Here we go, the last game of the season. It's time for this sad, sad trip to come to a merciful end.
Yankees 14, Red Sox 2, End 7th -- The pain just keeps on coming. Chris Carpenter allows another homer to Curtis Granderson to start the inning, and it just gets worse from there. Carpenter surrenders another two baserunners before coughing up a two-run double to Ichiro Suzuki. Two more walks--one from Carpenter, and one from Craig Breslow who replaces him--loads up the bases, and a single and sacrifice fly bring in two more to make it a 12-run deficit.
Yankees 9, Red Sox 2, Mid 7th -- Jose Igelsias, of all people, is the one who breaks the mode, backing up Pedro Ciriaco's double with an RBI single to get the Sox on the board for the first time since the first.
Yankees 9, Red Sox 1, End 6th -- Unfortunately, that end is slower and slower in coming. Pedro Beato allows the first two batters to reach, gets a ground out, and then lets the next two reach as well, with who else but Robinson Cano driving in a pair with a single. That's 6 RBI on four hits now for the second baseman.
Yankees 7, Red Sox 1, Mid 6th -- It's like clockwork at this point. Dustin Pedroia double, three straight outs behind him. We're three innings away from the end, and oh, won't it just be the greatest of mercies?
Yankees 7, Red Sox 1, End 5th -- The failure of Daisuke Matsuzaka was easy to accept. It was fait accompli, destined to happen from the moment pitch number one left his hand.
Clayton Mortensen giving Robisnon Cano his second homer of the night is something different, however. An added sting in an already awful game.
Yankees 5, Red Sox 1, Mid 5th -- The customary baserunner is provided by Pedro Ciriaco. The three customary outs are provided by Ryan Lavarnway, Jose Iglesias, and Jacoby Ellsbury.
Yankees 5, Red Sox 1, End 4th -- Clayton Mortensen returns the favor against the Yankees, striking out Russell Martin and then inducing a double play ball from Derek Jeter to erase the leadoff baserunner in Raul Ibanez.
Yankees 5, Red Sox 1, Mid 4th -- Just to emphasize that the Sox will finish things out the way they started, Cody Ross' leadoff single is immediately erased by a James Loney double play. Now that's a response!
Yankees 5, Red Sox 1, End 3rd -- Daisuke's Red Sox career, appropriately enough, ends with a 2.1 inning, 5-run performance after Robinson Cano takes him deep with Alex Rodriguez on base. Clayton Mortensen manages to wipe up the rest of the damage, but at this point it's looking like you can pretty much close the book on Boston's season.
Yankees 3, Red Sox 1, Mid 3rd -- Dustin Pedroia is the one drawing a two-out walk in the midst of an otherwise unproductive inning this time, allowing the Yankees to hold the lead.
Yankees 3, Red Sox 1, End 2nd -- Well it wouldn't be a Daisuke start if he wasn't, y'know, terrible. Robinson Cano gets it started by reaching out to flare a pitch well outside into right field for a leadoff single. Nick Swisher draws a walk as Daisuke goes back to the classics, and then all it takes is one flat fastball for Curtis Granderson to make it a 3-0 game with a homer to right.
Red Sox 1, Yankees 0, Mid 2nd -- Hiroki Kuroda recovers from allowing a first-inning run, surrendering just a two-out walk to Ryan Lavarnway before getting Pedro Ciriaco to ground out and end the inning.
Red Sox 1, Yankees 0, End 1st -- Daisuke Matsuzaka, in his last start for the Red Sox, throws six pitches in a 1-2-3 first. He would wait until now to throw a perfect game, wouldn't he?
Red Sox 1, Yankees 0, Mid 1st -- For the second straight night the Red Sox take an early lead. This time, however, the attack is lacking the double from Dustin Pedroia, who can only move Jacoby Ellsbury along after a leadoff single. Cody Ross is the one who provides the RBI hit this time, with a line drive into left field to score Ellsbury and put the Sox ahead.