Besetment
Game 91: July 17, 2005
Yankees (49-41), 5
Red Sox (50-41), 3
W: Al Leiter (4-7)
H: Tanyon Sturtze (11)
S: Mariano Rivera (23)
L: Tim Wakefield (8-8)
Remember how everyone lauded Al Leiter when he joined Joe Buck and Tim McCarver in the broadcast booth during the postseason last year? Why didn’t continue with that? I much prefer him as a television analyst than a rejuvenated 39-year old lefty mowing down the Red Sox hitters. He went 6.1 innings with merely 3 hits and 1 earned run while walking only 3 and striking out 8. The magical Yankee uniform seemed to garb him with that oft-mentioned mystique and aura that had been lacking lately.
Wakefield was wreathed in his own gloriole, ending his complete game outing with 5 hits, 5 earned runs, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 3 home runs. The veteran righty saved the bullpen, a crucial concern for the next few series since the Red Sox won’t have another day off until July 28th.
Kevin Millar broke up a double play in the 2nd inning with his matchless panache. He stopped suddenly on the basepath and slipped (intentionally or not, it’s difficult to say), causing Robinson Cano to lose the ball from his glove into the shallow outfield.
The first base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt giveth, as in the 4th inning when Jason Giambi was called out, and he taketh away, as in the 9th inning when Alex Cora was called out to complete a double play with no outs and the bases loaded, effectively ending the game. Mammas, don’t let your babies grow up to be umpires, but should they insist, you can send them to The Harry Wendelstedt School for Umpires. I hear one of the courses is entitled “Bribes and How to Hide Them.”
