MLB TOP STORY:
Sox sweep up the Yankees
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- The last time the Red Sox had
swept the Yankees, Pedro Martinez started the fun with perhaps the most
dominant start of his career. He was magnificent on that night of Sept.
10, 1999, striking out 17 and pitching a one-hitter in the first of a
three-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Nearly five years later, Martinez was Boston's finisher as they broke out the brooms Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 victory in the Bronx.
A far different pitcher now than the high-octane man who overpowered the Yankees in that memorable 1999 performance, Martinez this time put New York's bats to sleep with pinpoint command of his curveball and changeup.
Looking completely unfazed by the heartbreaking results of his last performance here -- fateful Game 7 of the ALCS -- Martinez smoothly baffled the Yankees.
"Pedro's the man," said Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez. "He's the best pitcher out there. What else can I say?"
Martinez said it all with the way he pitched. Of the 105 pitches he threw in his seven innings, 70 were for strikes. He allowed four hits and struck out seven. Five of the K's were looking, an indication of how Martinez was able to outsmart the Yankees. He walked one.
"Every win is important," Martinez said in a statement issued by Red Sox spokesman Glenn Geffner. "There's no doubt that these are the people we've been behind, so it's nice to take advantage of these opportunities against them. I'm feeling better. I'm starting to get my groove. I'm getting stronger and feeling better.
"You have to think about the whole team. They never gave up, they played hard. It was up to me today to step up and give them a chance to win."
Also giving the Sox a chance was Ramirez, who pummeled a two-run homer to left off Yankees starter Javier Vazquez in the top of the fourth.
"He pitched a great game out there," Ramirez said of Vazquez. "He just made a mistake."
One more than Martinez made.
It was hard not to note the irony of Sox manager Terry Francona removing Martinez after seven innings.
Red Sox fans will never stop wondering if the results might have been different had former Boston manager Grady Little done the same thing on October 16, 2003.
That night, Martinez proved fallible for one of the few times in his career, surrendering a three-run lead and giving up a game-tying single to Jorge Posada on his 123rd and final pitch of the night.
But much like Martinez on Sunday, the Sox have clearly turned the page with the Yankees.
"Petey wanted to pitch well, there's no doubt about it," said Sox 1B-OF Kevin Millar. "But as far as last year and this year, it's a whole new year. We're a whole new team. Guys are ready to go this year. We went out and played a great series. That shows a lot about this team."
The win made the Sox 6-1 against New York this season. The rivals play next on June 29 at Yankee Stadium.
"In the long run, they're going to be with us there competing. We haven't won the World Series yet," said Ramirez. "The main thing is in September. That's when it's going to matter. Let's wait and see what's going to happen."
The 12-6 Sox are rolling along with Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon on the disabled list, as this win pushed them 4 1/2 games in front of the Yankees.
As for Martinez, he ran his record to 3-1 and lowered his ERA to 3.03 in what was his best start of the season.
"He used his fastball a lot, he used the curveball a lot, his changeup some. He used all four of his pitches," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.
Francona gave closer Keith Foulke -- who pitched two innings in Saturday's 12-inning win -- the day off. Scott Williamson finished off the Yankees with two strong innings, earning his first save of the season.
He struck out Gary Sheffield swinging to end the series.
"[Williamson] really clutched up," said Francona. "We won, but we won without going through our whole bullpen."
Looking for a quick jolt of offense, that's exactly what the Sox got in the top of the fourth. Ramirez clocked an 0-2 pitch from Vazquez over the retired numbers and into the Boston bullpen in left field.
The slugger's two-run homer broke the scoreless tie. It was the 20th homer for Ramirez at Yankee Stadium, tying him with Rafael Palmeiro for the most by an active visiting player. The ball traveled well over 400 feet.
Martinez was cruising. The Yankees nearly got to him in the fifth, as Ruben Sierra's single to right set up runners at the corners and one out.
But Martinez, as he has done so many times over the years, stranded the runners. He got Enrique Wilson on a popup to short and struck Derek Jeter out looking on a nasty breaking ball.
"When he threw 97, he used a lot more fastballs. Now, he uses a lot more off-speed pitches," said Jeter. "It was a slider that backed up. A slider is supposed to go away from you, but it came in. He was throwing well."
Considering he was going on three days rest, Vazquez provided a big lift for the Yankees, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out eight over six innings.
It's just that Martinez was a notch better, once again leaving his teammates in awe.
"You're seeing Pedro when it's cold. When it gets warm, you'll see Pedro doing even more fascinating things," said Williamson. "He's not even throwing his best stuff at you and he still can win. That's why I stand back and say, 'God, this guy is one of the best pitchers I've ever seen in my life'."
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Ian Browne / MLB.com
Nearly five years later, Martinez was Boston's finisher as they broke out the brooms Sunday afternoon with a 2-0 victory in the Bronx.
A far different pitcher now than the high-octane man who overpowered the Yankees in that memorable 1999 performance, Martinez this time put New York's bats to sleep with pinpoint command of his curveball and changeup.
Looking completely unfazed by the heartbreaking results of his last performance here -- fateful Game 7 of the ALCS -- Martinez smoothly baffled the Yankees.
"Pedro's the man," said Sox left fielder Manny Ramirez. "He's the best pitcher out there. What else can I say?"
Martinez said it all with the way he pitched. Of the 105 pitches he threw in his seven innings, 70 were for strikes. He allowed four hits and struck out seven. Five of the K's were looking, an indication of how Martinez was able to outsmart the Yankees. He walked one.
"Every win is important," Martinez said in a statement issued by Red Sox spokesman Glenn Geffner. "There's no doubt that these are the people we've been behind, so it's nice to take advantage of these opportunities against them. I'm feeling better. I'm starting to get my groove. I'm getting stronger and feeling better.
"You have to think about the whole team. They never gave up, they played hard. It was up to me today to step up and give them a chance to win."
Also giving the Sox a chance was Ramirez, who pummeled a two-run homer to left off Yankees starter Javier Vazquez in the top of the fourth.
"He pitched a great game out there," Ramirez said of Vazquez. "He just made a mistake."
One more than Martinez made.
It was hard not to note the irony of Sox manager Terry Francona removing Martinez after seven innings.
Red Sox fans will never stop wondering if the results might have been different had former Boston manager Grady Little done the same thing on October 16, 2003.
That night, Martinez proved fallible for one of the few times in his career, surrendering a three-run lead and giving up a game-tying single to Jorge Posada on his 123rd and final pitch of the night.
But much like Martinez on Sunday, the Sox have clearly turned the page with the Yankees.
"Petey wanted to pitch well, there's no doubt about it," said Sox 1B-OF Kevin Millar. "But as far as last year and this year, it's a whole new year. We're a whole new team. Guys are ready to go this year. We went out and played a great series. That shows a lot about this team."
The win made the Sox 6-1 against New York this season. The rivals play next on June 29 at Yankee Stadium.
"In the long run, they're going to be with us there competing. We haven't won the World Series yet," said Ramirez. "The main thing is in September. That's when it's going to matter. Let's wait and see what's going to happen."
The 12-6 Sox are rolling along with Nomar Garciaparra and Trot Nixon on the disabled list, as this win pushed them 4 1/2 games in front of the Yankees.
As for Martinez, he ran his record to 3-1 and lowered his ERA to 3.03 in what was his best start of the season.
"He used his fastball a lot, he used the curveball a lot, his changeup some. He used all four of his pitches," said Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek.
Francona gave closer Keith Foulke -- who pitched two innings in Saturday's 12-inning win -- the day off. Scott Williamson finished off the Yankees with two strong innings, earning his first save of the season.
He struck out Gary Sheffield swinging to end the series.
"[Williamson] really clutched up," said Francona. "We won, but we won without going through our whole bullpen."
Looking for a quick jolt of offense, that's exactly what the Sox got in the top of the fourth. Ramirez clocked an 0-2 pitch from Vazquez over the retired numbers and into the Boston bullpen in left field.
The slugger's two-run homer broke the scoreless tie. It was the 20th homer for Ramirez at Yankee Stadium, tying him with Rafael Palmeiro for the most by an active visiting player. The ball traveled well over 400 feet.
Martinez was cruising. The Yankees nearly got to him in the fifth, as Ruben Sierra's single to right set up runners at the corners and one out.
But Martinez, as he has done so many times over the years, stranded the runners. He got Enrique Wilson on a popup to short and struck Derek Jeter out looking on a nasty breaking ball.
"When he threw 97, he used a lot more fastballs. Now, he uses a lot more off-speed pitches," said Jeter. "It was a slider that backed up. A slider is supposed to go away from you, but it came in. He was throwing well."
Considering he was going on three days rest, Vazquez provided a big lift for the Yankees, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out eight over six innings.
It's just that Martinez was a notch better, once again leaving his teammates in awe.
"You're seeing Pedro when it's cold. When it gets warm, you'll see Pedro doing even more fascinating things," said Williamson. "He's not even throwing his best stuff at you and he still can win. That's why I stand back and say, 'God, this guy is one of the best pitchers I've ever seen in my life'."
Ian Browne is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.