Given the boot

More errors allow Sox to be dismissed again by Yankees

July 01, 2004|Bob Hohler, Globe Staff

NEW YORK -- David Ortiz looked as if he had just witnessed the second coming of the Messiah. Bowing repeatedly and waving his arms in adulation, Ortiz greeted Johnny Damon's arrival in the Red Sox clubhouse before last night's game by chanting, "Johnny! Johnny!"

Ortiz never made clear whether he was offering the praise because of Damon's resemblance to a spiritual leader. Or Damon's two home runs the night before. Or some other feat by the wild-maned center fielder.

But by the end of the night -- after Jason Varitek had convened a rare, players-only meeting to try to restore his wobbling team's balance -- one thing seemed clear: The Red Sox desperately need some divine intervention.

In another startling example of why they could use immediate assistance from the gloved gods of defense, the Sox committed two more costly errors as they blew a 2-0 lead in the seventh inning and bowed to the Yankees, 4-2, before 55,023 in the Bronx. The jarring loss dropped the Sox 7 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the division, the largest deficit since Grady Little's gang dropped out of contention in late August.

"This was our game to win, but we're finding ways to lose," Damon said. "We've got to find a way to create some luck because we've got no luck and we're not playing great defense. We've got to find a way to win."

In a cruel twist for Ortiz, who began the game with yet another MVP-like performance as he singled and homered to stake the Sox to a 2-0 lead, he squandered the advantage when he booted a bases-loaded grounder by Tony Clark with two outs in the seventh inning, forcing a 2-2 tie. Ortiz was a late replacement at first base as Kevin Millar shifted to right field because Trot Nixon's left quadriceps bothered him.

"I tried to play my best and gave everything I have," Ortiz said, "but at the end of a night like this, it's just frustrating."

Ortiz also factored in an error by Nomar Garciaparra that contributed to the Yankees scoring the decisive run. Ortiz was unable to handle the shortstop's throw on a ground single by Kenny Lofton leading off the bottom of the eighth inning. Garciaparra's miscue, his third in the series, allowed Lofton to reach second.

"It's a play I know I've made in the past, where you go deep to the right," Garciaparra said. "I just threw it over and tried to make a play and it didn't work out."

Lofton advanced to third base on Derek Jeter's sacrifice bunt and scored the winning run on Gary Sheffield's double down the left-field line. Sheffield delivered the death blow in capping a 10-pitch showdown with Mike Timlin.

"This was a tough one," manager Terry Francona said. "We had them where we wanted them. We had our chances to extend the lead and we didn't. Then the way we lose, it's tough. It hurts."