Closer Craig Kimbrel began the ninth with a three-run lead, but he walked four, including the last three batters he faced.
Advertisement
At the time it made all of his justification for sitting A-Rod in recent weeks sound disingenuous, and when he had two days to reconsider, he chose to go back to his “We’re trying to win” mantra. Boston SS Xander Bogaerts, who went 5-for-46 on the just-completed road trip, didn’t start for only the third time this season – and first since June 28. He had very good feel for his changeup and curveball, sinker in the bottom of the zone.
In a flashback to Red Sox-Yankees battles of the past, the benches and bullpens emptied after Jackie Bradley Jr. threw out Chase Headley after the NY third baseman doubled and tried to take third with his team down three runs.
The Sox send Drew Pomeranz to the bump Wednesday night as the lefthander looks for his first win with Boston.
He will start in the finale of New York’s three-game series on Thursday night before playing his final game with the team at home the next night. He was at.196 with six homers and 18 RBIs against righties and was 3-for-22 lifetime against right-hander Rick Porcello, who started for Boston on Tuesday.
Severino (1-7) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
But let’s be real here: A week ago they broke up their team in the name of a brighter future, and rightly so, and then after pushing A-Rod into retirement, they essentially told him he could play in the final four games of his Yankee career.
Manager Joe Girardi announced the plans for A-Rod prior to Tuesday night’s series opener.
Rodriguez will then play one more home game, Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays, before being released. Well, except for the “We want A-Rod” chants. It happened after Headley was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple with the Yankees trailing, 5-2.
So Headley approached Porcello with his back turned and both benches came out to hold back their teammates. Umpires quickly stepped in and were able to calm things.
The announcement was made around 2 p.m., though the club did not say specifically what was wrong with the bobbleheads that led to the decision. “I’m sure I’m going to hear it, but I’ve got to do what I think is best”. Red Sox fans are smart enough to know that chanting, “We want A-Rod” puts the Yankees in an uncomfortable position.
“He said what he had to say and I responded”, Headley said.
It was nearly a good, old-fashioned Yankees-Red Sox brawl. “I asked but was denied any kind of ability to go out and ask what the ruling was”.
The Red Sox played catch up until putting things together in the fifth.
The rejected bobblehead was made by BDA, Inc., and the company will also produce the replacements.
Left-hander Tommy Layne, picked up off waivers from the Red Sox earlier in the day, relieved and gave up a long single to David Ortiz that scored Pedroia.
Advertisement
Red Sox: Manager John Farrell said after the game that LF/C Blake Swihart will have surgery sometime in the coming days on his injured left ankle sprain. He is likely done for the season.
