Red Sox Extend Season-High Winning Streak to Six Games at the Expense of the #Yanks

Red Sox Extend Season-High Winning Streak to Six Games at the Expense of the Yanks

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK (BRONX NEWS)- Wednesday night’s contest between the Red Sox and the Yankees is what comes to mind when many observers think of a game that is typical of the intense rivalry. The game went into extra innings (11); it lasted for more than four hours (4:10); 40 players saw action in the contest; the lead alternated until the 5-5 tie was broken in the 11th, which gave Boston a 9-5 victory.

Obviously, not every game the two clubs played was that intense or had the same result. The Yankees have won 11,160 and the Red Sox have been victorious in 962 since their rivalry began in 1903. 

Most of the 39,328 who attended Wednesday’s late ending contest left early and disappointed. Many had hoped to witness the Yankees become the first franchise in the American League to win 10,000 games, but instead saw them lose their 7,567th.

They also wished for the Yankees to retain its very slim chance to stay alive in the race for the title of the American League East, but the loss and Toronto’s win ended that opportunity. 

The Yankees still remain in position to capture the first of the two Wild Card spots, but the three straight losses to Boston decreased the previous probability that the Wild Card game will be held at Yankee Stadium. 

What happened during the past two months to so greatly change the picture in that division? The Yankees dropped from first place with a six game advantage to second place with a six game deficit and elimination from a title chance. Since July 30, the Yankees have played .500 baseball with a mark of 28-28 while the Toronto Blue Jays have compiled the best record in MLB, 41-15. 

The young, capable players on the Red Sox have also led them to greatly improve in the latter stage of the 2015 season. Their mark since July 30 is 34-22. During their current season-high six game winning streak they have advanced from 5th place to 4th to a tie for 3rd to 3rd. They are as high as two games below .500 (78-80) for the first time since May 24. If they win three of the final four contests, they will complete the season with a .500 mark.