Simmering Sox feel heat

Ramirez's absence a hot topic as Yankees win 7th straight

July 26, 2008|Gordon Edes, Globe Staff

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Last night, as Youkilis stared out at the mound, plate umpire Marty Foster warned both dugouts. There would be no retaliation from Beckett; when the Yankees came to bat in the eighth, he was out of the game, replaced by soft-tossing lefty Javier Lopez, who retired Abreu on a tapper to first. Potential fireworks loomed when Francona went to Delcarmen to face Rodriguez, but Delcarmen stuck to business, retiring A-Rod on a called third strike before being escorted off the mound by trainer Paul Lessard with what was described as a muscle cramp in his right forearm.

Delcarmen said he has had some stiffness but should be OK.

With Chamberlain, who matched his career high in strikeouts with nine, out of the game, the Sox mounted their best scoring opportunity against reliever Kyle Farnsworth. Rookie Jed Lowrie lined a single to right to open the eighth, and after Varitek fouled out to Derek Jeter, Coco Crisp beat out a swinging bunt down the first-base line.

But Yankees manager Joe Girardi opted for Mariano Rivera. The Yankees closer overpowered Ellsbury, who looked at a terrific cutter on the outside corner for a called third strike. In the original lineup envisioned by Francona, Ellsbury was to have batted ninth, with Pedroia and Youkilis occupying the top two spots. But with Ramírez unavailable, Ellsbury hit leadoff and had a miserable night, grounding out twice and he was called out on strikes twice.

Pedroia, who singled and stole second in the first as Ortiz struck out but advanced no farther when Chamberlain whiffed Youkilis, tapped out to Rivera, and the game went to the ninth.

There would be no storybook return for Big Papi; leading off the ninth, he hit a soft fly to right for the first out.

And what did the Yankees make of the missing Manny?

"I've been watching him for 15, 16 years now," Jeter said, "so nothing he does surprises me anymore."

Gordon Edes can be reached at edes@globe.com.