With Youk out of yesterday's lineup, Bay batted at #4, the cleanup spot, and he wasted no time to drive in 3 runs with a blast and put the Sox up 4-0 in the very first inning. Considering Joba Chamberlain settled down right after this homer and had 12 strikeouts in 5-2/3 innings, this 3-run homer was HUGE. Bay also had a walk by HBP in the 5th inning (I swear to God that Chamberlain hit him on purpose and THE YANKS'D BETTER WATCH OUT 'CAUSE THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!!!). Moreover, in the 8th inning when the Yankees were only trailed by 1 point, Bay reached base on an error and stole second and moved to third by a Lowell groundout and then scored by a V'tek's sacrifice fly to the center field. 5-3. The Sox went on and later won the game with 7-3.
So, the Sox have swept the Yankees in five games of two series with a goal differential of 38-23. Quite a performance, especially for Bay, who was 10 for 18 (.556) with three homers and 10 RBIs.
Josh Beckett had an fine outing, giving up 10 hits but managing to only allow 3 runs (a 3-run homer by Johnny Damon in the 3rd), followed by 3 perfect innings from Okajima and Saito.
As for many empty seats of the new Yankee stadium, Pedoria had something to say: "I know that there wasn't a lot of fans in those sections right behind the dugout. I don't know why". Whoa, talking about twisting the knife in the wound. Way to go, Pedey!
Today, the Sox will host the Indians, the C's will take on the Magic at the garden, and the B's will try to have some revenge at the Canes' home.
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT.
BRING IT ON!
eta: today's oh-my-god-this-is-so-cute moment:
On the rainy weather in New York, which appealed to no one but Jason Bay:
Francona: "You know what, we get on him all the time [about that]. He's the one guy, he comes out of the dugout and pops his head out, it's like half-snowing and he goes, 'God, is it beautiful out here' He doesn't like the sunshine in spring training when we are in Port Charlotte (Fla.) and he's losing the balls in the sun and it's 95 degrees. He was happy as could be last night."
Francona: "You know what, we get on him all the time [about that]. He's the one guy, he comes out of the dugout and pops his head out, it's like half-snowing and he goes, 'God, is it beautiful out here' He doesn't like the sunshine in spring training when we are in Port Charlotte (Fla.) and he's losing the balls in the sun and it's 95 degrees. He was happy as could be last night."