NEW YORK (AP) - David Ortiz was annoyed - with himself and New York Yankees rookie catcher Gary Sanchez.
Starting his final series at Yankee Stadium, Ortiz went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts and stranded seven runners as the Yankees beat the Red Sox 6-4 Tuesday night and delayed Boston from clinching the AL East.
Big Papi ended the game by fanning with two on when Tyler Clippard threw him a high, backdoor cutter. The 40-year-old slugger was succinct, saying, “that ain’t fun.”
Ortiz also didn’t like all the trips to the mound by Sanchez.
“They tricked me tonight. Too much talking between the pitcher and catcher,” Ortiz said. “I’ll trick them tomorrow.”
Despite a stellar season, Ortiz said before the game there is no way he will change his mind about retirement.
“My body is counting the days, let me tell you,” he said. “It’s hard to play baseball when you are 40. I’m not going to lie to you, it’s hard - especially when you’re looking everywhere around and everybody’s 20. You can be a dad.”
Ortiz is hitting .318 with a major league-leading 48 doubles, 37 homers and 124 RBIs. He hopes to earn a fourth World Series ring with the Red Sox.
“You often wonder why he’s retiring,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Gosh, the year he’s having, I would really have to think about coming back. But I’m going to encourage him to retire.”
Ortiz has homered six times against the Yankees this season. New York has planned a pregame ceremony for Thursday.
“Yankee Stadium, it might be my favorite place to hit, to play, regardless,” he said. “The dimensions are perfect for a left-handed power hitter. All the emotions, all the adrenaline, all the competition competing against the Yankees has been outstanding through the years.”
Ortiz has 53 regular-season homers against the Yankees, all but one with Boston, tied with Hank Greenberg for fourth behind Jimmie Foxx (70), Ted Williams (62) and Manny Ramirez (55). His 31 homers at the old and new ballpark in the Bronx are tied with Mickey Vernon for second-most among visiting players, one ahead of Williams and one behind Goose Goslin.
When he walked to the plate before flying out to center field in the first inning, Ortiz was greeted by a mixture of boos and cheers, with some fans rising to applaud.
“I think there will be a lot of respect paid for a guy who’s had some good moments in here,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said before the game, going on to compare this to the Fenway Park finales of Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. “Despite the rivalry, I think people appreciate baseball. They appreciate really talented players and I would expect David to receive a similar treatment.”
Ortiz has been booed at Yankee Stadium since he joined the Red Sox for the 2003 season. But the jeers got more intense as his career progressed and he helped the Red Sox overcome a 3-0 deficit against New York in the 2004 AL Championship Series, then won World Series titles that year and in 2007 and 2013.
“It got more powerful now,” he said. “They know me a little bit more now.”
Ortiz took notice that a fan launched a website, moonbigpapi.com, encouraging spectators at Ortiz’s Yankee Stadium finale on Thursday to moon the Boston star.
“Can you imagine?” Ortiz said, laughing. “If it happens, I’m going to make sure I got my cellphone in my back pocket.”
PRICE NOT RIGHT
David Price (17-9), who had won eight consecutive decisions, allowed home runs to Sanchez, Didi Gregorius and Tyler Austin, the last a two-run drive that broke a 4-all tie in the seventh.
“The bottom line on this one was mislocating in the strike zone,” Farrell said. “And those were pitches that they were able to capitalize on.”
Price gave up six runs and 12 hits - matching his season high. He is 1-3 with a 7.89 ERA against the Yankees this year.
“It’s not acceptable,” he said. “For our offense to score four runs, I feel like I should go out there and be able to win.”
WEB GEM
Right fielder Mookie Betts slid and while on his back, caught Chase Headley’s fly ball to short right in the sixth, then got up and doubled off Starlin Castro at first base.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz (sore left forearm) was scratched from Thursday’s start and will be replaced by LHP Henry Owens. The Red Sox hope Pomeranz can throw off a mound this week and assume a bullpen role. … Knuckeballer Steven Wright (right shoulder) threw a bullpen and is to throw another one Friday, probably in Boston.
UP NEXT
RHP Bryan Mitchell (1-2) is scheduled to start Wednesday night for New York against Boston RHP Clay Buchholz (8-10).
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