all frozen in time. nothing better than shutting thier ignorant mouths. beating them like that spanking papelbon & okijima that’s priceless. boston listen to the footsteps.
p.s. yanks win in spite of torre starting dr.strangeglove at 1st., whats this guy thinking?
The look on Papelbon’s face when he blew the save was priceless.Yankees are in their heads now!!!!
DR Acula:
Deja Vu = already been seen touche!
I had to watch the game on ESPN and it was hilarious when they showed all of the long faces of the Red Sox fans after the Yankees launched their comeback to take the lead.
So it was the end of the 7th last night, I turn to my husband and tell him I’m off to bed. Game is pretty much cooked. I turn on the tv in the bedroom, just while I’m getting ready to turn in. And then the Red Sox implode. Great, great last two innings of baseball.
While at the end of the season the Red Sox may in fact hold on to win the division, this game has serious implications for the playoffs. The Yanks have absolutely turned things around and have a whole different attitude going into the playoffs. The beginning of the season is now a distant memory – unfortunately the current standings are skewed by those early results.
i dejectedly passed out in the sixth to wake up in the bottom of the ninth and feel an unbelievable feeling of elation.
there’s something about the yankees winning that just makes everything better…
Jeter is the Man!
Time to bring out the “Whose your daddy?” signs for Papelbon!!!
This Yankees team is showing the heart of a Champion. Thinks about it. 50 games into the season, they say 14.5 games out of first place at 21-29 and I’ll bet they were just crazy enough to think that they still had a chance to win the division. Who’s crazy now ? Essentially they control their own destiny still. After taking these next 2 games, they will only be 2 games out in the loss column with 13 more games to play on THEIR schedule. All that will be between them and the division crown will be avoiding a letdown after invading Fenway. Series that are coming up are 2 against Baltimore, and 1 each against Tampa Bay and Toronto. This Yankee team has had its eye on the “prize” of the division, since day one. Torre will NOT let them forget that ,especially after the HUGE momentum they will have on Sunday Night. On the other side of the coin, you have the Idiot Nation and their team. Imagine the kick in the stomach it will be to lose 2 straight series to the Yankees, getting sweeped in both, and in the process losing a full 6 games off of their supposedly insurmountable choke hold lead on the rest of the division. SILENCE IN FENWAY. I can only think of one other place I would rather be. ( and that would be Heaven, actually ) I can imagine that Yankee Fans would rank the following: Places I would like to be: 1) Heaven with all of the past Yankees 2) Fenway last night 3) Yankee Stadium after we win another Championship. And to those that would doubt us, make fun of us and call us names : IN YOUR FACE with that Comeback Last Night, Idiots ! You can deny it all that you want, but you have won NOTHING YET and the Yankees have OWNED YOUR @$$….get used to it,,,because all the stupidity that comes out of your mouth will do NOTHING to change what’s coming your way, which is a MONSTER WICKED slice of Humble Pie. ( Get yourself a BIG GLASS OF MILK, ‘cuz you’re gonna need it to swallow something this big, ICEHOLES ! ) and to PapelPug, Frickin’ Manny, Matsu-gutless-punka and the man that would call the pride and joy of our minor league system a f*ckin’ c*nt, your favorite redneck @$$hole and mine, Mr. “I think have a bad temper is COOL” Josh Beckett…..YOU ARE TRULY THE JERKS of the League and it will be the Yankees’ pleasure to send your @$$e$ home early !
sweeped = swept ( another derr, it’s early out here on the West Coast ! ) LOL
“We’re still up by 4 1/2, not down by 4 1/2,” Coco Crisp said, “so it’s hardly time to panic.”
empty words, Pal..TOTALLY EMPTY WORDS !
the sox blogs are calling for Titos head.
the dynamic dou run into the hottest bats on the planet and it’s somehow his fault. Kinda reminds me of our blogs during the early season.
It surf feels nice to be on the comeback trail
Okay, I give you guys credit. That was a good win for you and tough loss for us. Today’s game should be another classic with Beckett and Wang!
There’s no civility alowed in this rivalry! Go choke on a fat one! Ho Ho Ho Ho
Today should be just as special. Two 18-game winners going, and the winner likely gets the Cy Young award this year. I have a good feeling about Wang today….
Well I just woke up, and Im still pumped up about last nights game!
Go Yankees!
Everybody on the optimist bus!
You really learn a thing or two from the game for life… The Yanks just showed us a great example of not giving up and not giving in…
I’ll be on the optimist bus as long as I can sit next to a window. My stomach has trouble on buses sometimes!!
J-Dawg-
Shouldn’t be an issue, its a really, really, really big bus.
Good!!
I smell fear in the air. Francona using Paps to get six outs is from the pages of Gene Mauch’s ‘64 playbook. My thesis remains that the Sox will crash out of contention [due to damaged psyche] if we complete the sweep. RSN is nervous, there IS precedent to all this. Optimism, everybody!! Thomas, we CAN afford civility. We’re above baiting and such nonsense. Go Yankees!
Sports Center said Mariano Rivera was throwing at 97 mph. Is this a realistic speed? It is inevitable for the Yankees and Red Sox to meet in the ALCS. Baseball’s version of Lakers vs Celtics in the 1980s.
very complimentary article on boston.com
http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....ay/?page=1
a few comments:
1) there were some gutsy performances by veras, bruney and of course viz. they really came through.
2) giambi’s hr didnt make up for his shoddy defense. this game made me miss andy phillips and fear for the playoffs.
3) melky has got to cut that slide sh*t out!
4) hate to say it: re-sign abreu. he just fits here.
5) pete, is pettitte ok?
can’t wait till 4! go yankees.
one more seat on the optimist bus, please?
We need another win to rattle their confidence going into the playoff… Go Wanger!!!
Paolo-
Climb aboard! Plenty of room!
Expect Gagne to be elevated to closer and Paperbon demoted to mop up man.
can we bring beer on the optimist bus?
Hi, I’ve been away on vacation for a while. The score in the airport bar was 4-1 when I left and I saw 8-7 when I got home. Great win.
Can anybody tell me what Peter was referring to in his post, above, about Torre being “furious” with Bruney in KC? Thanks in advance.
Lucky Yankee Charms:
1) Rally Squirrel
2) Pete’s Joba-Signed Ipod – It’s a 21st Century Wonderboy
3) Rebecca’s Blog
4) Saffron Risotto
i’ll take a seat, too — hope you dont mind coming out to the northern rockies to pick up a lifelong whole-hearted yanks fan.
I am still so excited about last night’s win!
Wow, talk about good vibes!
Captain American re: the squirrel…everyone’s kind of just marvelling at the fact that he’s there. I think once he leaves, no one will think about him anymore. I don’t think he’ll be like the rally money. And I don’t think people consider him a “rally squirrel” or a mascot or anything. I just think it’s funny that he hangs out up there–we have squirrels outside my house all the time, and if people go NEAR it, it freaks out and runs away. This one is regularly by people, and he’s completely chill about it.
Anyway. EVERYONE gave me crap about my love of Brian Bruney. but I KNEW there was a reason I loved him. And it showed last night. He’s got the ability, he just has to calm down and use it.
Uncle Vito:
L-M-A-O. Farging HILARIOUS.
Not only do we have a great showdown between Cy Young contenders…but Joba is eligible to pitch today! I can’t wait.
no Andrea, you love me
what a beautiful rainy day on cape cod. red sox fans are in mourning. this was a punch to the belly because they emotionally already had it in the win column.
but baseball is every day. today is the next big game. now it’s on to wang and beckett. win today and we really have something to get excited about. i still can’t believe how the yankees went through the best of their bullpen like butter. okajima is toast for today. papelbon and gagne both being used hurts them. if wang can come out with a strong performance the yankees should be in really good shape when it gets to the later innings.
i’m hoping that beckett comes out with his emotions being so over the top that he can’t locate. wang will be wang as far as being calm. that’s a good thing after an emotional win like last night.
giambi needs a breather at first. he’s no gold glover, but he’s not as bad as he was last night. with wang, it might be the day to give minky a start.
then again if giambi isn’t hurting, how could he be that bad defensively twice in a row?
i don’t know what to think with jeter. i wanted him out of the game because he was so out of it and then he comes through in the clutch. maybe dh for him?
torres got some decisions to make.it’s not going to be an easy lineup to make up.
Re: Bruney in KC – I don’t remember exactly but it could have been his attitude or him walking guys or slamming a chair when he got sent down or yelling at the umpire about balls and strikes in a mop-up role. I don’t remember which happened when.
Re Bruney: I think KC was when Bruney was arguing with the ump over balls and strikes. But he wasn’t bad, he just had body language issues and the ump came out hollering and walking towards him at the mound.
I could be mixed up though.
Rocco-
Beer is allowed on the optimist bus, but your bottles must always be half full.
Get it?
Puckerbon should call A-rod his daddy.
BEST WIN OF THE YEAR.
I dont want to see Giambi at first ever again.
If we sweep,division is highly probable with bostons last 6 games being the twins and a’s.
Once we take the division,this years red sox team will be remebered as the boston titanics.
Or the BOSTON STRANGLED.
shut up, Rocco.
I just want to give a shout out to the Sox fans who manned up and told up ‘good win’. You guys are few and far between and usually out numbered by trolls. The respect is mutual. I hope we kill yah. Just like you hope you kill us but the respect is there. I think thats something that ESPN and other outlets miss out on. They think we just hate everyone. No. The respect is there. We hate them but we respect them. If you need to know about the Yanks you either ask a Yankees fan or a Red Sox fan. If you need to know about the Sox you and a Sox fan or a Yankees fan. We know each others teams. We want to know who we’re booing. We give each other a hard time because we are bitter rivals but there’s probably more ex-Yanks that become Sox and ex-Sox that become Yanks than players from any other teams. So good for you guys for admitting defeat. It doesnt happen often. That shows maturity.
awesome.
Sorry Andrea. I’ll be normal now.
The folks at Sons of Sam Horn are creeping out on the ledge. There are a multitude of hilarious “I’m so sick of the (bleeping) Yankees!” on last night’s game thread.
http://sonsofsamhorn.net/index.....mp;st=1800
Actually it seems like more Ex-Sox become Yankees…
Gianthinker
I enjoyed readinig your post and couldn’t have expressed those thoughts any better.
http://northjersey.com/page.ph.....FlZUVFeXk2
I love the Record.
Ketchup and Mayo, Yo. Ketchup and Mayo, yo.
Chicken McNuggets…
I think this win is even better considering we countered papelbon/timlin/okajima/lopez/gagne with bruney/henn/veras/a lame viscaino/MO…
hopefully farnsworth and joba are both ready for tonight so we can use some firepower.
Anyone else think Veras showed some pretty nasty stuff last night? 97mph heater and nice deuce – needs to work on the location though.
Now that angels and indians are tied. Do we really want to play the indians? Give me Lackey and Escobar over Carmona and Sabathia.Plus the revenge factor is a bonus.
I have read every newspaper I could think of in NYC and Boston. LIFE IS GOOD!!!
Bahhstin has more than one thing to bawl their eyes out for…
http://video.aol.com/video-det.....1345032906
Classic boston fan,
A thought occurred to me last night, while I was tossing and turning in bed: I think we’re cosmically destined for failure at every turn. We had our ‘04 championship to keep us from giving up altogether, but what if the Red Sox organization is only meant for failure? It’s just getting a little out of hand now, when we’re only 6 outs from finally capturing the AL east, we give up 6 runs. In ‘03, we’re only a few outs away, and we cough up a major lead. We’re only a win or two from burying the Yankees in ‘78, and we lose all four.
I finally figured out this is where we’re supposed to be, always-close-but-never-there. In return, we get the Patriots and the Celtics, two organizations that are winners.
I fear, sad but true.
You almost start to feel sorry for them. Born losers.