Break Out the Brooms and Bury the Yanks
What a game, what a series. Heading into the series, I thought a sweep was completely out of the question. It looked to be true from the first pitch that BJ threw on Thursday, but we learned something about the Red Sox this weekend. They have the fight, resilience and personality of a serious contender. What better way to close out a devastating four game sweep then showing those traits in the best way possible.
Price was given a third chance to prove that he can pitch in high leverage games on Sunday, and pitched his second Sunday Night Baseball game against the Yankees of the season. Everyone knew that this start was truly the turning point in his season, and he delivered. Excluding his seventh inning, Price sat Yankees hitters down like he was the DJ for a game of musical chairs. Changeup away, cutter in, fastball paint. It was all there. You name it, he had it working. For the amount of shit he takes, the Fenway Faithful want him to succeed, and its obvious. He's had three shots at the Yankees, and third time was clearly the charm. For the amount of frustration expressed in the media with Price, he still has a large enough fan base in Boston to be considered liked, and it showed in the reception he received upon his exit.
His final line: 6+ IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 3 BBs and 5 Ks on 108 pitches.
If you had polled Red Sox nation on what would be accepted as a good start against the Yankees for David Price, his line last night would certainly fit the bill. He certainly could have done without the two earned in the seventh. Cora felt confident about Price getting a pair of outs in the seventh against the bottom of the Yankee's order, and I don't blame him, but why take the chance. Price's stat line certainly wouldn't have suffered as it did, and he would've exited the Yankees gauntlet unscathed. In my mind, this was the first time I've questioned a Cora decision from the get-go. No reason to try and milk Price in that situation, but it happened, and it looked like it had costed the Red Sox a sweep and a 9.5 game lead. Hembree and Bogaerts contributed to a disastrous four run seventh, and the looming Yankees bullpen juggernaut made a win seem out of the question.
I guess I had momentarily forgotten that this Red Sox team doesn't quit. Mookie's homerun in the fifth was the only source of offense for the first eight innings. Bottom of the order coming to bat, and here comes the Cuban Missile jogging out of right field. A living flamethrower, a shutdown man. Chapman was pitching for the first time in 5 days, and it showed. The Red Sox took the best possible approach in the situation: take, take, take. If a guy looks rusty, and is throwing 102, don't swing. León, Mookie and Pearce all walked to give Julio Daniel and chance to win the game. Visions of a walk-off grand slam flashed through my head, and I couldn't contain my excitement. Thankfully, I wasn't hitting, because I would've tried to launch a ball over the monster. JD wasted no time in his approach, lining a single to right field, pulling the Red Sox within a run.
Then, it was up to Xander. Xander bounded a 1-1 pitch to Andujar at third. It took Bogey a second to register that he had put the ball in play, and I thought he was going to be out by a mile. Rather, X busted his ass up the line and Andujar's weak one-hopper popped right out of the glove of Big Byrd.
That's when I knew the Red Sox weren't losing this game. Barnes shut down the 10th and the Yankee Killer Andrew Benintendi beat the shift with a ground ball to win the game. This Red Sox team now seems like a team that is ready to win the World Series. Cora has cultivated a team dynamic that reminds me of the 2013 team, not to mention the resilient nature of both teams. I'm all in on this team, and they will not lose.