So much for going to bed early. Sixteen hours after the end of their last game, the Yankees and Red Sox met up again for game 5 of the AL Championship Series and for the second night in a row, it went to extra innings. Last night, however, the game ran into the 14th inning and was the longest game time-wise in postseason baseball history at 5 hours 49 minutes.
Like game 4, game 5 ended on a hit from David Ortiz. Big Papi hit a two out hit to center field, driving in the game winning run again. This after a home run in the 8th inning that cut a two run Yankee lead in half. With the one run lead, Mariano Rivera came in to save the game with Dave Roberts on 3rd and Trot Nixon on 1st. Jason Varitek hit a fly ball to center, which allowed Roberts to tie the game and gave Rivera another blown save. Ortiz's heroics took place a mere six innings later.
Mariano Rivera looked human again as he blew a post-season save for the second night in a row, a career first. The loss was the first time the Yankees have lost two post-season extra inning games in a row under Joe Torre. Red Sox fans hope that their team can come back from the 0-3 defect to win the series. That would also be a first.
Curt Schilling takes on Jon Lieber tonight at 8 in game 6 of the series. Hopefully, the rain will hold off. Hmm, wet mound doesn't help Schilling. Neither does running around on slippery grass. A rain out gives Rivera some rest. Rain? No rain?
Photo by Barton Silverman/NY Times
