Yankees 5, Red Sox 3: WALK-OFF GRAND SLAM

The Yankees entered the ninth inning with only one hit in the game against the Red Sox. After a tough battle by Bryan Mitchell to keep the tough Red Sox lineup scoreless for seven innings, the Yankees trailed by three runs. From there, everything went their way.

Brett Gardner led off the ninth with a single before taking second on defensive indifference. Jacoby Ellsbury walked, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Craig Kimbrel. Gary Sanchez worked a walk to load the bases before Brian McCann turned in one hell of an at-bat to earn a walk himself that plated Gardner from third and cut the lead to two.

Kimbrel was pulled in favor of Joe Kelly after the walk to McCann, and Starlin Castro immediately put together an atrocious at-bat for the first out of the inning. Didi Gregorius popped out to bring Mark Teixeira to the plate, and that’s when the magic happened.

Give the man credit for going out in style. Teixeira sent Kelly’s pitch to the bullpens in center field for a walk-off grand slam to keep the Red Sox from celebrating on their field. The Yankees manage to stay alive for at least one more day.

Although it might be overshadowed by the ending, Mitchell’s performance was really fantastic. He allowed just two hits, although he did walk five. Adam Warren was able to record just one out and surrendered all three of the Red Sox runs, but only one of them was earned after a ball was booted by Castro in the infield.

At this point in the season, the games don’t mean a whole lot for the Yankees. The main thing they are playing for at the moment is pride. They were able to do that tonight with a win that kept Boston from turning the Yankee clubhouse into a dance party. You have to feel good for Teixeira, who is really capping off his career by finishing strong.