Headley Homer Gives Us 2 of 3 vs. Sox, On to Royals

Last night was the rubber game of a 3-game series between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium II -- the last game Derek Jeter will ever play against the Red Sox at home.

Chris Capuano, the former Red Sock, started for us. Brandon Workman, who was 1-8 coming in, started for them. Neither got the decision.

David Ortiz, the big fat lying cheating bastard, hit 2 home runs, giving him 32 on the season. He's 39 years old.

It also gives him 37 career home runs against the Yankees. Incredibly, Big Sloppy isn't even close to the top 5 in most home runs against the Yankees. He's only 4th among Red Sox:

1. Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics & Red Sox, 1930s: 70
2. Ted Williams, Red Sox, 1940s & '50s: 62
3. Manny Ramirez, Indians, 1990s & Red Sox, 2000s: 55 *
4. Carl Yastrzemski, Red Sox, 1960s & '70s: 52
5. Harmon Killebrew, Twins, 1960s: 47
6. Rafael Palmeiro, Rangers & Orioles, 1990s: 47 *
7. David Ortiz, Red Sox, 2000s & '10s: 37 *
8. Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners, 1990s: 36

The Sox led 4-3 going into the bottom of the 9th. With the Sox bringing in their closer, Koji Uehara, It looked like another lost game and another lost series in a lost season.

Mark Teixeira hit a home run. It tied the game.

Brian McCann hit the ball solidly to left field, but it was caught.

Chase Headley, one of the newest Yankees came up. He hit it out.

Ballgame over! Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankees win!

5-4! We beat The Scum, 5-4! We beat The Scum, 5-4! We beat The Scum, 5-4!

WP: Adam Warren, believe it or not (3-5). No save. LP: Uehara (6-5).

*

There are 24 games left to play. The Yankees are 9 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Eastern Division, 9 in the loss column. Forget that: The O's will win their 1st Division title in 17 years, and only their 2nd in the last 30.

But the Yankees are 4 games, only 3 in the loss column, behind the Detroit Tigers for the 2nd AL Wild Card spot.

Next comes a 3-game home series with the Kansas City Royals, currently leading the AL Central, and going for their first Playoff berth in 29 years, since they won their one and only World Series in 1985. With the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose drought went back to 1979, squeaking in last season, the Royals have now gone longer without making the Playoffs than any other team. (Next-worse is the Toronto Blue Jays, who haven't done it since 1993. Every other Major League Baseball team has made it at least once in the 21st Century.)

The projected starting pitchers are as follows:

Tonight, 7:05 PM: Michael Pineda vs. James Shields.

Tomorrow, 4:05 PM: Brandon McCarthy vs. Danny Duffy.

Sunday, 1:05 PM: Shane Greene vs. Yordano Ventura.

Come on you Pinstripes!