| | NEW YORK -- The final score was 3-2, but the real result
was more like this: Checkmate, in nine moves.
The eighth inning of Game 2 of the AL Championship Series was as
much a chess match as a baseball game, as Red Sox manager Jimy
Williams cleared his entire bench in an effort to avoid a loss that would put
Boston down two games to nothing.
"Things were spinning," said Yankees manager Joe Torre, who
was Bobby Fischer to Williams' Garry Kasparov as he deployed all
available relief pitchers to protect New York's 3-2 victory on
Thursday night.
"You just make a decision that you are going to empty your
bullpen and go for it, and that is the chess game," Torre said
after taking a two games to none lead in the best-of-7 series.
"The greatest part of managing is going back and forth with the
other manager."
Torre went through four pitchers, and Williams used three
pinch-hitters and two pinch-runners in the pivotal inning. Williams
also sacrificed his designated hitter like a pawn defending its
king, meaning the pitcher would have had to hit if his spot in the
order came up to bat.
"We didn't have more players, but we took a shot at it," Williams said. "We had the right people up. We had an opportunity. It just didn't work."
New York led 3-2 when Troy O'Leary doubled off Mike Stanton --
missing a homer by about six inches -- to lead off eighth inning.
Jeff Nelson relieved and hit Mike Stanley with a pitch. Damon
Buford ran for Stanley.
Jason Varitek sacrificed the runners to second and third. The
Red Sox announced that lefty Scott Hatteberg would pinch hit for
righty Darren Lewis and took one ball. Torre then brought in Allen
Watson, and Lou Merloni pinch hit for Hatteberg with an 1-0 count;
he drew an intentional walk to load the bases.
Butch Huskey hit for Trot Nixon, Ramiro Mendoza relieved, and
Donnie Sadler -- Boston's last position player -- ran for Merloni. Huskey struck out on a 1-2 pitch, then Offerman hit an easy fly
ball to center field.
"You've got to play for that inning," said Merloni, who
admitted being personally disappointed that he could only
contribute an intentional walk -- and just three-fourths of one, at
that.
"You do everything you can to get that lead," he said. "Shifting people in and out, we're just trying to get the right matchup."
When Daubach, who had been the designated hitter, played first
base in the bottom half, it meant that the pitcher would have to
bat if Huskey's spot came up in the order.
"That was two good managers doing what they could to help their
team win," said Paul O'Neill, who hit a go-ahead single in the
seventh inning to set up the critical eighth. "You watch the
moves, and then you sit back and see what they are all about."
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Yankees vs. Red Sox series page
Yankees again edge Red Sox, lead ALCS 2-0
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