MUSSINA TWIRLS 3RD STRAIGHT YANKS WHITEWASH OF BOSOX
Bombers Complete 4-Game Sweep
NEW YORK, July 7 (AP) - Mike Mussina spun a complete game two-hitter and the New
York Yankees finished off a four-game sweep of the first place Boston Red Sox
with a 4-0 victory. The shutout is the third straight by the Yankees over
the Red Sox marking the first time in the major leagues this season that a team
has thrown three straight shutouts or been blanked in three consecutive
games. Roger Clemens and three relievers combined to stymie Boston on July
5; Andy Pettitte fired a complete game shutout on July 6. That the
identity of the victim is the most prolific offensive team in baseball only adds
to notoriety of what the Yankees pitching staff has managed to accomplish.
Entering this series the Red Sox were the only team in the major leagues that
hadn't been shut out at least once.
Most of the game shaped up as a brilliant pitching duel between Mussina and
Boston starter Pedro Martinez. The contest's first hit wasn't recorded
until Derek Jeter led off the bottom of the fourth with a single. The
first runner to advance as far as second base was the Yankees' Karim Garcia who
singled leading off the fifth inning and advanced to second on John Flaherty's
sacrifice bunt before being stranded there.
Mussina carried a perfect game into the seventh inning before Johnny Damon
grounded a single into right field.
The Yankees finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but it
could have been more. Alfonso Soriano led off the frame by reaching on an
infield roller to the left side, the third safety surrendered by Martinez.
Soriano then stole second base. But Jeter's line drive was speared by
Martinez who caught Soriano leaning toward third and doubled him off.
Suddenly the bases were empty with two outs. On the first pitch to the
next batter, however, Jeremy Giambi drove the ball deep into the lower seats in
right field for his 25th home run and a 1-0 New York lead.
That was the score when Damon broke up Mussina's perfect game but the Yankees
right-hander stranded the runner by retiring each of the next three batters on
infield grounders.
With one out in the top of the eighth, Kevin Millar reached on a roller to the
right side of the infield that eluded Mussina's grasp. The play was scored
as a hit--the second of the game for the Red Sox. But Mussina retired Trot
Nixon on a line drive to right and Bill Mueller on a fly ball to left.
The Yankees garnered some insurance in the bottom of the eighth. With one
out, Sorinano reached on an infield hit for the second consecutive at bat.
After Martinez struck out Jeter for the second out of the inning, Giambi came up
big again, lacing a double into the gap in left-center field. Soriano was
running on contact and scored easily to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Ruben
Sierra then grounded a single up the middle, scoring Giambi and increasing the
advantage to 3-0. That was it for Martinez; he was replaced on the mound
by recently acquired Todd Jones who recorded the final out of the frame.
Mussina took the mound in the ninth with full knowledge that Yankees manager Joe
Torre had Mariano Rivera warming up in the bullpen, but he finished the game
with a flourish, striking out Jason Varitek, getting Damon on a grounder to
Jeter at short and striking out Todd Walker. It was a brilliant effort by
Mussina. He allowed only two hits--a grounder through the right side and a
swinging bunt--walked no one and recorded seven strikeouts en route to his
second complete game of the season and his ninth win.
The Yankees still trail the Red Sox by 12 games in the American League's East
Division.
7/7/2003, Bos03-NYY03, Yankee Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2003 Red Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 2003 Yankees 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 x 3 8 0 6 0 Red Sox AB R H BI AVG Yankees AB R H BI AVG Damon cf 4 0 1 0 .294 Soriano,A 2b 4 1 2 0 .277 Walker,T 2b 4 0 0 0 .273 Jeter ss 4 0 1 0 .328 Garciaparra ss 3 0 0 0 .321 Giambi,Ja 1b 3 2 2 2 .293 Ramirez,M lf 3 0 0 0 .327 Zeile 1b 0 0 0 0 .243 Ortiz,D dh 3 0 0 0 .260 Sierra dh 4 0 1 1 .320 Millar 1b 3 0 1 0 .270 Matsui cf 3 0 0 0 .330 Sanchez,Fr pr 0 0 0 0 .167 Garcia,K lf 4 0 1 0 .252 Nixon rf 3 0 0 0 .331 Flaherty c 2 0 1 0 .189 Mueller 3b 3 0 0 0 .360 Ventura 3b 3 0 0 0 .270 Jackson,D 1b 0 0 0 0 .310 Pride rf 3 0 0 0 .143 Varitek c 3 0 0 0 .265 30 3 8 3 29 0 2 0 Red Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Martinez,P L 11-3 7.2 8 3 3 1 8 113 78 2.19 Jones,T 0.1 0 0 0 1 1 16 10 11.18 8.0 8 3 3 2 9 129 88 Yankees INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Mussina W 9-5 9.0 2 0 0 0 7 123 85 2.99 9.0 2 0 0 0 7 123 85 Bos: Sanchez,Fr ran for Millar in the 8th Sanchez,Fr moved to 3b in the 8th Jackson,D inserted at 1b in the 8th NYY: Zeile inserted at 1b in the 9th 2B-Giambi,Ja(11), Flaherty(4). HR-Giambi,Ja(25). RBI-Giambi,Ja 2(78), Sierra(37). SB-Soriano,A(19). K-Walker,T 2, Ortiz,D, Millar, Nixon, Varitek 2, Soriano,A, Jeter, Giambi,Ja, Sierra, Matsui, Garcia,K 2, Flaherty, Pride. BB-Giambi,Ja, Matsui. SH-Flaherty. GWRBI: Giambi,Ja Temperature: 65, Sky: cloudy, Wind: left to right at 10 MPH. Attendance: 52,418 Game Time: 2:33