2008 Woodie Awards
Showdown in the Bronx: The Curse Lives
Eduardo Guerrero
Issue date: 9/22/04 Section: Features
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In the sports world, the month of September is synonymous with baseball pennant
races. With that, it brings the great battle of what is the best rivalry in
sports, the Red Sox vs. the Yankees. This season has been no different, with
the teams trading blows figuratively and physically, leading up to their
three-game series that started last Friday night.
With the Yankees holding a 3.5 game lead in the American League East, the Boston
Red Sox came into Yankee Stadium looking to lower that number. With the six
games between them in the next two weeks, the Red Sox had a good chance to
possibly take over the division lead, considering their hot play as of late.
In the first game of the series, the usually automatic Mariano Rivera blew his
second save against the Red Sox giving Boston a 3-2 win. Mike Timlin (5-4) got
the win
in relief, with Rivera (4-2) taking the loss while also earning his fourth blown
save. Keith Foulke earned his 30th save, marking the fourth time in his career
he had reached that plateau.
The Yankees sent their recent ace Orlando Hernandez (8-0) to the mound.
Pitching for the Red Sox was their young right hander, Bronson Arroyo (9-9).
The game started off with exactly what everyone wanted: drama. After getting
lead-off hitter Johnny Damon to fly out to center, El Duque gave up singles to
Mark Bellhorn and David Ortiz, squeezed in with a walk to Manny Ramirez, who in
his AB nearly hit a two run homer. So with the bases loaded and the Red Sox
gunning to blow the game open early, Hernandez induced Trot Nixon to ground out
to the mound in what should have been an inning ending double play, but Jorge
Posada tripped on home plate, giving the Red Sox one more chance to score.
Hernandez then struck out Ortiz to end the inning and have the sellout crowd at
Yankee Stadium roar in their seats.
The game settled down with both teams scoreless through the first two innings.
races. With that, it brings the great battle of what is the best rivalry in
sports, the Red Sox vs. the Yankees. This season has been no different, with
the teams trading blows figuratively and physically, leading up to their
three-game series that started last Friday night.
With the Yankees holding a 3.5 game lead in the American League East, the Boston
Red Sox came into Yankee Stadium looking to lower that number. With the six
games between them in the next two weeks, the Red Sox had a good chance to
possibly take over the division lead, considering their hot play as of late.
In the first game of the series, the usually automatic Mariano Rivera blew his
second save against the Red Sox giving Boston a 3-2 win. Mike Timlin (5-4) got
the win
in relief, with Rivera (4-2) taking the loss while also earning his fourth blown
save. Keith Foulke earned his 30th save, marking the fourth time in his career
he had reached that plateau.
The Yankees sent their recent ace Orlando Hernandez (8-0) to the mound.
Pitching for the Red Sox was their young right hander, Bronson Arroyo (9-9).
The game started off with exactly what everyone wanted: drama. After getting
lead-off hitter Johnny Damon to fly out to center, El Duque gave up singles to
Mark Bellhorn and David Ortiz, squeezed in with a walk to Manny Ramirez, who in
his AB nearly hit a two run homer. So with the bases loaded and the Red Sox
gunning to blow the game open early, Hernandez induced Trot Nixon to ground out
to the mound in what should have been an inning ending double play, but Jorge
Posada tripped on home plate, giving the Red Sox one more chance to score.
Hernandez then struck out Ortiz to end the inning and have the sellout crowd at
Yankee Stadium roar in their seats.
The game settled down with both teams scoreless through the first two innings.