Orioles 5 – Yankees 3
The Evil Empire invades Fenway Park tonight for the first of three games that will help determine who wins the AL East, something the Yankees have done the past five years.
Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino dropped the “Evil Empire” tag on the Yankees when they signed Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras to a four-year deal worth $32 million in January, adding more spice to the fierce rivalry. Much has changed since, and only 2 ½ games separate the first-place Yankees and second-place Red Sox going into a weekend that holds many delicious scenarios, even if Roger Clemens won’t work New England’s living room.
Begin with Pedro Martinez facing David Wells tonight. Eighteen days ago, Martinez sent Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter to the hospital for X-rays after he hit them in the hands. The tests were negative, but Jeter’s right hand still is swollen and Soriano said he still feels discomfort in his left hand. That won’t keep Martinez from firing inside tonight. Should Martinez plant a 95 mph fastball on a Yankees hitter, Wells will make sure a Red Sox batter wears a heater.
When the Red Sox left The Bronx on July 7, they trailed the Yankees by four games. The Bombers are 8-5 since; the Red Sox are 10-4 thanks to a muscular lineup and an improved bullpen.
Each club comes into the electrical series off a loss. Baltimore’s Sidney Ponson beat the Yankees, 5-3, yesterday at Yankee Stadium, and the Red Sox were out-slugged by the Devil Rays, 15-9, at Fenway.
The Yankees are 6-4 versus the Red Sox (2-1 at Fenway) this season, and George Steinbrenner, who leaked tears of joy after his club beat the Bosox on July 7, isn’t sure about his team.
“We hope we’re ready. I don’t know,” The Boss said after watching the Orioles punish Clemens (9-7). “They’ve got an awfully good team with awfully good hitters. We’ve just got to hope we do well up there.”
Steinbrenner said he wasn’t sure he was going to Boston. Asked about the back-and-forth words between him and Martinez, Steinbrenner said, “I had no words. I don’t know what went through his mind, so I have no comments. He’s the one that did the talking.”
After sweeping a four-game series from the Indians immediately after the All-Star break, the Yankees have lost two of three going into Boston.
“I’m happy. We’re in first place, aren’t we? Right now we are,” Steinbrenner said.
“It’s going to be a tough series. I just hope we’re ready. [GM Brian] Cashman feels we are. Joe [Torre] feels we are. That’s good enough for me.”
As usual, all eyes will be on Martinez.
“We will see,” Soriano said when asked if he expected Martinez to pitch him tight. “He likes to throw inside, that’s his game.”
After hitting the Yankees second baseman, Martinez said he never would throw at Soriano because he thinks of him as a younger brother. According to Soriano, Martinez told that to Soriano’s mother last year in a Stadium hallway.
Clemens won’t pitch, something several Red Sox wanted to see him do against Martinez after Clemens hit Kevin Millar on July 5, when the Red Sox spanked the righty, 10-2. But the edge won’t be dulled.
“It’s a big one,” Jason Giambi said of the three-game set. The Yankees could stretch their lead to 5½ games or limp out of Fenway a half-game back. “Pedro is pitching the first night and it’s going to be exciting.”
With a little over two months left in the season, Jeter was asked if the calendar makes Yankees-Red Sox in late July more important.
“Anytime you play them, it’s big games. A lot of times races are decided by a couple games,” Jeter said. “It doesn’t matter if those games come in September or April.”
“It’s a different animal when you play those guys,” Torre said. “It’s like no other rivalry since the Dodgers-Giants. The Cubs-Cardinals, that’s more a fun-type atmosphere. This stuff is more serious. That’s what it feels like.”
