BOSTON - The Red Sox can change closers, apparently, but the drama continues.
On Sunday, the Red Sox announced that Junichi Tazawa would return to the eighth inning set-up duties, having struggled mightily in the ninth inning in a couple of save opportunities in the last week.
Jean Machi, who had handled the ninth with aplomb Saturday when Tazawa was unavailable because of throwing 30 pitches the night before, was appointed the closer.
But Machi didn't look any more effective or comfortable in the role Monday night than Tazawa had -- even if the Sox ultimately held off the Yankees and walked away with a 4-3 win.
Machi got himself in trouble right away, with a single by Stephen Drew and a walk to Alex Rodriguez.
Machi caught Carlos Beltran looking at a called third strike for the first out, then had another spell of wildness, walking Brian McCann and then Chase Headley, the latter to force in a run.
With the Sox clinging to a one-run edge and the potential trying run on third and go-ahead run in scoring position, it became white knuckle time.
Boston Red Sox
But Machi battled back from a 3-and-1 count to get rookie Greg Bird on a called third strike and then retired Didi Gregorius on a long flyout to the warming track in right.
Everybody...exhale.
"Exciting...and rewarding, all in the same,'' concluded interim manager Torey Lovullo. "The ninth inning was very typical of some earlier innings that we were in and the trouble we were in and out of.''
Indeed, the Yankees stranded 14 baserunners over the night and left the bases loaded three times. It's hard to say whether that was poor situational hitting by New York or clutch pitching by the Red Sox.
Lovullo was nervous enough to get lefty Craig Breslow up in the ninth.
Breslow had come in Friday night to get the final out when Tazawa faltered with four walks, and it seemed as thought the veteran might be needed again.
"Jean's pitch count was getting up there and we wanted to just monitor workloads,'' said Lovullo. "We were going to let him get him through that to try to earn his save. But if there was a tie game, we were going to get Craig in the game because we wanted to protect the pitch count.''
In the end, Machi managed to keep Gregorius in the ballpark, with Rusney Castillo hauling in the ball right in front of the visitor's bullpen.
"Those last three outs of a game are hard to get,'' said Lovullo. "We kind of dumped him into that role recently and he's two-for-two in save opportunities. He's going to continue to get that opportunity. There might be situations where it will be a team effort. But for right now, we like what he's doing enough to give him the ball next time.''