Five Red Sox pitchers scattered four hits over 12 innings yesterday. That may not be divisible, but it certainly is remarkable.
From starter Bronson Arroyo to setup man-turned-closer Mike Timlin, Boston’s staff again stifled the Bombers and procured a 3-2, 12-inning victory. In the five wins the Red Sox have earned in six tries this season, they’ve held the Yankees to 12 runs.
“They all did a terrific job against one helluva club,” Boston pitching coach Dave Wallace said.
If not for Alex Rodriguez’s windblown fourth-inning solo homer, Arroyo would’ve taken a no-hitter into the seventh, without even recording a fly-ball out until the fifth.
“He was so good,” manager Terry Francona said. “And he had to be, or we wouldn’t have had a chance to win.”
But when the 27-year-old righty faltered in the seventh, allowing consecutive singles by A-Rod, Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield to knot the score at 2-2 with nobody out, Scott Williamson entered and began a six-inning stretch in which Boston relievers held the Bombers hitless.
Not just scoreless – hitless.
“Williamson has got electric stuff,” Francona said. “The fact is, these guys are good.
Alan Embree’s scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth might have been overshadowed, but he danced around a leadoff walk to A-Rod in the ninth and retired Sheffield.
Francona elected to use closer Keith Foulke in the 10th. Some managers never use their closers on the road in a tie game.
Foulke persevered despite feeling under the weather. The bullpen cornerstone was working for the ninth time in Boston’s last 12 games, but like the rest of his teammates, he deflected the credit.
“It was a strong bullpen before I got here,” Foulke said. “Those guys, they’re some of the top relievers in baseball.”
After Manny Ramirez ripped a leadoff double in the 12th and scored on Mark Bellhorn’s sacrifice fly, Timlin came on for an uneventful 1-2-3 inning. The 38-year-old admitted his stomach was churning the whole time.
“It’s always nerve-racking,” Timlin said. “Today was a 9 or a 10 [on the nervous meter]. I could feel my heart in my chest.”
