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 "Four and three? Two tough cities, Tampa and here, that's pretty
good," the New York Yankees manager said after his team finished the
journey with a 14-5 blowout of the Boston Red Sox.
"We started off on the right foot, then it got a little ugly in
Tampa (two loud losses), we were 1-2 (against the Rays) and we
bounced back nicely."
Along the way, the first-place Yankees lost right-hander Ivan Nova
for the season to Tommy John surgery. They also lost righty Michael
Pineda to a 10-game suspension for the use of pine tar in Wednesday
night's loss — his early exit zapping the bullpen and forcing the
Yankees to bring two relievers in from the minors on Thursday.
"I think you look at both (pitchers) but I think the important thing
is we were 4-3 and obviously people have to step up," Girardi said.
"It's hard to replace Nova. It is, but someone's going to have to
step up."
The Yankees (13-9) took advantage of sloppy Boston defense and
shoddy pitching to cruise to their eighth win in the last 11 games.
In capturing the rubber game of a three-game series, New York got
the benefit of five errors, three wild pitches and a passed ball by
the last-place Red Sox (10-13) to improve to 5-2 against the MLB
champions this season.
Most of the defensive damage on a chilly night was done in the first
three innings, when the Yankees took a 7-0 lead against losing
pitcher Felix Doubront (1-3). Yankees starter CC Sabathia took it
from there, striking out eight in six innings.
"I just wanted to go out and have a good outing. That's what it's
all about," said Sabathia (3-2, 1-1 against Boston). "I know we were
a little bit taxed in the bullpen and the situation we've been in
the past couple of weeks, but it felt good to go out and pitch good
and get a win."
Staked to the big lead, Sabathia gave up two runs in the bottom of
the third but that was it.
Closer David Robertson, activated from the disabled list Tuesday,
worked a perfect ninth.
Rookie third baseman Yangervis Solarte stroked a pair of two-run
hits, former Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits
and three RBIs, shortstop Derek Jeter drove in two runs and first
baseman Mark Teixeira hit a solo homer (his first of the year) in a
14-hit attack by the Yankees.
Things got so bad for the Red Sox that first baseman/outfielder Mike
Carp pitched the ninth inning, the first time he's pitched as a
professional. He walked the first hitter, got a double-play grounder
out of catcher Brian McCann, issued four more walks before retiring
pinch hitter Kelly Johnson on a foul pop.
The five errors were the most made by the Red Sox in a game against
the Yankees since Sept. 8, 1977, when that team made seven,
according to ESPN Stats. It was also the most errors by a Red Sox
team in a game since 2001 and they allowed five unearned runs in
both losses to the Yankees.
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"The sooner we get past this one the better," said Boston manager
John Farrell. "We need to execute at a higher level."
And they need to get starting pitching. The Red Sox have been
outscored, 71-33, in the first four innings of games. John Lackey
rescued the staff on Wednesday, but Doubront sent things spinning
again. Even with Lackey's strong outing, the starters have allowed
26 earned runs in the last 33 innings in the last seven games.
Asked about turning this thing around, Farrell said, "It's got to be
led by our starters."
Doubront, who tends to unravel when things get tough, lasted 2 2/3
innings, allowing seven runs, only three earned. He also had one of
the errors and two of the wild pitches.
"Felix was erratic with his command and we contributed (to his
troubles) on defense," Farrell said.
NOTES: Yankees RHP Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games by
Major League Baseball for his use of pine tar Wednesday night. ...
RF Shane Victorino returned from the disabled list to play his first
game of 2014, RHP Alex Wilson returned to Pawtucket after one day in
Boston. Victorino was 1-for-5. ... The Yankees brought up RHPs Bruce
Billings and Shane Greene, RHP Preston Claiborne and sent SS Dean
Anna to Triple-A. ... RHP Ivan Nova, moved from the 15- to the
60-day disabled list, will have Tommy John surgery performed by Dr.
James Andrews on Tuesday. ... RHP Hiroki Kuroda faces Angels LHP
C.J. Wilson in New York on Friday night. RHP Jake Peavy goes for
Boston against LHP Mark Buehrle (4-0, 0.64 ERA), the Red Sox opening
a brief three-game road trip in Toronto.
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