Cano's Blast Propels Yanks to Sweep

(REUTERS/Joe Giza)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
N.Y. Yankees	0	4	0	3	0	0	1	0	0		8	15	3
Baltimore	2	0	0	3	2	0	0	0	0		7	14	0

After the Yankees blew their 7-2 lead today I left my apartment to go for a drive. I just couldn't take much more of that game. Between the pitching, and the errors, and each inning lasting 40 minutes, the game was actually starting to make me hate baseball.

I was listening to music while in the car, but eventually I had to switch over to Sterling and Waldman to check out what was going on in the game. I turned it on during the commercial break in between the bottom of the 6th and top of the 7th. The game was still tied and Hideki Matsui was leading off the inning. He grounded out on the first pitch he saw and I considered switching back to music, but decided to stick with the game while the Yankees were batting. It turned out to be a pretty good decision. Robinson Cano was up next, and on a 0-1 pitch he gave the Yankees an 8-7 lead with a long solo-homer to center. Oh, and Sterling's call was actually pretty good.

I listened to the rest of the game, and as you know the Yanks were able to hold on and complete a sweep of the O's. I understand that blowing a 7-2 lead is never good, especially to a last place team, but at least they were able to get the win.

Unlike his start in Toronto, Rasner was very ineffective today. he had trouble locating his pitches, and got himself into a jam in every inning. He threw 98 pitches in 3.1 innings, and I don't have to tell you that that is far too many pitches.

But it wasn't his entire fault, because he could have had an easy 4th inning if his defense didn't let him down. With nobody on and one out, Brian Roberts hit what should have been a routine ground out, but Jeter booted it and Roberts reached safely. The next batter, Nick Markakis, lined a ball that could probably have been caught, and at most should have been a single, but Nady misplayed the ball and allowed it to get past him, Roberts scored all the way from first, and Markakis was standing on second base. The inning should have been over, but instead the O's had a runner on second with a run in and still only one out.

David Robertson and Edwar Ramirez did not do the job in relief today. Both allowed a run on two hits in an inning an a third. Ramirez also allowed a game-tying two-run homer off the bat Brian Roberts with two out in the 5th. Jose Veras also had a rough outing, allowing two hits in just 0.1 of an inning.

On the other hand, Damaso Marte and Mariano Rivera were both very good. They each threw 1.1 scoreless innings, Marte struck out three, and Mo struck out two. Rivera also picked up his 31st save of the season.

No complaints about the offense today, how can you complain about 8 runs on 15 hits? Cano had four hits, including that homer, two RBI, and two runs scored. Damon added two hits, including a three-run homer in the second that gave the Yankees a 4-2 lead. Nady and A-Rod also had two hits apiece, and Nady drove in two runs with a double in the 4th.

Boston won today so the Yanks remain five games behind them heading into the big three-game series at The Stadium this week. Chicago beat Tampa so the Yanks moved to within 9.5 of the Rays in the division. Minnesota also lost so they are now in second place in the Wild Card, 1 game behind Boston.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, CF	6	2	2	3	0	0	3	.312
Jeter, SS	5	0	0	0	0	0	2	.293
Abreu, RF	4	1	3	0	1	0	0	.297
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	1	2	0	1	0	1	.312
Giambi, 1B	4	0	0	1	0	0	5	.250
Ransom, 1B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.000
Nady, LF	5	1	2	2	0	2	1	.328
Matsui, DH	4	1	1	0	1	0	1	.311
Cano, 2B	5	2	4	2	0	1	0	.269
Rodriguez, I, C	4	0	1	0	1	0	4	.284
Totals	40	8	15	8	4	3	17
BATTING 2B: Cano 2 (26, Cabrera, D, Cabrera, D), Nady (32, Cabrera, D), Abreu (34, Cherry). HR: Damon (9, 2nd inning off Cabrera, D, 2 on, 1 out), Cano (12, 7th inning off Walker, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Damon 5; Abreu 4; Rodriguez, A 2; Nady 3; Matsui; Cano 9; Rodriguez, I. RBI: Cano 2 (58), Damon 3 (55), Giambi (77), Nady 2 (80). 2-out RBI: Nady 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Giambi; Rodriguez, I 2; Matsui; Damon. SF: Giambi. GIDP: Giambi. Team LOB: 11.

ORIOLES OFFENSE

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Rasner	3.1	8	5	3	2	2	2	5.03
Robertson	1.1	2	1	1	0	1	0	6.00
Ramirez (W, 4-1)	1.1	2	1	1	1	1	1	3.66
Veras (H, 9)	0.1	2	0	0	0	1	0	2.70
Marte (H, 21)	1.1	0	0	0	1	3	0	4.34
Rivera (S, 31)	1.1	0	0	0	1	2	0	1.53

ORIOLES PITCHING

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Robinson Cano (4-for-5, 2 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R)

HONORABLE MENTION: Johnny Damon (2-for-6, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)

The Yankeess are off tomorrow before beginning a huge three-game series at The Stadium against the Wild Card leading Red Sox on Tuesday. Andy Pettitte will start the opener for the Yanks, and he will face knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. First Pitch: 7:05 - TV: MY9 - Radio: WCBS 880