Red Sox-Yankees: Daniel Bard Bombed as New York Completes Sweep, 5-2

New York Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte shut down the Red Sox offense for the first seven innings of tonight’s ballgame at Yankee Stadium, while Red Sox starter Jon Lester shut out the Bronx Bombers for the first six innings. It was reminiscent of Friday night.

Were the teams going to remain scoreless heading into extra innings again? Was another 15-inning contest in the offing?

Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez led off the bottom of the seventh inning with his 21st home run to put the bad guys up, 1-0. The blast was A-Rod’s 574th career homer, moving him ahead of Harmon Killebrew for ninth place on the all-time list.

In the top of the eighth inning, with the Red Sox scoreless streak now surpassing 31 innings, 1B Victor Martinez launched an offering from Yankees reliever Phil Coke deep into the left field grandstand to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead. The home run ended the Sox' longest scoreless streak since 1974.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona sent fireballer Daniel Bard (0-1) into the game for the bottom of the eighth inning to face a pair of right-handed hitters, Jerry Hairston and Derek Jeter.

Bard retired pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui and Jeter. Francona then left Bard in the game to face left-handed-hitting Johnny Damon.

It was a mistake. Damon homered to tie the game.

Francona then left Bard in to face switch-hitting Mark Teixeira.

It was a mistake. Teixeira homered to put New York ahead.

NY 3, BOS 2.

Nick Swisher would add a two-run single off Hideki Okajima to extend the lead to 5-2.

Mariano Rivera struggled through a scoreless ninth inning to secure his 32nd save of the season.

The win was the Yankees' seventh straight...the loss was the Red Sox' sixth in a row (two in Tampa and all four in NYC) and left the Red Sox six-and-a-half games behind the Yankees in the AL East.

With the Texas Rangers' win today, the Red Sox are now tied with the Rangers for the wild card lead in the American League.

Lester allowed one run on five hits over seven innings. He walked no one and struck out seven.

The move to leave Bard in the game to pitch to both Damon and Teixeira (who should have been turned around to bat righty with the short porch/wind tunnel that is the New Yankee Stadium) is the second time in two games that Red Sox skipper Terry Francona has made a VERY questionable managerial decision. 

On Saturday, he put 1B/3B Kevin Youkilis in left field rather than play outfielder Josh Reddick. Youkilis misplayed two balls in the outfield, a fact that was overlooked in the wake of the offensive ineptitude...but Francona's decision COULD have been very costly if the game had played out differently!

Just like last tonight's decision on Bard cost the team...

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The Yankees designated starting pitcher Josh Towers for assignment today. It says here the Red Sox should claim Towers on waivers. They would be far better off taking a flier on Towers than Paul Byrd (a signing that was an incredible act of desperation).

Towers was 4-6, 3.42 with the Yankees' Triple-A ballclub...he allowed 80 hits in 81.2 IP. While those aren’t GREAT numbers, they indicate he would bring more to the table than Byrd, who hasn’t pitched since last season with the Red Sox.

Yikes!

The Red Sox purchased the contract of reliever Fernando Cabrera from Triple-A Pawtucket. They designated RHP Enrique Gonzalez for assignment.

Cabrera, the former Indians and Orioles reliever, was 0-3, 1.69, and 20 saves (in 20 SO) for the PawSox.