Among all the jokes and thoughts about Alex Rodriguez, his play in the field, and his life outside of baseball, Rodriguez had the last laugh and word in the New York Yankees 6-5 win over the Boston Red Sox (37-18).
Blasting the game winning homerun off of closer Jonathan Papelbon on an 0-2 fastball in the top of the ninth with two outs, Rodriguez silenced everyone in the crowd improving the Yankees record to 24-30.
Papelbon was brought into the top of the ninth to close the door for an opportunity to win it in the ninth since the score was at 5-5.
Papelbon left the inning giving up one run and the bottom of the ninth’s card had David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Kevin Youkilis on it. This part of the lineup could not get the job done.
Ortiz flew out to deep right field, Ramirez struck out, Youkilis was hit by a pitch, and Mike Lowell struck out swinging against Mariano Rivera (5) to end the game at 6-5.
The Yankees deficit behind the Red Sox in the division is 12.5 games.
Not to be lost in the heartbreaker for the Red Sox was that Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to 13 games.
Pedroia doubled to deep center field in the bottom of the fifth on a bases loaded situation that plated three runners (Varitek, Pena, Crisp) giving him his 14,15, and 16 RBI’s on the season.
Boston took the lead in the fifth on a Youkilis’ RBI sacrfice fly that scored Pedroia making it 5-4.
A Robinson Cano RBI triple off of Hideki Okajima tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the eigth and then Rodriguez put the game to rest in the top of ninth with his homerun off of Papelbon.
Josh Beckett who was in line for the win after the Sox battled back in the fifth got the no decision going 6 1/3 innings, on eight hits, four earned runs, three walks, and five strikeouts.
The Boston Red Sox will give Julian Tavarez (3-4, 5.40 ERA) the ball against Dan Haren (6-2, 1.64 ERA) of the Oakland Athletics tomorrow. Game time is at 10:05 p.m. ET.