Anyone else see these two games over the past two days? Instant classics. Both games were decided by HRs in the 9th inning, the team that lost each game lost by only one run. The scores went back and forth in both games.
It doesn't really matter that the Yankees are 8 games ahead of the Sox in the East... this is what everyone expected. The Sox haven't been playing well lately, but they are at the top of the Wild Card race.
Now, for years they have said that the rivalry is in the head of the fans, that the players don't feel any real anamosity toward each other. Well, that may have been the case in the late 1990s and even as recently as 2002, but there seems to be some serious bad blood between key players (namely the "Dirt Dogs" - Varitek, Nixon, and Millar on the Sox),and things got pretty ugly tonight.
After Arroyo beaned A-Rod in the 3rd, A-Rod was seen saying "yo, f*ck you, f*ck you" to the pitcher. Varitek said something like, "you don't say that to my pitcher" and some more words were exchanged. Then A-rod said, "okay, man, let's go!" and Varitek decked the smug little prick. Brings back memories of Fisk and Lee vs. Munson and Pinella in 1976.
6 players were eventually ejected, the Yankees were up by 2 in the bottom of th 9th... until Mueller hit a walk-off shot to win it for the Sox
classic.
Sox lead season series 7-5.