There is no scenario in which it is excusable for us to score seven runs and then somehow end up in a tie. Seven runs is a lot of runs, and I just feel like any pitcher should be more than happy with that kind of support. I mean, there are pitchers who win games with a final score of one-zip, or 2-1, or 3-2, or something like that. Seven runs provides more than enough of a comfort zone, if you ask me.
But to be honest, that’s kind of an afterthought when you beat the Evil Empire in eleven innings at home and pick up the series in the process.
Dempster gave up a single, and then Dempster’s own throwing error put runners at the corners in the first. Then a throwing error by Salty resulted in a runner on third and a run scored. A walk and a strikeout later, Dempster gave up an RBI single. Dempster opened the second with a walk that turned into a triple on two groundouts. Then he hit a batter and gave up another RBI single.
Our big inning was the third. Ellsbury led it off with a double, moved to third on a sac bunt by Victorino, and scored on a single by Pedroia. Papi singled, and Napoli took a sinker for a ball, fouled off a slider and a changeup, and got a fastball he really liked. So he rocketed it toward the Monster for three instant runs.
But, fortunately, we weren’t done. Drew got hit, and Iglesias and Ellsbury hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with nobody out; Drew and Iglesias both scored on a single by Victorino. Gomes led off the fifth with a solo shot toward the Monster.
So at that point we were leading by four. Unfortunately that did not last. Before securing the first out of the sixth, Dempster gave up a single and issued a walk and then gave up an RBI single. Breslow came on after that and gave up two more singles that resulted in another run. In the process of securing the first out of the eighth, he issued a walk and gave up a single. Tazawa came on after that, and thanks to a single and a throwing error by Iglesias, and another single after that, he gave up two more runs.
And that right there tied the game at seven.
Thornton pitched the eighth, Uehara pitched the ninth, Britton pitched the tenth, and Beato pitched the eleventh.
The Yanks made a pitching change in the bottom of the frame, and that was where the game was decided. Pedroia and Papi provided two quick outs, but then it was Napoli all over again. The count was full, and on his seventh pitch, he got a bad cutter. And he uncorked a massive swing on it and rocketed it all the way out to center field for a home run.
So we ended up winning, 8-7. Cue mob. End game.
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