September 30th vs New York

[yankeessuck013]

Game Info

Date: Friday, September 30th, 2005

First Pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV: WSBK / NESN, ESPN

 

Starting Pitchers:

 

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/7502.jpghttp://bellsouthpwp.net/c/h/chinigor/TALKSOX/VS.GIFhttp://i.a.cnn.net/si/images/baseball/mlb/players/4057.jpg

 

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/nyy.gif #40 Chien- Ming Wang (8-4, 4.02)

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/mlb/images/team_logos/50x50/bos.gif #16 David Wells (14-7, 4.47)

 

Epic battle set to begin at Fenway Park

 

New York (94-65) at Boston (93-66), 7:05 p.m. ET

 

Score one for the schedule makers. The Red Sox and Yankees kick off one of the most anticipated three-game series to close out a regular season you will ever see, and it starts Friday night at Fenway Park.

 

The Yankees come to town leading the Red Sox by a mere game in the American League East. The Red Sox need to sweep the series to win the division and take two out of three to force a tie.

 

There is also the Wild Card standings to keep tabs on, as the Red Sox and Guardians are tied for the lead.

 

The Sox will send seasoned left-hander David Wells to the mound to open this crucial series between the epic rivals. The Yankees will counter with rookie Chien-Ming Wang.

 

"I'll tell you what, whoever brings the best pitching in this series is going to be the winner," said Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz. "The Yankees have been swinging the bat really good."

 

The Red Sox hope to keep riding Ortiz's bat. But in this series, they'll need a variety of players to step up.

 

There was a time when the Sox didn't think it would come down to this weekend. As recently as Sept. 8, Boston led the division by four games.

 

"We had it there to take and we didn't play well," said Red Sox right-hander Curt Schilling, who will pitch against Mike Mussina on Sunday. "To their credit, the Yankees have played through as much, if not more, adversity than we have. They've been decimated with injuries this year.

 

The Yankees have equal respect for the Red Sox.

 

"The Red Sox are such a great team," said Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi. "They don't quit. They proved that last year. They're hot, we're hot, so it should make for a good series."

 

Pitching matchup

NYY: RHP Chien-Mien Wang

• 8-4, 4.02 ERA in 2005

• 0-0, 3.86 ERA vs. BOS in 2005

 

BOS: LHP David Wells

• 14-7, 4.47 ERA in 2005

• 2-2, 4.26 ERA vs. NYY in 2005

 

Season Series

• 09/11: Yankees 1, Red Sox 0

• 09/10: Red Sox 9, Yankees 2

• 09/09: Yankees 8, Red Sox 4

 

• 07/17: Yankees 5, Red Sox 3

• 07/16: Yankees 7, Red Sox 4

• 07/15: Red Sox 17, Yankees 1

• 07/14: Yankees 8, Red Sox 6

 

• 05/29: Red Sox 7, Yankees 2

• 05/28: Red Sox 17, Yankees 1

• 05/27: Yankees 6, Red Sox 3

 

• 04/14: Red Sox 8, Yankees 5

• 04/13: Yankees 5, Red Sox 2

• 04/11: Red Sox 8, Yankees 1

 

• 04/06: Red Sox 7, Yankees 3

• 04/05: Yankees 4, Red Sox 3

• 04/03: Yankees 9, Red Sox 2

 

Player to watch

Ortiz (47 homers, 146 RBIs) has three more games to cement his MVP candidacy. He has tormented the Yankees the last three years.

 

Quotable

"The energy, the media, the fans -- [it's] going to be awesome. One pitch, one inning, may the best team win." -- Kevin Millar

 

Quick hits

Ortiz's 11 homers in September are a club record. ... Manny Ramirez has gone deep nine times in the last 19 games. ... Johnny Damon has 10 hits in his last 28 at-bats. ... The Red Sox have won 15 consecutive one-run games at Fenway Park.

 

On deck

• Saturday: vs. Yankees, 1:20 p.m. ET

• Sunday: vs. Yankees, 2:05 p.m. ET

[riverside sluggers]

Its time to right their ship the right way... they have the homefield advantage, better pitching advantage with wells the big gamer who has loved pitching at Fenway this season going 7-1 with a 3.03 ERA, not to mention his 18 wins over the yanks with a 3.09 ERA. And above all we have Big Papi. Its Sox vs Yanks for the playoffs does it gett any better than this?

[riverside sluggers]

pitcher vs batter matchups

 

Chien-Ming Wang vs: (career against Red Sox in 1 game a 3.86 ERA, 1st career appearance at Fenway Park)

Johnny Damon, 2 for 3 (.667 avg)

Edgar Renterria, 2 for 3 (.667 avg)

David Ortiz, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

Manny Ramirez, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) RBI, K

Kevin Millar, 0 for 2, K

Bill Mueller, 0 for 2

Trot Nixon, 0 for 1, Walk

 

David Wells vs: (career against Yankees in 43 games an 18-10 record with a 3.09 ERA, career at Fenway Park in 42 games a 17-11 record with a 4.27 ERA)

Mark Bellhorn, 1 for 10 (.100 avg) 5 Ks

Robinson Cano, 3 for 5 (.600 avg) K

Felix Escalona, 0 for 1

John Flaherty, 3 for 20 (.150 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 3 Ks

Jason Giambi, 8 for 27 (.296 avg) 2 Doubles, RBI, 4 Walks, 2 Ks

Derek Jeter, 18 for 56 (.321 avg) 2 Doubles, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, Walk, 7 Ks, SB

Matt Lawton, 6 for 34 (.176 avg) 2 Doubles, 7 RBIs, 2 Walks, K

Tino Martinez, 6 for 35 (.171 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 8 Ks

Hideki Matsui, 3 for 14 (.214 avg) RBI, Walk, 2 Ks

Jorge Posada, 11 for 29 (.379 avg) 4 Doubles, HR, RBI, 4 Ks

Alex Rodriguez, 24 for 68 (.353 avg) 5 Doubles, 8 HRs, 18 RBIs, 2 Walks, 14 Ks

Gary Sheffield, 8 for 21 (.381 avg) 2 Doubles, HR, 4 RBIs, K

Ruben Sierra, 23 for 72 (.319 avg) 5 Doubles, 2 HRs, 10 RBIs, 4 Walks, 9 Ks, 3 SBs

Bernie Williams, 16 for 73 (.219 avg) 2 Doubles, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, 5 Walks, 12 Ks

Tony Womack, 1 for 7 (.143 avg) Walk, K

[yankeessuck013]

Don't take offense to this yankee fans, just thought it was a funny pitcher

 

http://cache.boston.com/images/bostondirtdogs//Headline_Archives/bdd_wang_cheer.jpg

[sarasoxfan]

the sox did a lot better job than that in their hazing. Boy, the yankees even suck as dressing like chicks.

it looks like a s***** halloween outfit. I hope we shove those pom-poms up his f***ing ass.

[User Name]

I'm pumped for tonight.

 

Boy, do I hope Wellsie does good tonight.

[Soxfan1]

Wang looks high in that game pic. If the yanks win tonight they guarentee a tie.

[sarasoxfan]

he looks crossed eyed

[riverside sluggers]

Some odds and ends

News and notes heading into tonight’s Red Sox-Yankees opener at Fenway:

 

-- Kevin Millar takes a seat tonight, while John Olerud gets the call at first base and will hit seventh in the lineup.

 

-- If there’s a playoff game in Yankee Stadium on Monday, according to Boston sports radio station WEEI, the game would start at 4 p.m. what the hell thats going to be a day game??

 

-- The station also reported that infielder Kevin Youkilis has been cleared to play in tonight's game.

 

-- The Red Sox will let fans sit in the batter's eye section (the left-most section) of the center field bleachers tomorrow. It’s usually closed off for day games. The catch? The Red Sox will be handing out dark green shirts to the fans sitting in that section so the batters can see the ball coming out of the pitcher's hand.

 

-- Also on WEEI this afternoon, ESPN’s Peter Gammons revealed that Yankees GM Brian Cashman said he couldn’t take credit for bringing in pitching acquisitions Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon. Gammons summarized Cashman’s comments: “Don't give me credit for Chacon and Small, they fell out (of the sky), I had no idea. We were bringing in bodies."

 

-- On Jonathan Papelbon's domination last night, Gammons added "I thought last night was the best combination of, they call it the Bugs Bunny fastball (it disappears), guys can't see his fastball up in the strike zone, along with the slider. When he gave up that home run to (Jorge) Cantu, he started re-finding that slider that Al Nipper got him last year in Sarasota and this guy's pretty good."

 

"I did say to Craig Hansen the other day, 'Don't worry, I've seen you when you have your arsenal, you don't have any of that arsenal right now,’ and he doesn't," Gammons added on Sox rookie pitcher Craig Hansen. Gammons said he doesn't think the Sox can trust him in the eighth inning tonight: "I don't think they do (go with Hansen), because his arm angle is down, and he doesn't have his slider, people are getting very excited about him throwing 97, 98 mikes per hour, but that's not where he's good. He's good with that boring, running fastball back down, which is why I think he's going to be a really good two-inning reliever.”

 

-- Traitor? Longtime Sox fan and former Massachusetts Gov. William Weld told the New York Post he'll be rooting for the Yankees in this weekend's big series. "With the Red Sox having won last year, I don't have to root for them any more." yeaa thats logic :thumbdown

[sarasoxfan]

how will we get through this game without millar to carry the team?

just kidding.

weld is an *******. carpet bagging douche bag.

a sarasota reference-yeah!

 

this is our best line-up and I am going crazy waiting for this to start. what is "their" line -up?

[riverside sluggers]

I dont care about what Weld thinks never have, i thought it was funny he's not rooting for the red sox because they won last season. Doesnt make any sense. what im really pissed about is that if a tie-breaker game will be played, the audacity that they have it scheduled for a 4pm start. Thats a night game, should be set in stone. I got the sox lineup from Boston.com, i know yahoo will put down what the yankees lineup is like half an hour so before the game starts

[BoSox84]

Cant wait for this one to get under way, im so pumped right now.It's awesome you guys got game threads going.

[yankeessuck013]

Cant wait for this one to get under way, im so pumped right now.It's awesome you guys got game threads going.

 

yep, we do it every game

[ORS]

It is so f***ing on!

 

BRING IT, BITCHES!!!

[riverside sluggers]

alright!! thats our wade boggs he's pulling for our boys

 

on NESN pre-game report he is saying, he is hoping to see at least Sox take 2 out of 3 to force the one game playoff

[riverside sluggers]

today's lineups

 

NY Yankees

1) Derek Jeter ss

2) Alex Rodriguez 3b

3) Jason Giambi 1b

4) Gary Sheffield rf

5) Hideki Matsui lf

6) Jorge Posada c

7) Ruben Sierra dh

8) Bernie Williams cf

9) Robinson Cano 2b

 

Boston

1) Johnny Damon cf

2) Edgar Renteria ss

3) David Ortiz dh

4) Manny Ramirez lf

5) Trot Nixon rf

6) Jason Varitek c

7) John Olerud 1b

8) Bill Mueller 3b

9) Tony Graffanino 2b

[MANNYHOF24]

This is awsome, im so pumped after last night, MVPAPI gave us a shot to make the postseason thanks to his heroics

[Sox Fan on Cape]

I not only want the Yanks to loose, but I want them humiliated.

[stocker323]

Just win.

[26 to 6]

alright!! thats our wade boggs he's pulling for our boys

 

on NESN pre-game report he is saying, he is hoping to see at least Sox take 2 out of 3 to force the one game playoff

he's on NESN, what do you expect him to say?

 

I think Wade is pretty nuetral overall in his allegiance.

--------------------------

Also, an unrelated point, but the guy who does the pre-game with Eck, or Rice, or whoever is doing it with him that night (I forget his name), this guy just annoys me so much. He is always making anti-Yankee remarks (among other things that annoy me) and tonight for example when talking to Boggs he says "we dont want to see your Yankee ring" ....just little things like that. Be a f***ing professional, Bob Lorenz would never say something like that. Anyways, im not trying to start a war of the Networks...just an unrelated opinion of mine.

 

This is gonna be a great game tonight

[ORS]

he's on NESN, what do you expect him to say?

 

I think Wade is pretty nuetral overall in his allegiance.

--------------------------

Also, an unrelated point, but the guy who does the pre-game with Eck, or Rice, or whoever is doing it with him that night (I forget his name), this guy just annoys me so much. He is always making anti-Yankee remarks (among other things that annoy me) and tonight for example when talking to Boggs he says "we dont want to see your Yankee ring" ....just little things like that. Be a f***ing professional, Bob Lorenz would never say something like that. Anyways, im not trying to start a war of the Networks...just an unrelated opinion of mine.

 

This is gonna be a great game tonight

He's on NESN, what do you expect him to say?

 

You should have seen that coming from a mile away.

[ORS]

Boomah starts it off right!

[BoSox84]

two walks not a good start, especially for boomer

[ORS]

Didn't see this coming from Boomer. Find the plate!

[yankeessuck013]

stole basen and pass ball

 

damnit, not a good start

[yankeessuck013]

bases loaded one out for sushi

[ORS]

Bases are loaded, and nobody has made contact. 1-0 on the single.

[yankeessuck013]

1-0, bases still loaded

 

damnit wells

[MANNYHOF24]

Wells Sucks

[BoSox84]

Okay, there we go