Last night, I mentioned that the Sox and Yanks have played more than 2,000 games. Here's a look at some of the heroes and villains who have made up those games — well, at least since 1954:
- Most total bases against the Yankees: Mo Vaughn, 13 (4-for-4 with three home runs on May 30, 1997). Most total bases against the Red Sox: Graig Nettles (4-for-5 with two doubles and two homers in 1976) and Andy Carey (5-for-5 with a double and two homers in 1958), with 12.
- Most extra-base hits against the Yankees: Jason Varitek, two doubles, two homers on July 4, 2003. (By the way, Eric Hinske is tied for second). Most against the Red Sox: Graig Nettles, two doubles, two homers on Sept. 29, 1976.
- Most times on base against the Yankees: Cecil Cooper (4-for-4 with two walks on May 21, 1974) and Carl Yastrzemski (5-for-8 with a walk in an epic 1967 battle). Most against the Red Sox: Willie Randolph (4-for-5 with two walks on June 19, 1987) and Bernie Williams (3-for-4 with three walks in an epic 1996 battle).
- Most games played against the Yankees: Of course, Yaz, with 324 (.283/.361/.470), followed by Dwight Evans, with 208 (.251/.348/.449). Jason Varitek is sixth, with 141 (.226/.307/.387), and David Ortiz is 12th, with 109 (.306/.395/.565).
- Most games played against the Sox: Mickey Mantle, with 243 (.310/.452/.595 since 1954), followed by Roy White, with 211 (.286/.369/.419). Derek Jeter comes next, with 206 (.290/.355/.408), and Jorge Posada is fifth with 181 (.272/.376/.493). Alex Rodriguez is about to play his 100th game against Boston as a member of the Yankees (.280/.375/.506).
- Only 22 times has a Boston player stolen at least two bases in one game against the Yanks. No one has done it as often as Jacoby Ellsbury (three times), while no one but Reggie Smith in 1967 has managed three steals in one game against the Yankees.
- Derek Jeter (2006) and Mickey Rivers (1976) have both stolen three bases in a game against Boston, and at least two have been stolen 33 other times.
- As we all know, the best game ever pitched against the Yankees — by a member of the Red Sox or anyone else — was on Sept. 10, 1999. It is the most strikeouts by any one pitcher against New York, and the highest nine-inning game score against the Yankees in the ever-expanding Retrosheet era (now back to 1953).
- Likewise, the best game pitched against the Red Sox is similarly obvious, matching Pedro's 98 game score and one hit allowed, with one fewer baserunner and zero runs though just 13 strikeouts.
- Most pitches thrown by a starter against the Yanks: Roger Clemens, twice with 141, a win in 1988 and a loss in 1991. In 1988, he threw an astounding 97 strikes. Most pitches to the Red Sox: Melido Perez in 1992 and Andy Pettitte in 1995, both throwing 140 (Pettitte with 94 strikes). Both pitchers won their starts.
- Most walks allowed to the Yankees: Josh Beckett in his 2006 flame-out: Nine walks, the most allowed by any Sox pitcher in 31 years, and one shy of the team record. Beckett also tied Clemens for most earned runs allowed to the Yankees, also with nine. Most walks to the Sox: Bob Turley (1959), Dave Righetti (1982) and Steve Adkins (1990), all with eight. Joba's seven-walk performance earlier this month were the most against the Sox since Hideki Irabu 11 years ago.
- Most starts against the Yankees: Bill Monbouquette, with 34 (followed by Tim Wakefield, with 33, and Roger Clemens with 32). Josh Beckett is 15th with 16. Most starts against Boston: Mel Stottlemyre, with 46. Andy Pettitte is fourth, with 32.
- Most home runs allowed to the Yankees: Dennis Eckersley, five (with just six runs) in a 1979 loss. David Wells and Jeff Weaver each allowed five homers to the Sox. Weaver won his 2002 start, Wells was blown out in 2003.
18 replies on “The Long Rivalry, Part II”
The 15-inning game from a few weeks ago was unbelievable. I won’t ever forget that one. Two sick teams battling all night, seeing who would blink first. That was awesome.
This is a lot more fun than last night’s fugly game!
As for favorite regular series memory, i’ve gotta go with Jeter into the stands. But Sori’s game winning dinger at the Fens, with SF beside me, was pretty sweet.
Just one more statistic, Matsui’s 7 RBI was the most a Yankee had at Fenway since Lou Gehrig.
And one of my favorite memories was in the fourth game of the 2006 sweep, when Jeter dropped a little bloop hit in front of Kapler in the 9th inning to tie the game.
I think my favorite memory from a game I saw live was the four consecutive home runs. That was truly unbelievable.
When i say “live,” I mean on TV. I haven’t had the good fortune to see a Sox-Yanks game in person…
Paul, where do you live?
Paul stole mine: 4 consecutive homers.
My other one was Game 4 of the ALCS in 2004. My girlfriend was a Duke grad student, and had gone to Harvard for her undergrad and was a huge Sox fan. I was down in Durham visiting her that weekend, and I stayed the night so we could watch the game together (I had class the next morning).
I loved the standing O for Mo at the opener in 2005, for both the humor of the offering and the grace of the Yankee great. And probably the reversal of the call after the “slap”, such a huge moment. And lastly the Damon game-opening dinger in Game 7 of 2004.
One strong (but not favorite) memory is, of course, Yaz popping out in ’78, on my tenth birthday. I don’t remember Bucky Dent because I was in synagogue, it was the Jewish High Holidays. Lots to digest for a ten year old, thinking back.
Oh look, tropical storm warnings for Massachusetts. Fucking fantastic. Supposedly it’s not supposed to rain until 9:00, so at least we should get the game in.
The big Beckett-Sabathia matchup probably won’t happen though.
Hey, I’m sure us YFs could go on and on about Yankees postseason moments, but this is just about the regular season.
Sorry about that, Andrew, I failed to notice Paul’s qualifier. But the playoff game in ’78 qualifies, as it it technically a regular season game!
Although it was the 163rd game!
Yeah, my goal was to avoid 1978, 2003 and 2004, in particular, because I think we all would derive our favorite memories from the 163rd game and beyond in each of those seasons.
My favorite memory then might be after a game, not during a game. YF and I were in the house when Hideki Okajima imploded against the Yanks in late 2007. After the game, in the elevator in the parking lot were we had stowed our vehicle, I was looking at my new iPhone, and a guy said “that all it cracked up to be?”, and I responded something like “it’s pretty good, but it can’t close games”. I think it lightened the mood, which was certainly dour (other than YF, smiling quietly next to me).
So is this the gamer too?
McCarver and some other guy. Ugh.
Over under on runs for Yanks in first three innings: 8.