This was a night when the Sox were unofficially eliminated in the AL East (they trail by 5 1/2 games with nine to play), and it marked the latest in a series of disappointments for Martinez against the Yankees. Losing for the third straight game for the first time since 1998, he blew a 3-2 lead, then blew a 4-3 lead in the eighth. It was the 1918th regular-season game between these teams and the Red Sox are now 11-19 (including postseason) in games Martinez starts against the Bombers.
"How many times am I going to have a lead and let it go?" he asked. "It's all me. It's all me. You work so hard and you continue to lose and give it up. It's stupid. It's frustrating."
Fans saved much of their wrath for Francona, who did almost exactly what He Who Must Not Be Named did in Game 7 of the ALCS last October. This time, the Red Sox led, 4-3, after seven and Martinez had thrown 101 pitches. Based on the findings of Bill James, Theo Epstein, and the minions, all evidence shows that Martinez is cooked at 105 pitches. That was certainly apparent when He Who Must Not Be Named failed to act last October.
So there we were last night, scratching our heads when Martinez walked out to start the eighth with hitters named Hideki Matsui, Bernie Williams, and Jorge Posada (all had key hits in the epic defeat last year) coming up. No one stirred in the Sox bullpen until Martinez started making his warmup tosses. Messrs. Timlin, Embree, and Williamson were waiting for the phone to ring just as they did in October in Yankee Stadium.
Matsui hit the second pitch of the inning into the Sox bullpen to tie the game.
No Francona.
Then a double to right by Williams (much like Matsui's double to right last year, but not hit as hard).
No Francona.
After Posada fanned, Ruben Sierra knocked in Williams with a single to right-center.
At that point, there must have been an explosion in the James's lab in Lawrence, Kan.
"I wouldn't have left him in if I thought he was out of gas," said Francona.
What about after the homer?
