Let's not think about the rest of the season, just enjoy this win. The Red Sox are leading the AL East and the Yankees are in fourth place, clinging onto the hope of the wild card chase, but today, that didn't matter. The Yankees beat the Red Sox 10–3 and it was a good win.
The offense was great in the first half of the game when they scored in every inning until the fifth. In the first, Brett Gardner singled, moved over on an Eduardo Nunez sacrifice bunt, stole third, and then scored on an Alfonso Soriano single. Newly minted Yankee Mark Reynolds hit a two-run home run over the Green Monster in the second to make it 3–0 and Soriano hit a three-run home run in the third to make it 6–0.
In the fourth, Michael Kay was convinced that Jacoby Ellsbury caught a Nunez fly ball at the wall, but he actually completely missed it before colliding with the wall and Nunez was safe with a triple. Robinson Cano then singled to make it 7–0.
The Yankees didn't score again until the ninth inning, when they blew the game wide open. Soriano and Alex Rodriguez each singled then stole second and third. Ichiro Suzuki scored a run on an infield single, Reynolds scored a run on a regular single, and even Chris Stewart managed to single in a run to make it a 10–3 game.
All in all the Yankees combined for 15 hits and four walks as every Yankee hitter reached base at some point or another. Soriano had three hits and accumulated four RBI to give him the most runs batted in over a four-day period in the history of Major League Baseball, ever. A-Rod, Nunez, Gardner, Reynolds, and Stewart all had multi-hit games, and even Curtis Granderson, who pinch hit for Vernon Wells, collected a walk. It was a good night for everyone.
For the first time in a long time Andy Pettitte was actually good. He didn't allow a run in the first inning for the first time since June, so it was an improvement right from the start. He never even allowed an earned run because Eduardo Nunez is so bad in the field and is such a great teammate! In the fourth inning, Dustin Pedroia hit a ball off A-Rod's glove and advanced to second after Nunez couldn't pick up the errant ball cleanly and then Jonny Gomes singled him in. I'm not really sure where the error was, but whatever. Thankfully, Pettitte picked off Gomes to end the inning. At least I think it was Gomes. It was someone with a beard.
In the seventh inning, Pedroia again reached on another Nunez error. David Ortiz hit a ball off the outfield wall, but was thrown out trying to stretch it to a double. Girardi should have had someone ready to replace Pettitte after he gave up a double to Stephen Drew, but no, or after he walked Mike Napoli, nothing again. Then Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to make it 7–3 and now it was time to take him out. Andy finished with five strikeouts, one walk, gave up three unearned runs on six hits in 6.2 innings.
Shawn Kelley came into the game to face one batter, Mike Carp. During the course of the at-bat he may or may not have hit Mike Carp with a pitch and may or may not have walked Mike Carp, but he definitely did strike out Mike Carp. Needless to say, after almost getting on base twice, Mike Carp was pissed off, he threw his bat and helmet, the umpire threw Mike Carp out, and then Mike Carp got in the umpire's face. I couldn't tell for sure though. It might have just been another guy with a beard.
David Robertson had an interesting eighth inning after he gave up singles to Ellsbury and Pedroia, but Ortiz hit into force out double play to get out of the innings. With the Yankees winning 10–3, Joe Girardi trusted the game to Joba Chamberlain, and as you would expect, he messed that up. He gave up two hits and a walk to load the bases and David Huff had to come in to clean up after him. Preston Claiborne's demotion wasn't exactly uncalled for, but the logic allowing Joba to stay with the team is completely broken.
Who knows what will happen from this point on, but this was a good win, so enjoy it. They could get kicked in the teeth tomorrow, but that doesn't matter right now. Tonight we're awesome.