Tuesday was more of the same for the Red Sox, the latest setback in a season that never got off the ground, a six-month comedy of errors that, when all said and done, will result in another last-place finish, their fifth since 2012. Fueled by two homers from likely American League MVP (and prospective free agent) Aaron Judge, the Yankees were a thorn in Boston’s side once again, escaping with a 7-6 victory over their sworn nemesis in a game that took 10 innings and almost four hours to determine a winner.
Whatever begrudging respect that exists between the long-time division rivals wasn’t evident in the Yankees’ broadcast booth with YES announcers Michael Kay and John Flaherty both taking aim at the Red Sox’s fan base, mocking the Fenway faithful for a relatively light turnout, announcing a paid attendance of only 34,250 (91-percent capacity) in Tuesday night’s series opener. Never missing an opportunity to kick the Red Sox while they’re down, Kay suggested Boston fans had already turned the page on a lost season, instead devoting their time and energy to a Patriots team that couldn’t have looked worse in their opening-week loss to Miami, plagued by a meager showing from a directionless offense and a coaching staff left in shambles by the departure of long-time coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Both humbled by their recent struggles, the Red Sox and Patriots represent low-hanging fruit for Boston haters, once-great franchises now staring down the barrel of lengthy rebuilds that could take years to unspool. Of course, there’s a certain “pot calling the kettle black” element here with New York boasting only marginally better attendance than the Red Sox despite a better team and a much larger home venue (Yankee Stadium holds 46,537 fans). Even with the Red Sox and Yankees headed in opposite directions, a rainy Tuesday night in a relatively meaningless September game can still elicit plenty of passion with no love lost between bitter rivals that have resented each other for well over a century.
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