Youk's Walkoff Homer Completes Comeback

Now that's the way to open the 2009 version of The Rivalry. What a crazy game and a great ending.

For 8 1/2 innings this one looked it would go down as one of the most frustrating losses in recent memory. Then J-Bay blasted a 2-run moon shot off Mariano Rivera with 2 outs in the 9th to tie it, and Youk hit bomb over the Monster in the 11th to give the Sox a 5-4 win over the Yankees.

Even though it's only April, this had to be a tough loss for New York.

BOX SCORE: Red Sox 5, Yankees 4, 11 inn.

They were in total control after the Sox couldn't cash in on chance after chance all night. The Red Sox hit into four double plays in the first five innings and squandered two bases-loaded opportunities against Joba Chamberlain.

David Ortiz and J.D. had particularly bad games. Drew was 0-for-4, hit into two double plays, left seven men on base and couldn't come up with a running catch on a fly ball that led to the Yankees taking a 4-2 lead in the 7th.

Ortiz continued to flounder at the plate, going 1-for-6 with four strikeouts while looked really bad all night. The word is he's lost his bat speed. If that's the case, he may not be able to come out of this slump.

Despite all this, the Sox were still in the game. There were some grrat plays along the way -- Mike Lowell's spectacular diving catch in the 5th and Jason Bay's diving catch in the 7th that saved a run.

Manny Delcarmen allowed the Sox to stay within striking distance by cleaning up Hideki Okajima's bases-loaded no outs mess in the 7th.

Dustin Pedoria started a 4-2-3 double play in the 9th when the Yankees were threatening to break the game open with the bases loaded and no outs again.

Dustin also made an unbelievable diving stop on Derek Jeter's drive up the middle in the 10th that saved the game.

Bay's smash off Rivera will be one that's remembered for a long time. It looked like a Jim Rice bomb from back in the late '70s. The Sox need to lock up Bay now, just like they did Youk and Dustin.

Youk was on base all night too and is the early-season MVP at this point.

If the next 17 games against the Yankees are anything like this one, we're in for quite a season.