Things looked so good for the Boston Red Sox after six innings on Saturday. They led 9-1 and got a very strong start from an unexpected source, Felix Doubront. Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine then turned to the bullpen and everything went awry. Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira led the offensive charge as the New York Yankees scored seven run in both the seventh and eighth innings. When the public flogging was completethe Yankees walked away with a 15-9 victory.
This is the kind of win a team can build on. When you stage a comeback on your rival it can be mean more than just a notch in the win column, it can be a start of a streak. If nothing else the Yankees smacked around the Red Sox bullpen so much that they will be running low on arms for the team's Sunday night battle.
The Red Sox were in desperate need of a win. They are dead last in the American League East and things are starting to get ugly. Valentine is already hearing boos from the fans just 15 games into his tenure. He is throwing his own players under the bus in his desperate need to be in the spotlight. As the losses pile up it is bound to get worse before it gets better.
The Yankees on the other hand have not started the season off great, but still lead the division. The team's bats are starting to come alive and if they can get some better starting pitching they might be in good shape. Freddy Garcia got beat around in just 1 2/3 innings on Saturday. Phil Hughes and Hiroki Kuroda have both struggled early in the season. Andy Pettitte is in the minors and will probably be ready to come back in early May. Some fans wondered why the Yankees brought Pettitte back, but now the reason is crystal clear. Always remember you can never have too much pitching.
The news wasn't all good on Saturday. The Yankees announced that during a rehab session Michael Pineda needed to be shut down after just 15 pitches. Pineda will now need to see a doctor before a timetable is set for his return
Darren Pare is a third generation Yankees fan. The unique thing is that he lives in the middle of Red Sox nation, Maine, and has for all his life and that gives him a different perspective. You can follow him on Twitter @dpare71.
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