(REUTERS/Scott Audette)| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| NYY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0 | |
| TB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
A.J. Burnett once again proved he has the ability to be a stopper on this staff tonight. For the second time this year he pitched following two straight Yankee losses and pitched great. Tonight he went eight innings, allowing just two runs on three hits, walked one and struck out nine. He threw 103 pitches on the night, 63 for strikes.
Burmett carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but allowed a leadoff single to Carl Crawford to end his no-hit bid. Following the hit to Crawford his lost his focus a bit, allowing singles to Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena. He then fell behind 3-0 on Pat Burrell, but thankfully Burrell bailed Burnett out by swinging at the 3-0 pitch. He hit a sac fly to right field to tie the game, but it was a very important out for Burnett. In my opinion it was the turning point in the game, if Burrell is patient there and takes a couple pitches, I don't know if we're celebrating a Yankees win right now, but thankfully he did, and we are. Burnett was then able to get out of the inning - thanks to a great pickoff from Jose Molina - without allowing another run, and then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth to end his night.
For the third time in a week Jorge Posada gave the Yankees a lead in the first inning. This time coming through with a sac-fly in the first to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead. They had the bases loaded with nobody out and should have scored more than just a run, but that doesn't take away from the importance of Posada's RBI.
The Yanks added a second run in the fourth on a solo homer off the bat of Nick Swisher. It was his fourth homer and 11th RBI of the year. It's pretty amazing how locked in he is right now. During the at-bat, Rays' starter Matt Garza threw a brushback pitch right at Swisher's head and it was great to see Swisher retaliate with a bomb into the right field seats.
Speaking of retaliation, let's go back to A.J. Burnett for a moment. In the following inning Evan Longoria was at the plate and Burnett knocked him down with a little chin music of his own. Was it on purpose? I think it was, and I hope it was. It's always good to see pitchers standing up for their teammates. Burnett struck out Longoria on the very next pitch.
After Burnett's rocky seventh, the Yankees came right back and regained the lead in the top half of the eighth. Brett Gardner doubled over the head of Crawford to start off the inning. Derek Jeter followed with a single to set up 1st and 3rd with nobody out, and Mark Teixeira drove in Gardner with a sac fly to give the Yanks a 3-2 lead.
An inning later the Yankees put the game away. Robinson Cano led off with a single, Melky Cabrera followed with a single of his own, and the Yankees had first and second with nobody out. Ramiro Pena failed to get a bunt down and was retired - this is a spot where he has to get that bunt down. Jose Molina then struck out and that left it up to Gardner and for the third time on the night he delivered. On a 1-2 he lined a ball over the head of B.J. Upton for a ground-rule double and the Yanks led 4-2. Jeter then came up and put the game away with a 3-run homer to right center to give the Yanks a 7-2 lead. It was Jeter's second homer of the year, and third hit on the night. Gardner and Jeter combined went 6-for-10 with a homer, two doubles, 4 RBI and 4 runs scored. Gardner also showed some power tonight as he twice lined balls over the outfielder's heads, both for doubles.
(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)Brian Bruney came on for the ninth inning and was lights-out, striking out the side on 10 pitches.
It was a very, very nice win for the Yanks tonight. Especially after the beating they took last night. Amazing what a little good starting pitching can do for you, huh?
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Gardner, CF | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .296 |
| Jeter, SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .265 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .211 |
| Swisher, LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .458 |
| Posada, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .304 |
| Cano, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .367 |
| Nady, RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .286 |
| Cabrera, M, RF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| Pena, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .250 |
| Molina, J, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .273 |
| Totals | 35 | 7 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 15 | |
| BATTING 2B: Swisher (4, Garza), Gardner 2 (3, Howell, Wheeler). HR: Swisher (4, 4th inning off Garza, 0 on, 0 out), Jeter (2, 9th inning off Wheeler, 2 on, 2 out). TB: Gardner 5; Jeter 6; Swisher 6; Cano; Nady; Cabrera, M. RBI: Posada (9), Swisher (11), Teixeira (3), Gardner (1), Jeter 3 (6). 2-out RBI: Gardner; Jeter 3. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Posada; Molina, J. SF: Posada; Teixeira. Team RISP: 3-for-9. Team LOB: 5. FIELDING Pickoffs: Molina, J (Pena, C at 1st base). | ||||||||
RAYS OFFENSE
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Burnett (W, 2-0) | 8.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 2.70 |
| Bruney | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4.15 |
RAYS PITCHING
PLAYER OF THE GAME: A.J. Burnett (8 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K)
HONORABLE MENTION: Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter: (Gardner: 3-for-5, 2 2B, RBI, 3 R | Jeter: 3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, R)
The Yanks look to take the series tomorrow afternoon in Tampa as Andy Pettitte makes his second start of the year. Andy Sonnanstine makes the start for the Rays. First pitch is set for 4:08 p.m., and the game will be on YES and WCBS 880.
13 Comments:
Great game from Gardner. He has had some clutch hits in his short career. Walkoff against Papplebon and Soria and now that 8th inning double was huge. The Rays tied the game and the momentum kind of shifted, than Gardner lead off double in the 8th set the tone.
Burnett was great, I also liked that he made Evan Longoria taste dirt after Garza threw one at Swisher's head.
AJ was nasty. He was making hitters look foolish all night, aside from them stringing together some contact in the 7th.
The pitch to Longoria, as opposed to Garza's chin music on Swish, wasn't even inside, it was just high. It did its job though, without risking injuring someone. Garza's pitch could have actually hit Swisher... I don't think it was on purpose, but either way I didn't like it. AJ sent a clear message to the Rays with not just that pitch but his overally performance.
If we can get Wang back on track, and the rotation stays healthy, look out.
Looks like Pena did a whole lot better than Ransom....NOT!!!
Can't say enough about A.J., every pitch had a purpose, I especially loved the chin music he gave Longoria then freezing him on the very next pitch for strike 3, BEAUTIFUL.....
I gotta say I was really skeptical of AJ, but I am starting to come around on him. My main worry was that he would be injuried which is obviously still a possability, but he has been lights out. I guess he isn't just one of those guys that pitches well on contract years.
Supoib pitchin' performance. What a pleasure to see AJ mowing them down. Oh, if we only get a few of our other starters to pitch nearly as well, we'll be on track. Great game!
Mike
Anonymous, it also looks like it was one game.
Mike B,
Let's see if Andy can follow up his great first outing with another one tonight. If he can, that mean that He, CC, Burnett, and Joba, all are coming off at least one solid start. With Wang being the only one trying to find himself. Not too bad considering where the Yankees staff was at this point last year.
If Wang can get rolling yankees can make a long winning streak going.
Yankees only really lost 1 game. The 3 other losses were because of terrible starting pitching.
what a pleasure it was to see AJ respond to Garza's pitch near Swisher's head.
That's was probably my favorite moment of the game. It was also great that he fanned him on the next pitch.
Here's a little minor breaking news: Longoria won't have to worry about any brushback pitches tonight, he will miss tonight's game to take care of a family matter in Cali. I'm glad he will be out, but I hope everything is OK with his family.
"what a pleasure it was to see AJ respond to Garza's pitch near Swisher's head."
Amen to that! It was nice indeed!
Mike
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