Return of the walk-off

They had a baseball-best 15 of them last year but none until tonight.

“I think that’s the feeling we had all of last year,” Alex Rodriguez said. “No matter what, we feel like we have a chance to win every game at home. We like playing here and until the last out is collected we feel like we’re going to win the game.”

A-Rod launched an absolute rocket into the Red Sox bullpen in left-center to tie it at 9, a two-run shot off Jonathan Papelbon that sent the Stadium crowd into hysterics.

After Francisco Cervelli got hit, Marcus Thames slammed one into the seats in left for a the game-winner.

"Just happy to get a pitch and drive it," Thames said. "Haven't been hitting the ball that hard all season. I told K-Long I had to work on something and I did some stuff in the cage today. I didn't chase anything in that last at bat and it paid off for me." 

In his previous at bat against Daniel Bard in the eighth inning, Thames felt he chased in striking out.

"I just said [to myself], get a fastball and don't miss it," Thames said. "And don't chase anything like I did against Bard. He left one right there in my wheelhouse and I didn't miss it." 

As for Phil Hughes, who came in unbeaten with a 1.38 ERA, he allowed five runs and six hits in five innings, an inevitably subpar performance considering the way his season started.

He wasn't pleased with his fastball location and was especially irritated at not better protecting the 5-0 lead he got in the bottom of the first.

“Not good,” Hughes said. “It was tough. It seemed like they kept on fouling off pitches, a lot of long at bats. It seemed like I couldn’t really put guys away. And then to blow the lead like I did is pretty embarrassing.”

But, on a night Rodriguez and Thames provided ninth-inning heroics, Hughes' off night became a mere footnote.

Back at it tomorrow night as CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.71) takes on Josh Beckett (1-1, 7.46).