October 18th Vs. New York: Alcs Game 5

[element1151]

ALCS Game #5: New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox

Date: October 18th 2004

First Pitch: 5:00 PM, Fenway Park, Boston

TV: Fox

Series: NYY Lead, 3-1

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/nyy.gif >>> (6-2) >>> http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/119608.jpg Mussina 12-9, 4.59 ERA

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http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/bos.gif >>> (4-3) >>> http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/118377.jpg Martinez 16-9, 3.90 ERA

 

Pitcher's stats are regular season.

[yagmaster]

Muss won't shut us down again and I think Pedro will be dominant.

[elsrbueno]

As I've said: This series needs to be taken one game at a time.

 

We need Johnny Damon to start hitting NOW.

 

We need Pedro to pitch the game of his life.

 

We need Francona to pull him in time.

 

We need the bullpen to hold it.

 

One game at a time. Pedro vs Mussina. It should be a great game regardless of who wins.

 

Yankee hitters to watch (stats against Martinez):

Gary Sheffield has hit .281 with 3 HR.

Kenny Lofton has hit .317

Posada hits just .193 against Pedro, but with 4 HR and 10 RBI.

 

Red Sox hitters to watch (stats against Mussina):

This doesn't look good.

Manny Ramirez has 5 homers, but hits just .203

Kevin Millar has a .348 career average.

Everyone else struggles.

 

Pedro seems to get Hideki Matsui out every time EXCEPT in crucial situations, this may be a key to tonight's game. Martinez is coming off an good outing when he battled hard through 6 innings and pitched well enough to win. Walks got him in trouble early and often. He walked 4 over 6 innings, 2 of which scored.

 

A note to Terry Francona: Pedro's not QUITE as effective after 100 pitches.

 

The Yankees have always had success against Martinez because they've been able to work deep counts, and make him work. They know that gives them the best chance. Pedro's got to keep his pitch count down and work deep into this game.

 

C'mon Petey and company... let's make history-- One day at a time.

[mosox]

Time for the team to rally behind Pedro.

Damon must get on and Manny must get it together and get extra base hits.

I like Cabrerra hitting second.

Time for Bellhorn to sit. Play Pokey, even his bat is an improvement over Bellhorn right now.

Lowe had a good approach to their hitters by coming at them and getting ahead in counts, and Pedro must do the same and get 1-2-3 innings.

The emotion will be high and I hope Pedro keeps it in check by not overthrowing in the first inning and walking someone.

The Sox must ride the momentum and get to Mussina early and bust into their bullpen.

[YANKEESRULE]

Even if Pedro pitches good, you better hope he pitches a full 9 inings, because I don't think the Sox bullpen is up to the task, after 2 games of long releif they have to be tired and even if they use wakefeild he is not the same pitcher he used to be either, I think the Yanks clinch tonight and watch in New York who they'll play. Still hoping for a Astros vs. Yankees series.

[elsrbueno]

Both bullpens are tired right now. The key to this game may be how deep the starters are able to go. If Pedro gets knocked out early.... who pitches for Boston? Same deal with New York....

 

We NEED Pedro to be dominant. We need to work the count against Mussina. This CAN be done. It won't be easy.

[elsrbueno]

Originally posted by YANKEESRULE@Oct 18 2004, 01:11 PM

Even if Pedro pitches good, you better hope he pitches a full 9 inings, because I don't think the Sox bullpen is up to the task, after 2 games of long releif they have to be tired and even if they use wakefeild he is not the same pitcher he used to be either, I think the Yanks clinch tonight and watch in New York who they'll play. Still hoping for a Astros vs. Yankees series.

The Yankees bullpen is just as beat up. I wouldn't be so confident about their bullpen. The top 3 Yankee relievers all pitched last night (yes, the top Red Sox pitchers did too).

 

Both bullpens will be tired. It's the hitters job to tire the starters....

[elsrbueno]

It's half an hour to game time... has everyone already given up?

 

TODAY'S LINEUPS

NYY

D. Jeter, SS

A. Rodriguez, 3B

G. Sheffield, RF

H. Matsui, LF

B. Williams, CF

J. Posada, C

R. Sierra, DH

T. Clark, 1B

M. Cairo, 2B

 

BOS

J. Damon, CF

O. Cabrera, SS

M. Ramirez, LF

D. Ortiz, DH

K. Millar, 1B

T. Nixon, RF

J. Varitek, C

B. Mueller, 3B

M. Bellhorn, 2B

 

Not much changed. I like Cabrera batting second. Let's go Sox!

[Noah]

Jeter - K

A-Rod - walk on some great pitches

Sheffield - K

 

I think Petey has his A game on.

[Noah]

Ortizzle comes through again!

[Doomrider40k]

Moose is looking absolutely human. It's weird, but there's a completely different atmosphere at the park today. The sox have proved that they're able to beat the yankees, and they come into the game with that confidence. Results? A solid inning from a sox starter (which hasn't happened all series, come on, when was the last time that an inning clearly favored the sox over the yankees) and the sox batters getting to Mussina early. With both bullpens tired, this will be a battle of the starters, and I, for one, am optimistic.

[michtier]

END of the 1st--2-0 SOX. Mussina's throwing way too many pitches!!

[Doomrider40k]

WOW talk about eating my own words.

 

Still, I'm optimistic.

[yankeessuck013]

greeat double play...yeah pedro knock matsui on his ASS!

[element1151]

Sox tied it 4-4 in the 9th.

[element1151]

Going to extras.

[nobeljeff]

bad move to burn Myers & Arroyo for only 4 outs; only Lescanic Mendoza left

[element1151]

Yes, but we needed to get Matsui out.

[Doomrider40k]

In the words of the sports guy, that was a Man Ram...

[element1151]

5:35 -- After Sheffield doubled, Matsui blooped a single on a 0-2 pitch which Manny somehow misplayed into a double (1-0, Yanks). They should come up with a stat for bad defensive plays like the one Manny just made -- not quite an error, but something that still led to a run. Call it a Man-Ram.

 

I assume you were referring to Mannys error in the 12th. A definate Man-Ram!

[element1151]

What a K by Wake after 3 passed balls!

[CrespoBlows]

ORTIZ is the real MR. OCTOBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[yagmaster]

We are not losing this series.

[element1151]

Well we forced a game 6, still need to win 2 games.

[yagmaster]

This is the exact same situation as we were in last year, needing to win two games in New York. And as I recall, we should have won last year...

[yeszir]

The best game I have ever been to. 6 hours of amazingness.

[Beaneater]

All of the early posters who talked about depleted bullpens are eating their words now...

 

But seriously, that was absolutely incredible. When Papi hit the little soft junkball into center and I realized that we had won, I let out a primal scream that probably woke multiple sets of neighbors. Incredible.

 

And then there was the NLCS game. 2 hits total through 8.5 innings -- that's 2 hits for both teams combined. Some ridiculous D saving hits left and right for both teams. And a gigantic bottom of the 9th jack from Jeff Kent (who did his Papi impression as he rounded third and approached the plate).

 

Between these two games, this was the best night of baseball I have ever seen.

 

Of course, that Red Sox victory was several orders of magnitude more fulfilling than the NLCS game, but still...

 

So what now? Schilling in Game 6. If he is on, then we are talking no-holds-barred UFC action in Game 7. I know it's too early to say this, but can any of you imagine the pure joy of seeing the Sox dogpile in the infield after a Game 7 victory in the Bronx? Yeah, I know, I know, we're a long way from there. But if Red Sox fans couldn't dream of glory, then we'd be an even more neurotic group than we are.

 

Astros and Cards are both for real. So are Sox and Yanks, obviously. The Series is going to be a barn-burner. Hope we're there.

[elsrbueno]

wow.

 

Talk about gut-wrenching, hard fought games... game 4 was only topped by game 5.

 

I love how this team refuses to give up. I love how these guys play GOOD solid baseball. I love how they've made a series out of this one.

 

Beaneater... you're getting ahead of yourself. Let's focus on being happy about game 5, and worrying about game 6. IF we can pull off a win in game 6, then let's talk about a game 7 senario.

 

Someone else has said this already, but I'll repeat it. We're in the same situation we were in last year: headed to NY down 3-2. How we got there is DRAMATICALLY different, but that makes no difference in game 6.

 

This team has made a very good effort to come back, but it's a long road ahead.

[Beaneater]

Originally posted by elsrbueno@Oct 19 2004, 08:25 AM

Beaneater... you're getting ahead of yourself.

Els--

 

I know. I said so myself. But since when are we forbidden to think ahead to what might be? We all made predictions about this series -- "Sox in 6" or whatever -- and no one came on saying, "Hey, now, hold on to them there horses, boys." Obviously I realize that we have to win Game 6 in order to get to Game 7. But there's no reason I can't be happy about Games 4 and 5, worry about Game 6, and have glorious daydreams for Game 7, all at the same time. I'm a Sox fan, after all. Psychological flexibility is required.

 

Maybe you're worried that I'm jinxing the team or something like that, but my thoughts and posts on Talksox really don't affect the game. If jinxes and superstitions were the key to breaking the so-called curse, we'd have won a Series in the last 85 years.

 

I don't know -- why is it that we can't talk about what-ifs? That's a serious question, and to show that I'm not getting upset or tying to pick a fight, I will put a selection of smilies at the end of this post.

 

:thumbsup: :shrug:

[elsrbueno]

beaneater:

 

You certainly can talk about the what-ifs, and dream about the possibility of overtaking the evil empire in the most glorious way possible (4 straight) I was just trying to keep you from an even bigger dissapointment should the Red Sox not pull it off.

 

I've had those thoughts too.... and I don't really believe in curses or jinxes either... post away.