From Deseret News archives:

Giambi comes off bench, saves Yanks against Boston

Published: Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008 5:28 p.m. MDT
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NEW YORK — Jason Giambi saved the New York Yankees, coming off the bench to hit a tying homer in the seventh inning and a game-winning single in the ninth for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday.

Desperate to get back in the playoff race, New York salvaged the finale of a three-game series and won Boston's final regular-season game at Yankee Stadium.

Mariano Rivera (5-5) entered a tie game in the eighth and pitched 1 1-3 hitless innings for the win, helping the Yankees overcome another poor performance by Alex Rodriguez.

Booed vociferously all afternoon, A-Rod struck out three times and popped up with runners at the corners and one out in the sixth. The three-time MVP also had a terrible game Tuesday night, going 0-for-5 and grounding into a pair of double plays during a 7-3 loss.

This time, Giambi brought the Yankees back.

Rested against lefty Jon Lester, Giambi pinch hit with two outs in the seventh and connected for a two-run homer off Hideki Okajima that tied the score 2-all.

With the bases loaded and one out in the ninth, Giambi lined Jonathan Papelbon's 0-2 pitch into center field and was mobbed by jubilant teammates at first base.

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Finally showing some vigor, New York moved within six games of the Red Sox, who lead the AL wild-card race. A series sweep by Boston would have left the Yankees eight games back with 29 to play — perhaps too steep a hill to climb.

The Yankees haven't missed a postseason since 1993, though their chances this year still look bleak.

The Red Sox fell to 285-484-4 at Yankee Stadium. New York will move next year into a $1.3 billion ballpark being built across the street.

Babe Ruth and the Yankees opened the current stadium by sweeping a four-game series from Boston in April 1923. Eighty-five years later, the Red Sox tried to return the favor.

Looking for its first sweep in the Bronx since April 2004, Boston got a fine effort from Lester but couldn't solve old-pro Mike Mussina or New York's bullpen.

After two comfortable wins by the Red Sox the previous two nights, the teams played the kind of tense, back-and-forth game that has marked their long rivalry.

Xavier Nady opened the ninth with a single off Justin Masterson (4-4). With one out, pinch-runner Brett Gardner stole second and Hideki Matsui was intentionally walked.

Masterson walked Ivan Rodriguez, loading the bases and bringing on Papelbon.

Lester was working on a four-hit shutout when Cody Ransom doubled with two outs in the seventh, chasing the lefty after 119 pitches.

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