{"id":522,"date":"2008-07-27T14:11:44","date_gmt":"2008-07-27T13:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/?p=522"},"modified":"2009-09-26T11:57:25","modified_gmt":"2009-09-26T10:57:25","slug":"sunday-night-baseball-on-five-yankees-vs-red-sox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/?p=522","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Night Baseball on Five – Yankees vs Red Sox"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Five<\/p>\n

Yankees versus the Red Sox?\u00c2\u00a0 Live on Five?\u00c2\u00a0 Well, I guess it was a full three weeks<\/em> since we last saw these two teams face each other in the Sunday Night game, so it must be time for another.<\/p>\n

It’s ESPN’s fault, I know, but that doesn’t make it any more palatable.\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, they are the biggest two teams with the most stars.\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, it’s a great sporting rivalry.\u00c2\u00a0 Yes, the game should be a good one (if a bit long) and there are plenty of sub-plots to get your teeth in to.\u00c2\u00a0 Can’t we see some other teams every once in a while though?<\/p>\n

My calls will fall on deaf ears, I know, so we may as well just get on with looking forward to the game as best we can.\u00c2\u00a0 Five’s coverage begins at 01.00 with first pitch scheduled for five minutes past.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/p>\n

The series so far<\/strong><\/p>\n

It’s been all\u00c2\u00a0New York\u00c2\u00a0so far.\u00c2\u00a0 Heading into the series on the back of a six-game winning streak, the Yankees entered Fenway full of confidence, personified by their young starter Joba Chamberlain.\u00c2\u00a0 Matching up against Boston’s ace, Josh Beckett, Chamberlain put on a masterclass pitching seven shutout innings while striking out nine and giving up just three hits.\u00c2\u00a0 Beckett\u00c2\u00a0had a strong performance\u00c2\u00a0as well\u00c2\u00a0giving up just one run, but with his team mates unable to give him any run support, the former Marlin picked up a loss as the Yankees prevailed 1-0.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00c2\u00a0The Bronx Bombers sealed the series victory yesterday by jumping on knuckleballer Tim Wakefield for six runs on their way to a 10-3 win.<\/p>\n

Starting pitchers<\/strong><\/p>\n

After facing Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte, the Red Sox\u00c2\u00a0batters may fancy their chances more against reclamation project Sidney Ponson (6-1, 4.02 ERA) tonight.\u00c2\u00a0 \u00c2\u00a0Ponson is an interesting character to say the least and Yankees GM Brian Cashman caused a few raised eyebrows when he picked him up in June to fill a hole in the rotation.\u00c2\u00a0 Ponson wore out his welcome with the Rangers only two months into 2008 season, even though he had been surprisingly effective on the mound (4-1 with a 3.88 ERA).\u00c2\u00a0 The man from Aruba works with a sinking low nineties fastball, slider, curve and occasional change.<\/p>\n

The Red Sox counter with arguably their most consistent pitcher so far this season.\u00c2\u00a0 Jon Lester (8-3, 3.20 ERA) has moved from being known as a great story (battling through cancer to pitch the final game of the ’07 World Series and throwing a no-hitter against the Royals in May) to simply being known as a very good young starter.\u00c2\u00a0 The lefty\u00c2\u00a0compliments an early nineties four-seam fastball with a high eighties cutter, curve, slider and a change.\u00c2\u00a0 He picked up his eighth win of the season last time out against the Mariners, pitching 7.1 shutout innings.<\/p>\n

Things to look out for<\/strong><\/p>\n