NEW YORK, May 28 (UPI) -- After the Boston Red Sox rallied to tie the game with four runs in the ninth inning, Jorge Posada walked with the bases loaded in the bottom of the frame Wednesday night to give the New York Yankees a 6-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
The Red Sox thought they had Posada struck out on a 2-2 pitch with the bases loaded and one out, but plate umpire Joe West called the offering a ball. The next pitch by Brandon Lyon was low, scoring Hideki Matsui with the winning run.
Jason Varitek, the Red Sox catcher, swung his arm in anger and yelled at West before he walked toward the Red Sox dugout.
The controversial finish marred a rally by the Red Sox, who had just three hits in eight innings off Mike Mussina. But Varitek walked on four pitches to start the ninth and Johnny Damon followed with a single.
Yankees Manager Joe Torre turned to Mariano Rivera, but the star closer could not hold the 5-1 lead. Nomar Garciaparra highlighted the inning with a two-run single and Shea Hillenbrand and Bill Mueller each delivered two-out, RBI base hits.
But the Yankees gave Rivera (1-0) the win with a run in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to some shoddy fielding by the Red Sox and the controversial call by West.
Matsui doubled with one out, slashing an opposite field fly ball over the head of left fielder Manny Ramirez. Matsui raced all the way to third when Ramirez's relay throw eluded Garciaparra and rolled toward the Red Sox dugout.
Red Sox manager Grady Little then had Lyon (1-2) intentionally walk Alfonso Soriano, who hit his 16th home run of the season earlier in the game, and Jason Giambi to load the bases for Posada.
Posada drew a game-winning walk in the ninth inning of a win over the Red Sox here on July 21.
