Red Sox overpower the Yankees again, hitting three homers in a 10-2 win.
By Associated Press
Published July 6, 2003
NEW YORK - Boston blew out the Yankees for the second straight day, hitting three more home runs and getting five shutout innings from Ramiro Mendoza in a 10-2 win Saturday. The victory brought the Red Sox to within two games of AL East leader New York.
"Everybody knows we swing the bat," said David Ortiz, who homered twice for the second straight day. "We're not afraid."
Twenty-five years ago, the Yankees went to Fenway Park four games out in early September and swept four games by a combined score of 42-9, going on to win the division and the World Series.
Boston came to Yankee Stadium four games back on Friday and has outscored New York 20-5 to halve its deficit, hitting 10 homers off a staff that had allowed a league-low 70 in its first 83 games.
Andy Pettitte tries to stop New York's skid today against John Burkett. Boston then has Pedro Martinez going in the series finale against Mike Mussina.
"They're hot. They've been teeing off on a lot of people lately," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. "Usually with our pitching staff, you don't see that."
Roger Clemens fared no better than David Wells a day earlier, and it was Mendoza, not the six-time Cy Young Award winner, who defeated his former team.
Clemens became the second straight Yankees starter to give up eight runs against the major leagues' top offense, which has a .298 team average. Eight of the nine batters in Boston's starting lineup, all but leadoff man Johnny Damon, came in with averages of .300 or higher.
"It's scary. It's like a snowball effect," Boston first baseman Kevin Millar said. "It just keeps going and going and going."
Boston took the lead in the second when Clemens hit Millar on the left hand with a pitch. Trot Nixon homered on the next one.
Ortiz had a solo shot in the fourth against Clemens and a two-run drive off Jason Anderson in the ninth.
After the two early homers, the Red Sox broke it open with a three-run fifth that included a two-run single by Damon, who had three RBIs.
Mendoza, who signed with the Red Sox in December after 11 seasons in the Yankees organization, allowed at least one runner in every inning, letting the leadoff batter reach in the second, third and fourth, but hung tough and gave up just six hits, all singles.
"My confidence is good now," Mendoza said.
Ruben Sierra left six runners on in the first five innings, and New York stranded seven in that span and 11 in all. Only after New York fell behind 8-0 did Jorge Posada and Jason Giambi homer off reliever Brandon Lyon.
Clemens, who pitched for the Red Sox from 1984-96, dropped to 7-4 against Boston in the regular season, including 1-2 this year.
