Sox Beat Yanks / Manny Fails Drug Test - Retires

Saturday, April 09, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

You can exhale now Red Sox Nation. The losing streak is over. What’s even better, it was ended at the expense of the New York Yankees.

After an embarrassing 0-6 start on the road to start the season, the Red Sox were apparently energized by returning to the friendly confines of Fenway Park. They defeated the rival New York Yankees 9-6.

Neither starting pitcher did well. The Yankees’ Phil Hughes lasted just 2 innings giving up 7 hits and 6 earned runs. Boston scored 1 in the first on Dustin Pedroia’s solo homer. They added 5 more in the second sending Hughes to the showers early.

John Lackey wasn’t much better. The Sox’ starter went 5 innings allowing 7 hits and 6 earned runs. Fortunately for him, the Sox scored their 7th run of the game in the bottom of the 5th giving him his first win of the season.

Pedroia was the offensive star for Boston going 3-5 with a homerun and 3 RBI’s. It’s his third homerun in as many years in Boston’s home-opener.

Adrian Gonzalez, David Ortiz, J.D. Drew and Jarrod Saltalamacchia all had 2 hits for the Red Sox who pounded out 12 hits in 36 at bats against Yankee pitching.

Boston’s bullpen did an excellent job in innings 6-9. Alfredo Aceves, Bobby Jenks, Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon each pitched a scoreless inning to nail down the team’s first win of the season.

Clay Buchholz gets the start against the Yankees Saturday at Fenway. Ivan Nova counters for New York. First pitch at Fenway is scheduled for 1:10pm.

NOTES:

-Many were wondering what type of reception the Red Sox would receive from their fans in their home opener after starting the season 0-6. The reception was very positive with loud cheers for all during the pregame introductions.

-There’s some concern in New York for starter Phil Hughes who seems to have lost a few miles per hour off of his fastball this season. Hughes deserved the loss but it went instead to Bartolo Colon who actually pitched well out of the bullpen for New York.

-A surprising announcement on Friday out of Tampa where former Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez announced his retirement. Ramirez was informed by Major League Baseball officials that there was an issue with a drug test he had taken earlier this spring. If, as believed, he tested positive for a banned substance, it would be his second such offense under the new 3-strikes and you’re out rules. That would mean he would have been subject to serving a 100-game suspension for a second strike. A third positive test would result in a lifetime ban. This will undoubtedly destroy any chances Ramirez may have had of making it into the Hall of Fame. Most believe that his first positive test while with the Dodgers was enough to keep him out of the Hall.