(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| TB | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | |
| NYY | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | X | 4 | 6 | 1 |
Winning pitcher - Alfredo Aceves (4-1)
Losing pitcher - Grant Balfour (2-1)
SV - Mariano Rivera (13)
Just 24 hours after getting beat up by the Rays for the second straight time, Mariano Rivera had the chance to redeem himself, and did just that in an easy 1-2-3 ninth inning. It was also fitting that he retired Evan Longoria - the player at the heart of yesterday's minor controversy - for the final out. It was an "I told you so" to manager Joe Girardi, or at least that's how YES tried to play it off at the end of the game. Too bad the two situations couldn't have been more different. The two main differences were that Mo was getting knocked around the yard yesterday and had to work a lot just to get to Longoria and today needed just ten pitches to get through the inning, and most importantly, Mo had his cutter today and yesterday he didn't. Anyway, none of that media driven nonsense matters, what does matter is that Mo looked great and the Yanks won the game after another late-inning rally.
Trailing 3-1 with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira singled off Grant Balfour. Then Alex Rodriguez to load the bases and that would be it for Balfour. J.P. Howell came in and he walked Robinson Cano to drive in Damon and cut the Rays lead to 3-2. Howell then got Jorge Posada to hit a grounder to third for what should have been a 5-5-3 inning-ending doubleplay, but Willy Aybar booted it, everyone was safe, and the game was now tied. Hideki Matsui was next, and he hit a chopper up the middle, another potential doubleplay ball, but somehow he beat the return throw to first and the Yanks had the lead. Two balls that could and have probably should have ended the inning, but that Yanks now led. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, today's bottom of the eighth was one of those times. Today was the fifth time this season that the Yankees came back to win a game after trailing after seven innings, exceeding their total for all of the 2008 season.
Joba Chamberlain had started today's game, and pitched very well through the first five, allowed just a run on two hits. The run coming on a B.J. Upton double in the top of the third. The Yanks immediately tied the game when Nick Swisher hit a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning. Joba sailed through the next two inning, but he ran into some trouble in the sixth when for no apparent reason he lost his fastball.
Joba struck out Carl Crawford to start the inning, but then allowed two straight singles to Aybar and Carlos Pena. Ben Zobrist then lined a ball that had two-run double written all over, but Melky Cabrera made a nice running grab for the second out of the inning. Joba then walked Matt Joyce to load the bases for Gabe Gross. After getting ahead on the count 2-1, Gross hit a groundball single up the middle to score both Aybar and Pena and the Rays led 3-1. Joba then struck out Dinoer Navarro to end the inning, but the damage was done.
All in all it was an OK start for Joba, not good, but not terrible either. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked one and struck out four in six innings - a "quality start," if you actually take that stat seriously - I don't. He threw 96 pitches, 56 for strikes. He had thrown just 66 pitches heading into the sixth, but the 30-pitch inning killed him. The velocity on his fastball was down from his previous start. Today his fastball averaged 92.03 mph, and maxing out at 95.4, while last start he averaged 93.91 and maxed out at 97.6. His breaking stuff was good, but not great.
Alfredo Aceves had another great outing out of the pen, proving once more that while Brian Bruney is on the shelf he has to be the setup guy. He's the most reliable guy out there not named Mariano. In two innings he allowed no runs on one hit, did not walk a batter and struck out four, he threw 33 pitches, 21 for strikes. He also picked up his fourth win of the year.
There was a moment in the game that I've seen a lot of people complaining about. The Yankees had men on 1st and 2nd with nobody out in the fifth and Jeter at the plate, Girardi had Jeter bunt, but he was unable to get the bunt down and a eventually grounded into a force. The Yanks ended up not scoring in the inning and a lot of people are questioning Girardi's decision to have Jeter bunt. I really didn't have a problem with this, especially because Jeter is a very good bunter, bangs into doubleplays a lot, and Matt Garza is tough to score off of. I don't think letting him swing away would have been a bad move either, I just understand Girardi's thinking. What did you think about this play?
With Boston's 6-3 loss to the Rangers today, the Yankees are back on top of the AL East, a half game ahead of the Sox.
Andy Pettitte has struggled a lot at home this year, going 2-1, with a 5.79 ERA, but looks to put those ugly numbers behind him when he takes the mound in tomorrow's rubber game in The Bronx. Andy Sonnanstine will start for Tampa. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and the game can be seen on YES and heard on WCBS 880.
Trailing 3-1 with one out in the bottom of the eighth, Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira singled off Grant Balfour. Then Alex Rodriguez to load the bases and that would be it for Balfour. J.P. Howell came in and he walked Robinson Cano to drive in Damon and cut the Rays lead to 3-2. Howell then got Jorge Posada to hit a grounder to third for what should have been a 5-5-3 inning-ending doubleplay, but Willy Aybar booted it, everyone was safe, and the game was now tied. Hideki Matsui was next, and he hit a chopper up the middle, another potential doubleplay ball, but somehow he beat the return throw to first and the Yanks had the lead. Two balls that could and have probably should have ended the inning, but that Yanks now led. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, today's bottom of the eighth was one of those times. Today was the fifth time this season that the Yankees came back to win a game after trailing after seven innings, exceeding their total for all of the 2008 season.
Joba Chamberlain had started today's game, and pitched very well through the first five, allowed just a run on two hits. The run coming on a B.J. Upton double in the top of the third. The Yanks immediately tied the game when Nick Swisher hit a solo homer in the bottom half of the inning. Joba sailed through the next two inning, but he ran into some trouble in the sixth when for no apparent reason he lost his fastball.
Joba struck out Carl Crawford to start the inning, but then allowed two straight singles to Aybar and Carlos Pena. Ben Zobrist then lined a ball that had two-run double written all over, but Melky Cabrera made a nice running grab for the second out of the inning. Joba then walked Matt Joyce to load the bases for Gabe Gross. After getting ahead on the count 2-1, Gross hit a groundball single up the middle to score both Aybar and Pena and the Rays led 3-1. Joba then struck out Dinoer Navarro to end the inning, but the damage was done.
All in all it was an OK start for Joba, not good, but not terrible either. He allowed three runs on five hits, walked one and struck out four in six innings - a "quality start," if you actually take that stat seriously - I don't. He threw 96 pitches, 56 for strikes. He had thrown just 66 pitches heading into the sixth, but the 30-pitch inning killed him. The velocity on his fastball was down from his previous start. Today his fastball averaged 92.03 mph, and maxing out at 95.4, while last start he averaged 93.91 and maxed out at 97.6. His breaking stuff was good, but not great.
Alfredo Aceves had another great outing out of the pen, proving once more that while Brian Bruney is on the shelf he has to be the setup guy. He's the most reliable guy out there not named Mariano. In two innings he allowed no runs on one hit, did not walk a batter and struck out four, he threw 33 pitches, 21 for strikes. He also picked up his fourth win of the year.
There was a moment in the game that I've seen a lot of people complaining about. The Yankees had men on 1st and 2nd with nobody out in the fifth and Jeter at the plate, Girardi had Jeter bunt, but he was unable to get the bunt down and a eventually grounded into a force. The Yanks ended up not scoring in the inning and a lot of people are questioning Girardi's decision to have Jeter bunt. I really didn't have a problem with this, especially because Jeter is a very good bunter, bangs into doubleplays a lot, and Matt Garza is tough to score off of. I don't think letting him swing away would have been a bad move either, I just understand Girardi's thinking. What did you think about this play?
With Boston's 6-3 loss to the Rangers today, the Yankees are back on top of the AL East, a half game ahead of the Sox.
Andy Pettitte has struggled a lot at home this year, going 2-1, with a 5.79 ERA, but looks to put those ugly numbers behind him when he takes the mound in tomorrow's rubber game in The Bronx. Andy Sonnanstine will start for Tampa. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m., and the game can be seen on YES and heard on WCBS 880.
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Jeter, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .307 |
| Damon, LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .300 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .286 |
| Rodriguez, A, 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .255 |
| Cano, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .300 |
| Posada, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .306 |
| Matsui, DH | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .249 |
| 1-Berroa, PR-DH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .133 |
| Swisher, RF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| Gardner, CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .265 |
| Cabrera, M, CF-RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | .303 |
| Totals | 31 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 16 | |
1-Ran for Matsui in the 8th. | ||||||||
BATTING 2B: Damon (14, Garza). HR: Swisher (11, 3rd inning off Garza, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Damon 3; Teixeira; Rodriguez, A; Posada; Swisher 4. RBI: Swisher (33), Cano (34), Posada (27), Matsui (23). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Matsui; Teixeira 3; Cabrera, M 2. Team RISP: 0-for-9. Team LOB: 8. FIELDING E: Posada (3, throw). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Chamberlain | 6.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3.79 |
| Aceves, A (W, 4-1) | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2.70 |
| Rivera (S, 13) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.33 |
RAYS STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Nick Swisher (1-for-2, HR, 2 BB, RBI, R
HONORABLE MENTION: Alfredo Aceves (W, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K)
Tomorrow's Game
Yankees vs. Rays
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
LHP Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33 ERA) vs. RHP Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07 ERA)
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
LHP Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33 ERA) vs. RHP Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07 ERA)
11 Comments:
Any chance we see Hughes tomorrow? Or do you think Giardi will try and save him for Wednesday when Wang makes his start against Boston?
I think he'll save him for Wang's start. It really depends on what Pettitte does, though.
Great sign for Joba he didn't have his electric stuff like last game and he still gave a quality start. If he didn't lose his command in the 6th he would of went atleast 7 or maybe 8.
Also I would like to see Hughes in the 8th tommorow and see what he got. I bet he throws his fastball 95-96 and he got a good curve.I think he could be very sucuessful in that role.
Girardi has options for the start with Wang he can use Tomko to give him 3 or 4 innings.
I think Hughes would also pitch very well out of the pen. Although I don't know about 95-96 mph.
Dont think Wang is ready for the rotation just yet. Rather see Hughes start against Boston. That being said, a win tomm against the Rays would give us nice momentum heading into Fenway
I don't like Wang starting against the Sox either.
Yeah it is a stupid decision starting Wang in Boston. First of all Wang has 80 pitch count. We will be in the bullpen by the 5th. If the yanks dont win the Burnett start on Tuesday we are in the trouble.
One more thing is Andy Pettitte needs to atleast pitch 7 innings tommorow. I doubt Aceves is available tommorow. Also probably no Mariano I dont think Joe would use Mariano for the third day in a row right before the Boston series.
Red sox do have an off day tommorow so there pen will be rested.
I'm perfectly fine with Wang being in the rotation and Girardi sticking with him in Fenway.
He's been our ace for the past few seasons. He was showing good stuff out of the pen and he really didn't pitch all too poorly against the Rangers.
He's an ace pitcher. Throw him in there and let 'em do his thing. And he's had success in Boston, so it shouldn't be intimidating.
Vicente Padilla FTW... who'da thunk it?
Greg: On the Jeter / bunt question. I thought for sure Girardi pinch runs with Gardner for Swisher after he goes to first. You were only at best taking one AB from him and Gardner is going in for defense anyway in the 8th / 9th. It would have been nice to have had Gardner especially the way things worked out. If hes on second and Jeter bunting or squaring he has a very good chance of stealing third or keeping the 3b away from fielding the bunt.
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