30 runs and 16 pitchers: Yankees-Red Sox slugfest was an insane London introduction for MLB
LONDON — Major League Baseball, spending the week desperately trying to promote their game in Europe, certainly came up with a doozy of a plan Saturday by turning a traditional baseball game into a zany free-for-all where everything was distorted beyond imagination.
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox have been playing against one another since 1903, and never, ever, have they played a game like this.
By the time it ended, the Yankees survived, 17-13, in the second highest-scoring game between the two teams, and nearly the longest game they have ever played, lasting four hours, 42 minutes.
The Red Sox and Yankees showed this continent that openers don’t necessarily have to be relievers, letting every British kid dream that he’s talented enough to pitch in the big leagues after watching this travesty, and that they, too, can feel commissioner Rob Manfred’s pain on the pace of play.
It was Yankee-Red Sox baseball, Coors Field style.
It was a game that opened with the Yankees and Red Sox scoring six runs apiece in the first inning. It was the first time these two teams have ever scored six runs in the first inning against one another, and the first time since June 23, 1989, that two teams scored at least six runs in the first inning.
It was so insane that before the night was over, they combined for four separate six-run innings
Red Sox starter Rick Porcello set the stage by lasting a career-worst one-third of an inning. Yankee starter Masahiro Tanaka survived only an out longer. The first inning lasted 58 minutes, with four different pitchers throwing a total of 92 pitches.
There were only three scoreless innings the entire game – including the eighth and ninth.
It was so gruesome for pitchers that the two teams combined to cough up 23 runs and 27 hits after just 4 ½ innings, including seven doubles and four home runs.
It was baseball, London style.
Still, if the crowd was insulted by the atrocious pitching, the juiced baseballs, or the video game offense, they sure didn’t show it.
Maybe it was that they have already been Americanized, doing the wave in the fourth inning with the Yankees leading 14-6, singing “YMCA’’, “Sweet Caroline’’ and even knowing just how to act during “KissCam.’’
The stadium was sold out, but of the 59,659 in attendance, including Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan, estimates were that about 40,000 were Americans. They not only didn’t pretend to have British accents, they donned every American sporting clothing from Bryce Harper and Alex Bregman jerseys to a Babe Ruth polo, even a Tom Brady jersey.
The fans, whether they paid 35 pounds on StubHub for obstructed seats at the last minute, or 900 pounds for premier seats, appeared to enjoy themselves.
While players were losing balls in the lights, others ran aimlessly in the vast foul-ball territory, as balls were flying out as if they got mixed up with the ones used at Home Run Derby.
The crowd, cheering virtually for just about everything that happened in the game, saw the ball screaming into the night all game long, speeding past infielders, and outfielders trying to catch their breath trying to keep balls from skipping to the fence.
It was one the greatest offensive shows these two teams have ever produced, and maybe it was just what MLB wanted when they decided to make this foray into Europe, keeping these fans entertained from the first hot dog to the last drop of their pints.
