This post is kind of misleading, don't you think? You're saying hitting A-Rod helped us lose the game at first, followed by "we can't prove that 'firing up' the Yankees help them win. You answered you're own question. You can't prove it, so why does this all fall on A-Rod? A more realistic and reliable point would be he only scored 2 runs. Which wouldn't have been enough to get the win anyways. Imo, this discussion isn't even worth a thread. It was a bonehead move, but it didn't cost the Sox the game.
This is pretty much the answer, but I would add Farrell into the mix. He shouldn't have been pitching in the 6th, but that's just me.
EDIT: Shouldn't have been pitching after A-Rod hit the HR in the 6th*