NEW YORK (AP) – Odd plays somehow seem to happen whenever the Yankees play the Boston Red Sox.
They just always seem to go New York’s way.
The Yankees blew a four-run lead in the ninth inning, preserved a tie with an alert play by Alfonso Soriano in the field and then beat the Red Sox 6-5 Wednesday night when Brandon Lyon walked Jorge Posada with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.
“We took a chance, they made a play. That’s why they’re the Yankees,” said Boston’s Shea Hillenbrand, who was thrown out at home to end the top of the ninth.
Just like it’s been most years in baseball’s greatest rivalry, the Yankees were better than the Red Sox – this time just barely.
The win wrapped up a difficult homestand for New York on a winning note.
After losing the first five games, the Yankees beat Boston in the final two games of a three-game series.
It was the second straight week New York took two of three from the Red Sox, who still lead the Yankees by a half-game in the AL East.
“It’s early in the season,” Lyon said. “We’re not going to dwell on it too much. It would have been nice to win the series. But this team will keep fighting.”
New York broke out to a 5-0 lead after seven innings behind stellar pitching from Mike Mussina. Boston then began its comeback, spoiling the shutout bid on Hillenbrand’s one-out solo homer in the eighth.
The Red Sox knocked out Mussina when the first two batters reached in the ninth and then rallied against the usually reliable Rivera.
Todd Walker singled to load the bases and Nomar Garciaparra hit a two-run single. Rivera (1-0) retired the next two batters before Hillenbrand’s RBI single made it 5-4.
Bill Mueller then beat out an infield single that tied the game and the Red Sox nearly took the lead one batter later.
Trot Nixon hit a hard grounder off first baseman Todd Zeile’s glove. The ball changed directions and bounced away from second baseman Soriano, who deflected it, recovered and threw out Hillenbrand at the plate, drawing cheers from owner George Steinbrenner.
“It was a big uplift for us when we made that play to end the ninth,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “It was a big game for us to win.”
The Yankees then won it in the bottom half against Lyon (1-2).
Hideki Matsui doubled to left with one out and went to third when Manny Ramirez’s throw got past Garciaparra and rolled along the edge of the Boston dugout long enough for Matsui to advance on the error.
“That play put us in a bind,” Red Sox manager Grady Little said. “We tried to work our way out of it but it didn’t happen.”
After intentional walks to Soriano and Jason Giambi, Lyon thought he struck out Posada on a close 2-2 pitch.
“It’s close but it’s not a strike,” Posada said. “Replays showed it clearly.”
The Red Sox wouldn’t comment about the call.
Lyon then missed low with the next one, scoring the winning run. Catcher Jason Varitek punched the air in frustration, spiked the ball and then yelled at umpire Joe West as he walked back to the dugout.
“It’s just a shame that we lost,” Varitek said. “I was caught up in the heat of the moment.”
Posada drew a game-winning walk for the second straight year against the Red Sox – he also drew one off Ugueth Urbina in a 9-8 win last July 21.
In between the series against the Red Sox, the Yankees lost All-Star outfielder Bernie Williams to an injured knee and were swept in a four-game series by Toronto. This series against Boston started with Roger Clemens losing his first bid for 300 wins and criticisms from Steinbrenner.
The Yankees responded to the turmoil with two well-played games in a row. And just Torre hoped, it began with the pitching.
After Andy Pettitte held Boston to two runs in 7 2-3 strong innings Tuesday, Mussina was just as tough until the end. He allowed three runs and four hits in eight-plus innings.
“That’s a big lift for us,” Mussina said. “We haven’t won two games in a row in a long time.”
The Yankees hadn’t won consecutive games since May 7-8 against Seattle. New York had lost 12 of 13 at Yankee Stadium before winning the past two games.
The Yankees broke out to the early lead against Derek Lowe with an RBI double by Posada in the first. Posada had been 1-for-16 on the homestand before the hit.
The Yankees added three in the second against Lowe, who once again struggled away from Fenway Park. Zeile hit an RBI double and Matsui added a two-run double.
Lowe gave up eight hits and four runs in six innings.
Soriano hit his AL-leading 16th homer, a solo shot in the seventh off Mike Timlin to give the Yankees a 5-0 lead.
Notes: Lowe is 1-3 with a 9.62 ERA on the road. He is 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA at Fenway. … Walker’s single extended his hitting streak to 14 games. … The Yankees have won 10 of 13 against the Red Sox dating to last season.
AP-ES-05-28-03 2331EDT
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