CONTRERAS, YANKS WHIP BOSOX
NY Pulls to Within 2 1/2
BOSTON, Aug. 29 (AP) - Jose Contreras allowed only two hits over eight-plus
innings of work and the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox, 7-1 at
Fenway Park in the first of a three-game series. The Yankees closed to
within 2 1/2 games of the first place Red Sox, the closest the club has been to
the top of the division since the season's first week. It was the fourth
straight loss, and the tenth in the last 13 games for Boston. New York,
meanwhile, has won 19 of its last 23 contests.
Contreras (6-0) pitched into the ninth inning, allowing only Jason Varitek's
consolation home run leading off the ninth inning. He was replaced
immediately thereafter by Felix Heredia, who was making his Yankees debut after
being acquired earlier this week in a trade with Cincinnati. Heredia
retired all three Red Sox batters he faced to close out the game.
Contreras finished with 12 strikeouts and no walks. It was the second time
in four starts this year that Contreras has reached double digits in strikeouts.
The game was scoreless through three innings but the Yankees broke it open in
the fourth against Boston starter Derek Lowe. With one out, Hideki Matsui
drew a walk and advanced to second an out later when Nick Johnson drew a free
pass of his own. Aaron Boone scored both runners when he doubled to the
wall in left-center field and Karim Garcia followed with a home run into the
seats down the right field line, scoring Boone and giving the Yankees a 4-0
lead.
If the four-run fourth inning didn't put the game away the three-run fifth
did. Derek Jeter led off with a double off the Green Monster. Jason
Giambi grounded to short and Bernie Williams struck out but Matsui drew his
second walk of the contest and Jorge Posada followed with a home run into the
seats behind the bullpen in right field to give the Yankees a commanding 7-0
advantage.
Bronson Arroyo, making his Red Sox debut, saved the bullpen by pitching 3 1/3
perfect innings of relief, but Boston was unable to leverage the performance to
get back in the game. The Red Sox had only two baserunners in the entire
game, including Varitek's home run. The other was a two-out single off the
bat of Trot Nixon in the second.
The two clubs have a pair of additional games at Fenway Park over the next
couple of days and then play three more times in the Bronx next weekend to
complete their season series.
8/29/2003, NYY03-Bos03, Fenway Park 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP 2003 Yankees 0 0 0 4 3 0 0 0 0 7 7 0 4 0 2003 Red Sox 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 Yankees AB R H BI AVG Red Sox AB R H BI AVG Soriano,A 2b 5 0 1 0 .286 Damon cf 4 0 0 0 .280 Jeter ss 5 1 2 0 .299 Walker,T 2b 3 0 0 0 .249 Giambi,Ja 1b 3 0 0 0 .277 Jackson,D ph 1 0 0 0 .275 Williams,B cf 4 0 0 0 .222 Garciaparra ss 3 0 0 0 .310 Matsui lf 2 2 0 0 .321 Ortiz,D dh 3 0 0 0 .267 Posada c 4 1 1 3 .264 Millar 1b 3 0 0 0 .288 Johnson,N dh 3 1 0 0 .273 Nixon rf 3 0 1 0 .303 Boone,A 3b 4 1 2 2 .253 Mueller 3b 3 0 0 0 .345 Garcia,K rf 3 1 1 2 .284 Varitek c 3 1 1 1 .249 Rivera,J ph 1 0 0 0 .227 Kapler lf 3 0 0 0 .325 34 7 7 7 29 1 2 1 Yankees INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Contreras W 6-0 8.0 2 1 1 0 12 109 67 1.94 Heredia 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 18 12 3.34 9.0 2 1 1 0 12 127 79 Red Sox INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA Lowe,D L 13-7 4.2 6 7 7 4 8 98 50 4.98 Arroyo 3.1 0 0 0 0 3 39 30 0.00 Kim,B 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 16 11 3.44 9.0 7 7 7 4 11 153 91 NYY: Rivera,J batted for Garcia,K in the 9th Rivera,J moved to rf in the 9th Bos: Jackson,D batted for Walker,T in the 9th 2B-Jeter(23), Boone,A(19). HR-Posada(23), Garcia,K(4), Varitek(18). RBI-Posada 3(68), Boone,A 2(71), Garcia,K 2(22), Varitek(58). K-Soriano,A 2, Jeter, Giambi,Ja, Williams,B 2, Matsui, Posada, Johnson,N, Boone,A, Garcia,K, Damon 3, Walker,T, Ortiz,D 2, Nixon 2, Mueller, Varitek 2, Kapler. BB-Giambi,Ja, Matsui 2, Johnson,N. GWRBI: Boone,A Temperature: 69, Sky: cloudy, Wind: out to left at 8 MPH. Attendance: 33,739 Game Time: 2:46