Post by musicradio77 on Apr 6, 2005 21:17:42 GMT -5
From the Daily News:
Rivera blows save again as Red Sox beat Yankees
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP SPORTS WRITER
Mariano Rivera let another lead slip away against Boston. Alex Rodriguez made a costly error, too, and this time the Yankees couldn't recover. Playing without ailing manager Terry Francona, the Red Sox rallied for five runs against Rivera in the ninth inning and beat New York 7-3 Wednesday to avoid a season-opening sweep.
Francona was taken to a hospital in the morning with tightness in his chest. He was resting there comfortably awaiting test results, the team said during the game. Bench coach Brad Mills filled in for Francona.
Yankees captain Derek Jeter left the game after a pitch by Mike Timlin hit him in the left shoulder and then deflected off his head. Jeter was taken to a hospital for a precautionary CT scan. The results were normal and the shortstop was expected to play Friday night against Baltimore, the Yankees said.
The teams play three more games next week at Fenway Park beginning with Boston's home opener Monday, when the Red Sox will receive their World Series rings.
Rodriguez and Tino Martinez homered for the Yankees, who went ahead in the eighth without a hit. Gary Sheffield drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly.
Rivera entered in the ninth with a 3-2 lead for the second consecutive day, and blew it again. He issued a leadoff walk to Bill Mueller before consecutive singles by Mark Bellhorn and Johnny Damon loaded the bases with none out.
After Trot Nixon struck out, Manny Ramirez hit a routine grounder to Rodriguez at third. He should have been able to get at least a force play at the plate and possibly a game-ending double play, but he bobbled the ball and the tying run scored.
David Ortiz drove in the go-ahead run with a dribbler to the right side, and Edgar Renteria made it 6-3 with a two-run single.
Rivera was lifted after walking Doug Mirabelli and walked off the mound to a smattering of boos. The final run scored on Felix Rodriguez's wild pitch.
Rivera allowed five runs - one earned - and three walks in two-thirds of an inning. He also gave up three hits.
The All-Star closer has blown his last four save chances against the Red Sox, including two in the 2004 playoffs, and six opportunities in all since the start of last season.
He yielded Jason Varitek's tying homer in the ninth on Tuesday, but Jeter bailed out Rivera with a game-winning homer in the bottom half.
Timlin (1-0) got two outs for the win.
The Red Sox got a strong outing from knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who allowed only three hits in 6 2-3 innings - including solo homers by Rodriguez and Martinez.
Making his first start of the year, Mike Mussina gave up nine hits but worked out of trouble all afternoon. Helped by three double plays, he limited the Red Sox to two runs in six innings.
With Kevin Brown on the disabled list, right now Mussina is the lone holdover from last year's rotation.
Kevin Millar's two-run single gave Boston the lead in the fourth.
Rodriguez homered to center in the bottom half, his first of the season. Martinez tied it at 2 when he connected in the fifth, his first since returning to the Yankees.
A fan favorite in New York while winning four World Series titles from 1996-01, Martinez got a huge ovation and popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.
Rivera blows save again as Red Sox beat Yankees
By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP SPORTS WRITER
Mariano Rivera let another lead slip away against Boston. Alex Rodriguez made a costly error, too, and this time the Yankees couldn't recover. Playing without ailing manager Terry Francona, the Red Sox rallied for five runs against Rivera in the ninth inning and beat New York 7-3 Wednesday to avoid a season-opening sweep.
Francona was taken to a hospital in the morning with tightness in his chest. He was resting there comfortably awaiting test results, the team said during the game. Bench coach Brad Mills filled in for Francona.
Yankees captain Derek Jeter left the game after a pitch by Mike Timlin hit him in the left shoulder and then deflected off his head. Jeter was taken to a hospital for a precautionary CT scan. The results were normal and the shortstop was expected to play Friday night against Baltimore, the Yankees said.
The teams play three more games next week at Fenway Park beginning with Boston's home opener Monday, when the Red Sox will receive their World Series rings.
Rodriguez and Tino Martinez homered for the Yankees, who went ahead in the eighth without a hit. Gary Sheffield drove in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly.
Rivera entered in the ninth with a 3-2 lead for the second consecutive day, and blew it again. He issued a leadoff walk to Bill Mueller before consecutive singles by Mark Bellhorn and Johnny Damon loaded the bases with none out.
After Trot Nixon struck out, Manny Ramirez hit a routine grounder to Rodriguez at third. He should have been able to get at least a force play at the plate and possibly a game-ending double play, but he bobbled the ball and the tying run scored.
David Ortiz drove in the go-ahead run with a dribbler to the right side, and Edgar Renteria made it 6-3 with a two-run single.
Rivera was lifted after walking Doug Mirabelli and walked off the mound to a smattering of boos. The final run scored on Felix Rodriguez's wild pitch.
Rivera allowed five runs - one earned - and three walks in two-thirds of an inning. He also gave up three hits.
The All-Star closer has blown his last four save chances against the Red Sox, including two in the 2004 playoffs, and six opportunities in all since the start of last season.
He yielded Jason Varitek's tying homer in the ninth on Tuesday, but Jeter bailed out Rivera with a game-winning homer in the bottom half.
Timlin (1-0) got two outs for the win.
The Red Sox got a strong outing from knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who allowed only three hits in 6 2-3 innings - including solo homers by Rodriguez and Martinez.
Making his first start of the year, Mike Mussina gave up nine hits but worked out of trouble all afternoon. Helped by three double plays, he limited the Red Sox to two runs in six innings.
With Kevin Brown on the disabled list, right now Mussina is the lone holdover from last year's rotation.
Kevin Millar's two-run single gave Boston the lead in the fourth.
Rodriguez homered to center in the bottom half, his first of the season. Martinez tied it at 2 when he connected in the fifth, his first since returning to the Yankees.
A fan favorite in New York while winning four World Series titles from 1996-01, Martinez got a huge ovation and popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.