Saturday, June 20, 2009

Pettitte Throws Seven Strong In Yanks 5-1 Win

(Sorry for the delay. There has been problems with
blogger all day and I couldn't post this until now. )

(REUTERS/Hans Deryk)


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
R H E
NYY 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 13 1
FLA 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 3 0

Winning pitcher - Andy Pettitte (7-3)
Losing pitcher - Sean West (2-2)

Andy Pettitte got the Yankees off to a great start on this nine-game trip with a gem tonight leading the Yanks to a 5-1 win over the Marlins. In 7 innings he allowed just 1 run on 3 hits, walked none, struck out 7, and threw 66 of his 108 pitches. His one mistake was a solo homer off the bat of Cody Ross in bottom of the third.

He now has a 2.35 ERA in six starts away from the new stadium, and clearly liked pitching away from his new home. “I might have given up three or four (home runs) tonight at home,” Pettitte said (via Peter Abraham). “For the most part, that’s it right there. I’ve given up a few more long balls at Yankee Stadium. … I need to figure something out at home.”

Jorge Posada gave Pettitte a 1-0 lead before he threw a pitch when he lined an RBI single in the top of the first. Pettitte then helped his own cause when he lined an RBI double down the left field line in the top of the second. Angel Berroa, who was playing for the "fatigued" Alex Rodriguez (will miss two games), and Johnny Damon also picked up RBI's in the inning. Berroa also made a nice play at third.

The Yanks added one more run in the third when Melky Cabrera smacked his seventh homer of the year, he had eight homers all of last season. That would be the last run they'd score even though they had base runners on in four of the last six innings, but each time failed to tac on any runs. It didn't matter, though, because Pettitte and the bullpen shut the Marlins down.

Brian Bruney pitched a perfect eighth, including one strikeout. He hit 95 on the gun and it looks like he's throwing the ball very well. Brett Tomko then pitched a scoreless ninth to finish off the win.

A.J. Burnett starts for the Yankees tomorrow in game two of this three-game set. He will be facing Marlins' ace Josh Johnson. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. and the game will be on YES and WCBS.


AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Jeter, SS 4 1 2 0 1 0 1 .308
Damon, LF 5 0 2 1 0 2 2 .283
Teixeira, 1B 5 0 2 0 0 1 3 .286
Posada, C 4 0 2 1 1 1 4 .289
Swisher, RF 5 0 1 0 0 1 3 .243
Cano, 2B 4 1 1 0 1 1 2 .310
Cabrera, M, CF 3 1 1 1 2 0 1 .287
Berroa, 3B 4 1 1 1 0 2 5 .150
Pettitte, P 3 1 1 1 0 1 3 .333
a-Matsui, PH 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .249
Bruney, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Tomko, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 37 5 13 5 6 9 24

a-Walked for Pettitte in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Jeter (13, West), Berroa (1, West), Pettitte (1, West), Swisher (16, West).
HR: Cabrera, M (7, 3rd inning off West, 0 on, 2 out).
TB: Jeter 3; Damon 2; Teixeira 2; Posada 2; Swisher 2; Cano; Cabrera, M 4; Berroa 2; Pettitte 2.
RBI: Posada (29), Berroa (1), Pettitte (1), Damon (40), Cabrera, M (28).
2-out RBI: Cabrera, M.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Posada 3; Pettitte 2; Berroa.
GIDP: Swisher 2; Jeter.
Team RISP: 5-for-14.
Team LOB: 11.

FIELDING
E: Jeter (3, throw).


IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Pettitte (W, 7-3) 7.0 3 1 1 0 7 1 4.26
Bruney 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.61
Tomko 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.11

MARLINS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Andy Pettitte (W, 7 IP, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K and an RBI double and a run scored)

HONORABLE MENTION: Jorge Posada (2-for-4, RBI, BB)

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees @ Marlins
Game Time: 7:10 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
RHP A.J. Burnett (5-3, 4.46 ERA) vs. RHP Josh Johnson (6-1, 2.76 ERA)

4 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Great job by Andy tonight. Only one thing he needs to work out in his head:

“I might have given up three or four (home runs) tonight at home,” Pettitte said (via Peter Abraham). “For the most part, that’s it right there. I’ve given up a few more long balls at Yankee Stadium. … I need to figure something out at home.”

That's crazy talk. First off, there was only one ball that was remotely near being a home run, and that was the fly out to dead center that Melky caught on the run. No other fly ball came close, and Yankee Stadium is far deeper in left field than proplayer/marlins/dolphins/landshark.

The reason he only allowed 1 run today is because he located his pitches, didn't walk anyone, got ahead of hitters, etc. He had a fastball that was up to 89-90, good change up and cutter/slider/curve. This had nothing to do with being away from the stadium.

This leads me to believe Pettitte is afraid to make a mistake at the stadium, and therefore has a mental block pitching there. Hopefully he realizes that regardless of where you pitch, you can dominate a lineup if you throw the ball the way he did tonight in Fla.

Anonymous said...

I tired of yankee pitchers making excuses for there poor performances. It is either the catcher, or the stadium or its the umpires squeezing them. The pitchers got a nice gig they cant be blamed for there bad pitching its always something.

Also yankee's won many games by hitting cheaper homeruns. Melky homer off CJ Wilson, A-Rod homer off Lidge, and some of Jeter and Damon homers would of never went out at the old stadium.

daneptizl said...

CC goes on Sunday and Burnett today. I don't know what's up with the 5:00 start time on Sunday though.

Greg Cohen said...

That's right Dane, my mistake.

Anon, you're right, Pettitte saved himself by not walking people. And I agree, Pettitte is afraid of pitching in the new stadium.