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Jerry Remy’s nickname for Francisco Cervelli, the Pest, while apt, doesn’t have the zing that Boston Dirt Dogs’ moniker does. In response to Cervelli’s trained seal impersonation at home plate in the fifth inning the Yankees catcher was dubbed “the Yankee Clapper.” Give Cervelli a standing ovation, ladies and gentlemen. That was his third home run. In his career. (He made his major league debut in 2008 but didn’t have appreciable at bats until 2009.) John Lackey stuck a four-seamer in Cervelli’s spine when he led off the seventh inning. Rather than take his base the backstop made a move to the mound only to be blocked by Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s sizable bulk. The benches cleared and the bullpens made their way to the infield but no blows were exchanged. The retaliatory pitch bit the local nine in the end as Cervelli advanced on a passed ball, proceeded to third on Brett Gardner’s bunt single, and scored when Derek Jeter grounded into a double play. The extra run would yield the game’s final score, 5-2. It was amazing the brawl wasn’t more lively. The game opened with Curtis Granderson not getting a base in the first inning as home plate umpire...
It seems rather perverse to cheer for a team that finally reached a non-losing record, but no more silly than Yankee fans giving a standing ovation to Jorge Posada. The veteran catcher is not only dead last in batting average with .165 but has anemic on-base and slugging percentages: .272 and .349 respectively. Despite the paltry production and the tepid apology the throngs at the toilet came to their feet in the bottom of the eighth when Posada hit in place of Andruw Jones. Given the applause one would think Posada was part of the SEAL team that took out Osama bin Laden. Instead it was the Red Sox who entered the Bronx under cover of night and swept their divisional nemesis. Jon Lester gave up four runs early but he held the local nine scoreless for four innings. While the Yankees were unable to add to their lead Kevin Youkilis tied the game in the third with his three-run circuit clout to left. David Ortiz shattered his bat as well as the tie with a homer to the short porch. A lucky boy in a Red Sox cap seated in the luxury section not only got to lounge in...
What could be better than a pitchers’ duel? A pitchers’ duel that the Red Sox win. John Lackey was solid for six innings with an admirable if not spectacular line of 3 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, and 40 showings of his commercial with Don Orsillo. What’s a rotary? Something almost as perilous as having Jonathan Papelbon as your fireman. The closer hurled a perfect ninth and was summoned to maintain the tie in the tenth. Instead, Curtis Granderson jumped all over Papelbon’s fat fastball and gave his team its first lead of the game. The center fielder’s home run got out of the park faster than Dennis Drinkwater. The ALDS meltdown supposedly motivated Papelbon to get into tiptop shape mentally and physically for this season. After the leadoff homer he gathered himself to strike out Nick Swisher but then quickly came undone. He walked nine-hole hitter Brett Gardner and then was sufficiently distracted by the speed threat on first that he walked Derek Jeter as well. Rather than continuing to tax Papelbon’s arm on what he probably determined was a losing effort, Terry Francona called on Scott Atchison to finish out the game. Papelbon was not alone in carrying...
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Photo courtesy of the Boston Public Library’s Sports Temples of Boston.