Cleveland beats Yankees 22 - 0, Red Sox now 3.5 games behind

[Bombtrack]

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2004/09/01/a_wild_night/
Regardless of where you were sitting last night in a sellout crowd of 35,040 in Fenway Park -- even if you were behind home plate, with Curt Schilling's unblinking gaze boring in at you for the better part of 2 1/2 hours -- it was nearly impossible to tear your eyes away from left field.

That was true at the beginning of the night, when the Red Sox once again let Manny Ramirez trot alone to his position, much to his apparent delight, judging from the way he gave his now-famous "Shazam" double-point to the fans in his neighborhood.
And it was still true at the end, and only partially because of the MVP-type performance turned in by Ramirez, whose three-run home run in the first and solo shot in the second sent the Sox on their way to a 10-7 defeat of the Anaheim Angels, their closest pursuers in the wild-card race. The Sox are now 2 1/2 games ahead of the Angels, which means they still will be ahead after the Halos leave in two days.

There was also this: the most delicious piece of scoreboard-watching in recent memory, the one in which the person behind the green wall kept replacing the metal numbers next to "CLE," the team above the "NYY." First, there was a "6" after the second inning. Then a "9" after three, a ridiculous "15" after five -- and still more! -- a "16" after six, and a history-making, can-you-believe-it "22" in the ninth, mocking the "0" next to "NYY." Just like that, the Yankees' lead, on the first day of September, is only 3 1/2 games, the Sox in only 16 days lopping an astonishing seven games off what had been a seemingly insurmountable 10 1/2-game edge. Fasten your seatbelts, Nation, for what is promising to be one of the wildest rides in the 103-year history of the Olde Towne Team.

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[Gore1FL]

1. Geez

Yankees thnk they are the Cardinals!

[enigmatic]

2. My Tribe laid the smakdown, baby!

I was laughing thru-out the game..

[Blayde Starrfyre]

3. First the Republican convention, now this

New York must be cursed. But the Yankees are clowns, couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of turds (possible exception: Manchester United)

[WindRavenX]

4. last year after they were no-hit by the Astros...they got hot

I expect the same here.

[Zech Marquis]

5. absolutely NO pitching at all!!!

:argh: this was Vasquez who was absolutely waxed, lathered, rinsed, and blown dry :grr: In fact, ALL of the Yankee pitchers hae just been terrible, TERRIBLE :argh:

See Steinbrenner, you should hae spent more moeny getting some more younger and talented pitcing, now you haveA-rod and Shef, but can they pitch 8 innings ?!


I would NOT be surprised if the Yankees lose it compltely, it might be betetr that way than to be totally embarased in the playoffs :(

[Bombtrack]

7. I don't think it's possible for the skankees to not make the playoffs

they'd have to go below anaheim or whoever in the west get's the wildcard, if the sox won the east.

[xcmt]

10. To be fair..

I don't think there was much more younger and talented pitching available than Vasquez. The names being thrown around last offseason and during the trade period were Jamie Moyer, Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine, Brad Penny, Jason Jennings...not exactly both young and talented. The option they missed was Freddy Garcia, but his track record was pretty unsteady.

I think the Yankees can be credited for not resigning the disaster that Andy Pettitte, though losing Clemens was obviously unfortunate.

I give them about two years before they can overhaul their pitching staff, but only two, since their bullpen is about to fall apart at the shoulders, and that's how long they have before Jeter's over the hill, Posada's knees collapse, Bernie Williams turns into Abe Simpson, and Sheffield sprains his ankle for the 53rd time. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Mulder/Zito/Hudson trio ends up in pinstripes.

[JohnKleeb]

6. sweet work Cleveland

[asthmaticeog]

8. DAMN!

Between extreme busy-ness and it being an election season, I haven't been following ballgames this year, but I would have LOVED to see my Tribe lay this most wicked-ass smackdown upon the vilest of foes.

[MissMillie]

14. Is that picture

from "The Shining"?

[asthmaticeog]

16. Yes.

[johnnie]

9. Ouch

It's good to be a Clevelander sometimes. Well, I never really mind it.

[lpbk2713]

11. They weren't just "beaten".

With a score like 22 - 0, they were anihilated. It was the highest scoring loss in the Yank's history. And it happened on Steinbrenner's watch.

Link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51118-2004Aug31.html

[Beer Snob-50]

12. I still am not getting excited about my beloved sox overtaking the

yankmes. we will win the wildcard and we will be the yankmes in the alcs. and then the cubs/sox world series with the world having a catastrophic ending before the whole thing ends.

[sniffa]

13. fuck the wiLd cahd!

we're taking the east baby!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. Yes! Take no prisoners!

WOO HOOOO!