Sox Smack Yanks, Posada Creates Controversy
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Josh Beckett is back! And it appears that the Red Sox may be back too!
Beckett continued his sensational start to the 2011 season with 6 shutout innings of 4-hit, 2-walk, 9-strikeout baseball in New York as the Sox smacked the Yankees 6-0.
Beckett is now (3-1) on the season with an ERA of just 1.75. Even better, Beckett is (2-0) with a 0.00 ERA in two starts against the Yankees this year. Beckett has pitched 14 shutout innings against New York giving up just 6 hits in those two starts while striking out 19!
Saturday night he outdueled Yankee ace CC Sabathia who pitched well until the red-hot Adrian Gonzalez roughed him up with a 3-run homerun in the 7th. Gonzalez ripped a high fastball with a rocket shot line drive to right which took just seconds to leave the stadium. It was Gonzalez’ sixth homerun in as many games. He now has 9 for the season to go along with 34 RBI’s.
With the win, Boston pulls to within 4 games of first place Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Sox are now only 2 games behind the second place Yankees in the division.
Boston is now 4-1 against the Yankees this season with the series finale set for tonight in the Bronx weather permitting. Jon Lester takes the mound for Boston against New York’s Freddy Garcia.
The challenge for Boston now is to win series against teams not named the Yankees.
POSADA EMBARRASSES HIMSELF AND THE YANKEES:
-Veteran catcher/DH Jorge Posada created a big distraction for his team when he abruptly pulled himself out of the line-up just before game time. Posada, who is hitting just .165, was clearly upset with being demoted to 9th in the Yankee line-up by manager Joe Girardi. GM Brian Cashman held a press conference in the third inning of the game to inform the media of what happened and said that he or Girardi were not made aware of any injury that Posada may have had. Posada’s wife tweeted during the game that her husband had a stiff back which is why he opted out of the line-up. Although that appeared to be nothing more than damage control and spin from his wife knowing the controversy he created by refusing to play. Posada earns 13.1 million dollars in salary this season. You would think that a guy hitting just .165 would be thankful to have a job in the Majors, much less one that overpays him. Apparently that’s not the case.
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It