Times wires
Friday, June 10, 2011
NEW YORK — CC Sabathia finally satisfied Yankees fans' bloodlust, hitting David Ortiz with a pitch Thursday. But Ortiz and the Red Sox had the last laugh, winning the game 8-3 to complete a three-game sweep.
Ortiz appeared a likely target after homering in the series' first two games. He irked the Yankees by admiring one, which came after a brushback.
Boston's Josh Beckett had already hit Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez when Ortiz came up in the fourth. Sabathia's first pitch, a fastball, nailed Ortiz in the hip.
"The ball just got away from me," the lefty said.
Ortiz slowly walked to first as the crowd chanted "CC! CC!" When the inning ended, Sabathia shot a glance toward Ortiz before heading to the dugout, where his teammates met him with fist-bumps, high-fives, handshakes and back slaps.
"Jeter always gives me a pound after every inning," Sabathia said.
After the game, Ortiz seemed more angry at the media — for playing up the possibility of trouble — than Sabathia.
"Finally got hit," Ortiz said in a short rant that included profanity.
As for the game itself, which started after a 3½-hour rain delay and ended at 1:43 a.m., the Red Sox were boosted by a seven-run eighth. They outscored New York 25-13 during their second three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium in a month. The Red Sox lead the season series 8-1.
"There's a lot of baseball to be played until we see them again," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "And how we play the next 11/2 months or two months until we see them will have a lot to do with where we're at."
More Yankees: RH reliever Joba Chamberlain will have ligament replacement surgery (also known as Tommy John surgery) on his elbow Thursday and miss at least a year. He went on the DL on Wednesday with a stiff elbow, and an exam Thursday revealed the torn ligament. Also, C Russell Martin missed his second game with a stiff back. Girardi said he hopes Martin will be able to play this weekend.
Mauer better: Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said C Joe Mauer, limited to nine games this season because of weakness in his legs, is feeling "real strong" in his rehab. Mauer caught Friday at Class A Fort Myers and is scheduled to work out today and catch again Sunday. From there, the team hopes to determine the next step of rehab. Meanwhile, 1B Justin Morneau sat with a sore left wrist and pinched nerve in his neck that affects his shoulder. He is day to day.
Braves: LF Martin Prado went on the DL with a staph infection in his right calf. Manager Fredi Gonzalez believes it stems from a skin burn Prado got on a slide.
Dodgers: CF Matt Kemp was scratched because of a tight left hamstring and is day to day.
Indians: OF/DH Travis Buck was scratched after he and his wife were in a taxi crash in New York on Friday morning. Both went to a hospital for precaution, and manager Manny Acta said Buck had "a little bit of whiplash" and was "a little dazed." There was no update on his wife. Also, DH Travis Hafner said he felt good after his first batting practice since going on the DL with a strained muscle on his right side on May 20. He is scheduled to hit again Sunday.
Mariners: Slumping RF Ichiro Suzuki got the night off. Ichiro, hitting .252 this year and .149 since May 19, had played in 255 consecutive games.
Nationals: RH reliever Cole Kimball went on the DL with shoulder inflammation.
Pirates: RH reliever Evan Meek went on the DL with tendinitis in his right shoulder. He missed about four weeks earlier this season for the same injury.
Draft: The Padres became the first team to sign a first-round pick, doing so with 2B Cory Spangenberg, the No. 10 pick. Terms were not disclosed.