Yankees' error opens door as Red Sox steal victory

Yankees' error opens door as Red Sox steal victory

NEW YORK -- Jeremy Hermida hit a tiebreaking, two-run double off Mariano Rivera in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox took advantage of two late errors to rally from five runs down and beat the New York Yankees 7-6 Tuesday night.

New York played the game under protest after beleaguered Boston ace Josh Beckett left with back tightness following Robinson Cano's two-run double in the fifth that made it 5-0.

The Yankees claimed there was no indication of an injury to Beckett by that point, but reliever Manny Delcarmen was given all the time he needed to warm up on a wet and chilly night.

Beckett missed his previous turn in the rotation due to back spasms.

An error by right fielder Marcus Thames, who hit the game-winning homer Monday night off All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon, helped the Red Sox go ahead in the ninth.

Papelbon closed this one out after midnight, however, fanning Randy Winn with runners at second and third to end it. At 4 hours, 9 minutes, it was the longest nine-inning game in the majors this season, according to STATS LLC. And that didn't include the 59-minute rain delay at the start.

"I was hoping all night long I would get another chance," Papelbon said. "It's a heavyweight fight. They might get one good blow in but they're not going to knock me down."

Thames dropped Marco Scutaro's wind-whipped fly with one out in the ninth, putting runners on first and second. One out later, Hermida hit a liner over Winn's head in left to put Boston ahead 7-5.

It was the second straight stumble for Rivera (0-1), who gave up a go-ahead grand slam to Minnesota's Jason Kubel on Sunday after converting 51 straight save chances at home.

Scutaro booted Alex Rodriguez's leadoff grounder to shortstop in the bottom of the ninth for his second error of the game, and Cano made it 7-6 with an RBI double.
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But Papelbon recovered to get three tough outs and earn his 10th save, one night after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth when Rodriguez and Thames each hit a two-run homer to give New York a wild 11-9 victory.

Papelbon threw up and in on Thames before walking him to put runners on first and third with one out. The right-hander then made a quick stab of Juan Miranda's sharp grounder back to the mound and struck out Winn.