G3: Red Sox 7, Yankees 3

Yankees ahead by one run, Red Sox three outs from being swept, Mariano Rivera on the mound, the bottom of the Boston order due up -- sound familiar?

Mueller (bcbb) walked.
Bellhorn (cb) singled to right, Mueller to second.
Damon (bcbcffb) singled to right, Mueller to third, Bellhorn to second.
Nixon (bbfs) struck out swinging.
Ramirez (ffbf) safe on error by ARodriguez, Mueller scored, Bellhorn to third, Damon to second.
Ortiz (b) grounded out pitcher to first, Bellhorn scored, Damon to third, Ramirez to second.
McCarty (bbb) walked.
Renteria singled to left center, Damon and Ramirez scored, McCarty to second.
Mirabelli (bbbc) walked, McCarty to third, Renteria to second.
FRodriguez relieves Rivera.
Mueller (fb - McCarty scored, Renteria to third, Mirabelli to second on wild pitch - fbb) struck out looking.

Wow. The Red Sox batted around against Rivera, who threw 38 pitches. He has now blown four consecutive saves against Boston.

Walking off the field after being pulled by Torre, some Yankee fans cheered him, but a lot were booing. Jeter was booed during his 0-for-32 (35?) slump last spring, but I can't remember Rivera ever being booed before.

Just an amazing win -- after Boston did just about every bone-headed thing you can do to lose a ball game. They hit into three double plays (two by Renteria, who did get two hits later in the game), Damon got tagged out by Jeter by stepping off second base after the following batter walked, Nixon forgot how many outs there were in the outfield. Yet they managed to focus in the final inning and pull out a win.

There will be buckets of ink spilled musing about Rivera's performance. What's wrong? Is he hurt? Is it mental? He had some elbow problem in spring training, if I recall, and while Boston did touch him for three hits, his control was terrible. He walked David McCarty, a batter he would usually dismiss as if he were a mosquito, on four not-close pitches.

Considering Rivera's performance in this series, and the effect it's having on Yankee fans, I say we won this series 1-to-2.

Mariano: Who's your daddy?