(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| TEX | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | |
| NYY | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | X | 12 | 13 | 1 |
Winning pitcher - A.J. Burnett (4-2)
Losing pitcher - Vicente Padilla (3-3)
The Yankees started their homestand in fine fashion tonight with a 12-3 drubbing of the American League West leading Texas Rangers. With the win the Yankees are now 31-21, a season-high ten games over .500, and have the best record in the American League.
A.J. Burnett started for the Bombers threw a very solid seven innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits, walked one, and struck out three. He threw 110 pitches on the night, 71 for strikes.
The three runs all came in the bottom of the third, when he totally lost his curveball. He had to throw fastball after fastball and the Rangers made him pay. With two out he walked Michael Young, and then Hank Blalock doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with two away. Nelson Cruz then launched a three-run homer. The Yankees had been leading 2-0 at the time and the homer gave Texas a 3-2 lead. Texas would get two more hits before Burnett was able to get Chris Davis to fly out to the wall in straight away center field. David just missed hitting a three-run homer.
I didn't think Burnett was going to settle down, but he did, and ended up giving the Yankees seven strong innings. It was his fourth win of the year.
The Rangers carried that 3-2 lead into the fourth, but that's when the Yanks blew the game open. Melky Cabrera walked and moved to second on a sac bunt by Brett Gardner. Derek Jeter and the Yanks had two on with one out. Johnny Damon followed with an RBI single tying the game at one. That brought Mark Teixeira to the plate for what turned out to be the turning point in the game.
Vincente Padilla's first pitch to Teixeira hit him in the thigh, it was the second time Padilla hit Teixeira in the game. After the game, Teixeira explained that Padilla has been throwing at him for years. When Teixeira was a rookie he homered off Padilla in his first two at-bats against him, in the third at-bat Padilla hit Teixeira, and he's been throwing at him ever since. It's safe to say that Teixeira wasn't happy.
Alex Rodriguez was then up and hit what could have been a double play ball, but Teixeira came in with a hard takeout slide into shortstop Elvis Andrus and A-Rod beat the return throw to first. The run scored and the Yankees led 4-3.
(REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine)
I love that kind of hard play, and clearly so did the Yankees who were clearly fired up. Not only could you see how pumped they were in the dugout, but their bat erupted as well. They would go on to score five more runs in the inning; Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada hit back-to-back RBI singles, and Hideki Matsui capped off the inning with a three-run homer. They added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth on another three-run homer, this one off the bat of Posada.
In the top of the fifth Burnett threw a 1-1 fastball above Nelson Cruz's head. He then went on to strike him out. I'd say that was good enough payback. Good to see Burnett stand up for his teammate, it's just another sign of how close that clubhouse is. It's also not the first time he's done something like this, remember when he dusted Evan Longoria in the game in Tampa after Garza threw up and in to Swisher?
Brett Tomko and Jose Veras both pitched 1-2-3 innings in relief to finish off the game for the Yanks. Yes, Jose Veras pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
It was a big night for Derek Jeter who went 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 16 straight games (he's also had seven straight multi-hit games), and scored the 1,500th run of his career.
Jorge Posada had a very good game, picking up three hits a homer and four RBI, but he also committed the Yankees first error in 19 games ending their errorless streak. At least they already broke the MLB-record.
Andy Pettitte says his back is good to go for tomorrow night's game against the Rangers. Scott Feldman will make the start for the Rangers.
A.J. Burnett started for the Bombers threw a very solid seven innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits, walked one, and struck out three. He threw 110 pitches on the night, 71 for strikes.
The three runs all came in the bottom of the third, when he totally lost his curveball. He had to throw fastball after fastball and the Rangers made him pay. With two out he walked Michael Young, and then Hank Blalock doubled to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with two away. Nelson Cruz then launched a three-run homer. The Yankees had been leading 2-0 at the time and the homer gave Texas a 3-2 lead. Texas would get two more hits before Burnett was able to get Chris Davis to fly out to the wall in straight away center field. David just missed hitting a three-run homer.
I didn't think Burnett was going to settle down, but he did, and ended up giving the Yankees seven strong innings. It was his fourth win of the year.
The Rangers carried that 3-2 lead into the fourth, but that's when the Yanks blew the game open. Melky Cabrera walked and moved to second on a sac bunt by Brett Gardner. Derek Jeter and the Yanks had two on with one out. Johnny Damon followed with an RBI single tying the game at one. That brought Mark Teixeira to the plate for what turned out to be the turning point in the game.
Vincente Padilla's first pitch to Teixeira hit him in the thigh, it was the second time Padilla hit Teixeira in the game. After the game, Teixeira explained that Padilla has been throwing at him for years. When Teixeira was a rookie he homered off Padilla in his first two at-bats against him, in the third at-bat Padilla hit Teixeira, and he's been throwing at him ever since. It's safe to say that Teixeira wasn't happy.
Alex Rodriguez was then up and hit what could have been a double play ball, but Teixeira came in with a hard takeout slide into shortstop Elvis Andrus and A-Rod beat the return throw to first. The run scored and the Yankees led 4-3.
(REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine)In the top of the fifth Burnett threw a 1-1 fastball above Nelson Cruz's head. He then went on to strike him out. I'd say that was good enough payback. Good to see Burnett stand up for his teammate, it's just another sign of how close that clubhouse is. It's also not the first time he's done something like this, remember when he dusted Evan Longoria in the game in Tampa after Garza threw up and in to Swisher?
Brett Tomko and Jose Veras both pitched 1-2-3 innings in relief to finish off the game for the Yanks. Yes, Jose Veras pitched a 1-2-3 inning.
It was a big night for Derek Jeter who went 3-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 16 straight games (he's also had seven straight multi-hit games), and scored the 1,500th run of his career.
Jorge Posada had a very good game, picking up three hits a homer and four RBI, but he also committed the Yankees first error in 19 games ending their errorless streak. At least they already broke the MLB-record.
Andy Pettitte says his back is good to go for tomorrow night's game against the Rangers. Scott Feldman will make the start for the Rangers.
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Jeter, SS | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .319 |
| Swisher, 1B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .236 |
| Damon, LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .301 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .279 |
| a-Pena, PH-SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .239 |
| Rodriguez, A, 3B | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | .250 |
| b-Berroa, PH-3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .133 |
| Cano, 2B | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .310 |
| Posada, C | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .313 |
| Matsui, DH | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .268 |
| Cabrera, M, RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .314 |
| Gardner, CF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .270 |
| Totals | 35 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 18 | |
a-Flied out for Teixeira in the 7th. b-Grounded out for Rodriguez, A in the 7th. | ||||||||
BATTING HR: Matsui (8, 4th inning off Holland, 2 on, 2 out), Posada (7, 6th inning off Madrigal, 2 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 3; Damon; Cano 2; Posada 6; Matsui 5; Cabrera, M; Gardner. RBI: Gardner (9), Damon (32), Rodriguez, A (20), Cano (32), Posada 4 (25), Matsui 3 (22). 2-out RBI: Gardner; Cano; Posada; Matsui 3. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Rodriguez, A 2; Damon. S: Gardner. Team RISP: 6-for-14. Team LOB: 8. FIELDING E: Posada (2, throw). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Burnett (W, 4-2) | 7.0 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4.69 |
| Tomko | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.38 |
| Veras | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.65 |
RANGERS STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Derek Jeter (16-game hitting streak, 1,500th run of his career, three hits.)
HONORABLE MENTION: Jorge Posada (3-for-5, HR, 4 RBI, 2 R - would have been POTG but made three terrible throws to second and committed the Yankees first error in 19 games. Sorry Jorge.)
Tomorrow's Game
Yankees vs. Rangers
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
LHP Andy Pettitte (5-1, 4.10 ERA) vs. RHP Scott Feldman (4-0, 3.91 ERA)
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS 880
LHP Andy Pettitte (5-1, 4.10 ERA) vs. RHP Scott Feldman (4-0, 3.91 ERA)
7 Comments:
Padilla may have a history with Tex, but he threw chin music at Cano, A-Rod and Jeter too. I can't stand the guy.
True, but in a way these things can turn out to be very good for a team. Remember when Armando Benitez drilled Tino in '98? That and the ensuing fight brought that team together. This team is already pretty tight, but this just reinforces what was already there.
Padilla is scared of The TEX
Greg,
This team does seem to be pretty close. You ever read Kimberly Jones' blog? She has a lot of good stories about bets and contests and all sorts of competitions between these guys. They seem to be pretty close to each other. Also, you think Posada may have finally given Veras a little kick in the ass he needed to get his confidence back up?
-G
Absolutely agree with last post- Posada will only help Veras get straightened out. Any one else notice how fly balls to the corner (especially RF) that always seemed to drop over the past few years are now being caught. I love Melky in right and Gardner in center
My friend and I were discussing that last night. Love Abreu as a hitter but a few balls last night might have fallen on him and made the game closer putting more pressure on Burnett. We can now have a centerfielder in right or left field and centerfield when the gardner/melky platoon is on the field. Very good look for this team.
-G
G,
I've heard her blog is a good read, I gotta check it out.
I do think Posada did give Veras a kick in the butt, I just hope Veras remembers it during his next outing.
Also, the fact that Nick Swisher is a more efficient defensive player should tell you all you need to know about Abreu's defense.
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