Behind Moose and Abreu Yanks Win 6-1

The Yankees split the four-game set with a 6-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at The Stadium tonight. The win improved the Yankees record to 4-3 on the year.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Tampa Bay	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	3	0
N.Y. Yankees	2	0	0	0	0	2	2	0	X		6	11	1

Mike Mussina looked great tonight, in six innings he allowed one run on just two hits and a walk, while striking out three. Mussina probably could have pitched another inning but Girardi felt 82 pitches were enough for Moose tonight. He did a very good job at keeping hitter off-balance and had a good curve and change, and a good enough fastball - between 84-88 MPH all night. His only mistake was a solo homer off the bat of Jonny Gomes in the 3rd.

Brian Bruney continues to impress and pitched a scoreless 7th. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the 8th and retired the Rays 1-2-3, with a strikeout along the way. Latroy Hawkins came into the game in the 9th and immediately was welcomed with "Paul O'Neill" chants from the Yankee faithful. And although he gave up a single and a walk, he was able to retire the Rays without giving up a run.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mussina (W, 1-1)	6.0	2	1	1	1	3	1	3.09
Bruney (H, 1)	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Farnsworth	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2.70
Hawkins	1.0	1	0	0	1	1	0	21.00

RAYS PITCHING

The Yankees scored their first two runs in the first inning; Johnny Damon led off the game with an opposite field single, Derek Jeter then reached on a fielders choice, and then Bobby Abreu stepped to the plate and lined a two-run homer just over the short porch in right.

Their third and fourth runs came in the bottom of the 6th inning; Abreu led off with a triple, Alex Rodriguez singled him in with a blooper over Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura. Hideki Matsui followed with an RBI double down the line to right scoring A-Rod. Robinson Cano was the next batter and did his job moving Matsui over to third, but that's where he stayed because Wilson Betemit struck out, and then following an intentional walk to Melky Cabrera, Jose Molina grounded into a fielder's choice.

The Yankees scored their fifth and sixth runs in the 7th on two two-out RBI singles, one by Matsui which plated Morgan Ensberg, and the other by Cano, his first RBI of the year.

The 6 runs and 11 hits are both season highs for the Yankees.

But the Yankees are still struggling to do the little things. I already mentioned the runner on 3rd with one out in the 6th that they couldn't bring home, and in the third inning Molina led off with a double, but Damon popped out to right and Ensberg popped to short center, then Abreu singled but Molina, who is not fleet of foot, and still at second, was unable to score. A-Rod then grounded out to third to end the inning. For this team to be as successful as they can be they're going to need to move runners over, steal bases, bunt, and hit and run. They cannot sit back and wait for the three-run home run.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	5	0	2	0	0	0	1	.185
Jeter, SS	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	.208
Ensberg, 1B	3	1	1	0	0	0	2	.250
Abreu, RF	3	3	3	2	1	0	0	.400
Rodriguez, 3B	4	1	1	1	0	1	4	.320
Matsui, DH	4	0	2	2	0	0	0	.375
Cano, 2B	4	0	1	1	0	0	1	.185
Betemit, 1B-SS	4	0	0	0	0	3	3	.111
Cabrera, CF	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	.286
Molina, C	4	0	1	0	0	1	2	.308
Totals	35	6	11	6	2	5	14
BATTING 2B: Molina (2, Hammel), Matsui (1, Hammel). 3B: Abreu (1, Hammel). HR: Abreu (1, 1st inning off Hammel, 1 on, 1 out). TB: Damon 2; Ensberg; Abreu 8; Rodriguez; Matsui 3; Cano; Molina 2. RBI: Abreu 2 (4), Rodriguez (5), Matsui 2 (6), Cano (1). 2-out RBI: Matsui; Cano. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez; Molina; Betemit. Team LOB: 7.

RAYS HITTING

CO-PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Bobby Abreu (3-for-3, 3B, HR, 2 RBI) and Mike Mussina (6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3K)

The Yankees start their first road trip of the year tomorrow when the go to Kansas City for the Royals home opener. Phil Hughes pitches for the Yankees and will go up against Brian Bannister. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. and the game can be seen on YES, and heard on WCBS 880.