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Farewell Tour Part III
August 28, 2008
Ah, Yankee Stadium. Home of the overly abused curtain call. I'd be lying if I said I was going to miss you. In a game that the Red Sox should have had, the Yankees found a way to walk off with the win in the only fitting way to say goodbye to the Red Sox/Yankee rivalry at the Stadium. No one but Red Sox fans themselves will remember that Boston dominated the first two games of this series. The only highlight that will be shown thirty years from now when the New York media reflects back on the final season of Yankee Stadium will be Jason Giambi's walk off base hit against Jonathan Papelbon in the bottom of the ninth.
Jon Lester pitched beautifully in six and two thirds innings of work, striking out eight men in pinstripes and kept the bombers to just five hits. Lester gave way to Hideki Okajima in the seventh inning with a man on for the lefty/lefty match up against Jason Giambi. The hero of the day slammed a two-run shot to deep center field to tie the game to eventually set himself up for a walk off single.
Eighty-five years ago on April 18, 1923, Yankee Stadium opened it's gates to both Yankee fans and Red Sox fans as the two divided groups of supporters watched the Yankees defeat the Red Sox 4-1 thanks in part to a three run home run off the bat of a fellow by the name of Babe Ruth. Fast forward to today, the Yankees are closing their doors never to play the Red Sox on that diamond ever again in the regular season.
Although the two teams had been battling many years long before May 20, 1976, the rivalry was truly brought to life on that very night when Lou Piniella sprinted around third and plowed into Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk. The collision sparked a fight between the two and in turn resulted in a bench clearing brawl between the two teams.
On a Sunday night on May, Pedro Martinez squared off against Roger Clemens that saw both pitchers toss complete games with the Red Sox getting the better of former Red Sox pitcher, Roger Clemens. With Pedro Martinez having thrown a complete game shutout with nine strikeouts, Roger Clemens entered the ninth inning having also thrown a shutout through eight innings while striking out thirteen Red Sox batters. A single by Jeff Frye set the table for notorious Clemens killer, Trot Nixon, to launch a two run bomb that led to a 2-0 Red Sox victory.
We all remember Aarone Boone in 2003, we all remember Game 7 in 2004, there have been a lot of miserable times in that Stadium but we are one of the few fortunate teams that can say we've had a lot of great memories in that Stadium as well. So unless the Yankees can pull off a miracle and sneak into the postseason, the Red Sox and Yankees have fought their last battle in the legendary Yankee Stadium. Thanks for the good times and also thanks for the bad times because they in turn made us all stronger as Red Sox fans. Farewell Yankee Stadium, the defending World Champions have left the building.
-Jared Carrabis
-Jared Carrabis
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