Relegated
Game 161: October 1, 2005
Yankees (95-66), 8
Red Sox (94-67), 4
W: Randy Johnson (17-8)
L: Tim Wakefield (16-12)
1 game behind in the division
1 game ahead for the wild card
1 game losing streak
Because of this loss, no matter the outcome today the Red Sox will not win the division title. As much as I hated to see the Yankees celebrate their eighth straight AL East title on our field, it’s not as if Yankee Stadium has not seen its fair share of Red Sox jubilation.
So, going into the final game of the season, the Red Sox can clinch the wild card if they win. If Boston loses, Cleveland must win to force a one-game playoff at Fenway Park to decide the wild card. If both the Red Sox and Indians lose, the Red Sox clinch the wild card, too. Andrew of 12eight points out that with a win today, the Red Sox would be co-champions of the AL East this year since the teams would finish with an identical record.
Wakefield was not his usual self against the Yankees today. He pitched only 5 innings and gave up 7 hits, 7 runs (all earned), no walks, 1 strikeout, and a whopping 3 homers. Gary Sheffield jacked a home run in the 1st inning with his fellow slugger Jason Giambi on base. Hideki Matsui and Alex Rodriguez homered in the 3rd and 5th, respectively. The Yankees even brought in a knuckleball pitcher to practice against before the game.
The consolation to this game is that the Red Sox discovered they could hit Randy Johnson, who pitched 7.1 innings with a line of 5 hits, 3 earned runs, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts, and 2 home runs. Unlike the last match-up in September when the Red Sox were shutout, Johnson was hittable. This will be key should the teams face each other again in this year’s ALCS. Manny Ramirez’s second four-bagger in the 8th inning was particularly stunning; I have never seen a ball hit above the seats covered to be the batter’s eye in day games until yesterday.
Did this game not seem like Game 3 of last year’s ALCS? The Yankees hit bomb after bomb yesterday, much like the did on October 16, 2004. Remember how that story ended.
Onward.
