Live Game Blog

Third game of the series in this set of four and the Yankees are looking for a win. With Justin Masterson pitching it should be a possibility. But with the Yankees hitting, it may not be.

4:03pm Update

Moose is currently pitching to Manny, which seems dangerous. But his struggles with Manny aside, and assuming that neither Hughes nor Kennedy becomes Cy Young between now and February, should the Yanks consider resigning Moose to a one year contract perhaps? Worth considering since it may be cheaper than other free agent options.

4:10pm Update

A 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 inning for Moose. No runs though, despite the fact that he faced Manny. Pedroia got greedy trying to take second (it's not easy running the bases and applying Rogain at the same time). Gardner threw his prematurely aged arse, and was just robbed by Masterson.

4:18pm Update

Masterson seemed to have used some sort of baseball tracking beam in the first inning, hence the two consecutive come-backers, which doesn't fall under MLBs screening program. Moose is throwing a lot of first pitch strikes and he should have a good day.

4:20pm Update

Other than the home plate ump being a complete douche, good inning for Mussina. I hope somebody's explaining how a strike zone works to the ump, with their fists.

4:27pm Update

That four pitch walk by Masterson, bookended by two first pitch outs more or less explains exactly why the Yanks have struggled so much offensively. They're not the patient, get a pitcher out after 5 innings team they were in the Joe Torre heyday. I suggest a moratorium on first pitch swings, especially when facing a rookie with control issues. Nice slide there by Giambi, he's been working out with the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics squad.

4:34pm Update

Did anybody sign Ellsbury's permission slip to come to New York this weekend?

4:38pm Update

Drew looked stupid on that pitch. I mean, he generally looks stupid, but he really looked stupid on that pitch.

4:58pm Update

The Yankees did what they do best there: load the bases and have nothing to show for it. In fairness, Betemit hit that ball hard but Pedroia just happened to be right in position for it. Tough break. Man Ram (as the closer referred to him during the Red Sox line-up intro on fox) just got hit for the second time today (though the first time he wasn't really hit). Perhaps retaliation for A-Rod being hit. I prefer to say that it was just Moose being Moose.

5:10pm Update

Cano was just hit, which makes for the fourth hit batter of the day. Thing is, none of the hits look particularly intentional. No one really aims for the calf. The second hit of Ramirez was more a product of his beginning to move his hands through the zone than anything else. On a side note, I wonder if Masterson has to hold someone's hand when he crosses the street.

5:15pm Update

You know what would make me really happy? If Buck and McCarver would shut the #%@! up! That would make me happy. Also, Fox, please get a color guy.

5:23pm Update

Note to Ellsbury, don't run on Molina and your parents are at the office to pick you up. I like the catch over Molina by Moose. Moose is moving forward and therefore the catch was his to make, luckily, due to the height difference, the lack of communication wasn't an issue.

5:38pm Update

Man Ram is up. Will Moose go for the hat trick?

5:43pm Update

Moose just threw the same pitch twice, first time called a ball, the second time called a strike. Home plat ump Kerwin Danley has been less than consistent, but both pitchers have made the best of it. Probably if they don't get a call they just throw the same pitch again, figuring that with his inconsistency Danley might call a strike next time.

5:55pm Update

On the bright side, they loaded the bases and scored once. That's improvement!

5:58pm Update

The kid pitched well, limiting the damage when he got into trouble. Two bases loaded situations and one run to show for it, not bad for Masterson. Quite bad for the Yankees' offense.

6:23pm Update

If Farnsworth can survive this inning with one run or less, the Yanks should be good. This Red Sox line-up does not have the experience against Mo that the 2004 Sox did and that is an advantage to the Yankee closer.

6:30pm Update

Note to Sidney Ponson: Molina can take a hit, don't mess with him. Quite the foul tip off the mask there by Molina. Great to see him stay in the game. And another nice defensive play by Cano. No base runners for Farnsworth.

6:35pm Update

Meant to mention this earlier. But they were showing the Yankee dugout earlier, and someone seriously needs to engage Brett Gardner in conversation. Seriously. He's just sitting there.

6:42pm Update

Mo gives up a hit, now he need Man Ram to hit into a double play. Wow that sentence sounds so dirty.

Final Update

I spent that entire last inning saying two words. One was holy and I'll let you guess the other one. Mo came really close to blowing that game for Moose, which would be about the third time the Yanks have lost one of Moose's games which they should've won. But they won, and the Yanks probably won't get yelled at by Girardi today, which is good. They still can't have candy, which is bad.