Sox discover their sock in record-setting effort
NEW YORK – So much for that slump. Edgar Renteria, Manny Ramirez and the Boston Red Sox broke out with 27 hits in their biggest blowout against the rival New York Yankees.
Renteria hit a grand slam, Ramirez got four singles, and Boston battered New York pitching Saturday for a 17-1 rout that snapped a season-high, four-game losing streak.
Trot Nixon homered and had five runs batted in for the Red Sox, who backed unbeaten Matt Clement by scoring their most runs in history against the Yankees.
“Our offense took it personally today. This offense, we haven’t even seen what they’re going to do,” Clement said. “We had to respond because the Yankees are playing so good right now.”
Johnny Damon also had four hits and scored three times, and John Olerud had three hits in his first major league game since last fall. It was Boston’s largest margin of victory over the Yankees, surpassing a 15-1 win on Sept. 1, 1990, at Fenway Park, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“It’s kind of obvious that we needed that,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “Not only to win, but to have a little bit of room there, to take some deep breaths and let our staff pitch.”
Carl Pavano (4-3) and Paul Quantrill were roughed up for the Yankees, who had their five-game winning streak snapped and lost for only the third time in 19 games. They had won nine consecutive games at home.
The 27 hits were the most for the Red Sox since they tied the club record of 28 on June 27, 2003, against Florida. Pavano started that game as well, for the Marlins, and failed to get an out.
“It’s got to be tough to watch if you’re out there standing behind me,” Pavano said. “It’s not what I had anticipated.”
All the offense made it tough on the scoreboard operator at Yankee Stadium – the board went blank for a few moments in the eighth as the Red Sox piled on. New York allowed its most hits since giving up a franchise-record 28 on Sept. 29, 1928, in a 19-10 loss at Detroit.
“We’ll look for a pick-me-up tomorrow,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “Hopefully, we’ll get back on track and play the type of baseball we’ve been used to the last three weeks. You’ve got to brush it off.”
The Red Sox had been held to three runs or fewer in three consecutive games for the first time since August 2003. But they set a season high for hits by the fifth inning behind Ramirez and Renteria, who finished with five RBIs.
Booed in Boston as he got off to a slow start in his first season with the team, Renteria is 12 for 19 on the current road trip, raising his average to .281.
“Edgar’s got a big game he can play, just a matter of time with him,” teammate Jason Varitek said. “He’s traditionally too good a player.”
Ramirez’s big game snapped a 1-for-16 skid. He hit just .193 in his previous 31 games. Clement (6-0) struck out his first three batters, then worked out of trouble the rest of the afternoon.