Empyreal Environs

Game 43: May 23, 2006
Yankees (25-19), 7
Red Sox (26-17), 5
W: Jaret Wright (2-3)
H: Kyle Farnsworth (5)
S: Mariano Rivera (9)
L: Tim Wakefield (3-6)

This loss is all on me. Yesterday was my birthday, and there have been some truly awful Red Sox players born on the same day as me. You might recall Cesar Crespo; I extend my apologies if you do. (Note: You may sponsor Crespo for a mere ten dollars.) Also, thrill to the feats of the immortal Ricky Gutierrez, who actually has a sponsor. Mike Gonzalez, who was part of the rescinded Brandon Lyon deal in July of 2003, as also born on May 23rd, as was Ramon Caraballo, Kevin Romine, Reggie Cleveland, Pat “Whoops” Creeden, Jack McGeachy, and Hugh “Corns” Bradley. There was a Bill Miller, but it wasn’t our Bill Mueller.

The only Hall of Famer born yesterday was Zack Wheat, who was a member of the National League Brooklyn Robins for all but one of his 18 years in the major leagues. The Robins were clipped by Red Sox in the 1916 World Series, 4-1.

None of that anti-New York City mojo carried into the present day, however. Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball was mostly nimble and effective until the late innings. Wakefield relinquished a leadoff homer to Johnny Damon in the first and a two-run single to Derek Jeter in the third, but had struck out five hitters while doing so. In the seventh, Terry Francona saw fit to leave his starting pitcher in against Alex Rodriguez even after he had walked Gary Sheffield and Derek Jeter consecutively with two out. Rodriguez, perhaps too caught up in wondering if the cameras were training in on him with the most flattering angles, didn’t even realize he had homered into the Monster seats at first. When the ball landed, the score turned to 7-1, seemingly insurmountable.

In the home half of the seventh, Yankee pitching were giving out walks like a doggy day care center. Scott Proctor, Mike Myers, and Kyle Farnsworth combined for four walks. Manny Ramirez capitalized on the opportunity with a blast to the center field bleachers that went even farther than his homer in the first game of the series to bring the score to 7-4.

The Yankees continued to grant bases on balls in the eighth inning, prompting Joe Torre to bring in Mariano Rivera to secure five outs. Ramirez managed to line a single to plate Kevin Youkilis, but the Red Sox were unable to overcome the run deficit.

Boston scattered a few defensive gems throughout the game for the enjoyment of the fans. Youkilis dazzled at first base with a diving catch in the second inning of Jorge Posada’s smoking grounder. Wakefield leapt balletically to ensnare Youkilis’s toss, again quelling Posada’s attempt to get on base. Doug Mirabelli did dull his performance with three passed balls in the sixth, one of which led to a run. In the fifth, however, the backup catcher shined when he gunned down Andy Phillips after his battery mate struck out Damon.

With all due respect to the captain, Jason Varitek is one of those guys whose voice doesn’t suit his outward appearance. Rugged and stout in his tools of ignorance, he cuts an imposing figure behind the plate. And then, a quiet, slightly nasal, almost gentle voice escapes from his lips. I usually enjoy hearing the snatches of dugout conversation when a player is wired for sound, but Varitek won’t be conducting any trash-talking seminars in the future. He seems to prefer to let his hands do the talking.