(REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine)| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| TOR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 1 | |
| NYY | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | R | H | E | ||
| TOR | 0 | 0 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 3 | 14 | 1 | |
| NYY | 0 | 1 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 4 | 7 | 0 |
WP - Chad Gaudin (5-10)
LP - Shawn Camp (1-6)
When the Yankees are playing a close game in the late innings of a game, you just feel like they're going to win now. All year, they just have been able to win big games like this. The story is going to be Cano's big clutch hit but first lets give some mention to the other guys that put Cano in a chance to win it in the bottom of the eleventh inning.
The game started off rather ominously for the Yankees. A.J. Burnett got into and out of trouble in the top of the inning with some of the control problems we saw earlier in the year. The real scary part came in the Yankees half of the inning when Derek Jeter got hit by a pitch in the foot. He remained in the game but was visibly in pain and would be pulled later. Instead of charging the mound and tackling the pitcher, Jeter decided to just take his base. After a double by Damon he would score on a ground out hit by Jorge Posada. Already more than they got for A.J. for the first nine innings of his last start.
After this, the two teams would trade solo homers. The Jays bounced back as soon as the second started with A.J. giving a homer to career minor leaguer, Randy Ruiz. Damon would give the Yanks back the lead with a shot to right in the third, and Cano would hit a homer in the fourth, as well. A.J. was cruising through five and things looked pretty good. The trouble hit in his last inning when control problems bit him again. Vernon Wells grounded out to start the inning very innocently. Burnett seemed to lose it after that. Back to back singles to Randy Ruiz and Edwin Encarnacion had him in a tough spot and the tying run on base. A wild pitch put both of them in scoring position. One run scored on a Raul Chavez single. A strikeout got him close to the end of the inning but his second wild pitch of the inning tied the game up. He got the last out without further incident but the damage was done.
The sixth would be the last inning for both starters and it became a battle of the bullpens. For the next five innings the two bullpens would battle each other, matching up zero for zero. For the Yankees, it was a job that would have to get done without the benefit of Mariano Rivera. However, Phil Coke, David Robertson, Phil Hughes, and even Chad Gaudin worked together to keep the Jays off the board in another impressive display by the relief crew. They gave the Yankees hitters enough time to find a guy they could hit when the Jays ran Sean camp out for one inning to many. The eleventh started with a Matsui strikeout. However, that was the last out that they'd get. Alex Rodriguez was painfully hit in the elbow and, not only opted to avoid charging the mound and tackling the pitcher, but also stayed in the game. Posada hit a single to left centerfield to bring up the day's hero, Robinson Cano.
I think we all know what happened next, Cano lined one out to rightfield over the fielders head, just missing a cheap home run. It didn't matter though and the single he was credited with was enough. A-Rod scored easily and Cano, who has struggled so much in the clutch this year, got the pie in the face. The Yankees emerge from what was a great homestand victorious but at a steep price. Those HBP's really seemed to hurt Jeter and A-Rod. Posada also really got banged up behind the plate in a day game after a night game. Tomorrow they'll have to try and avoid a hangover with their "B" lineup. This west coast trip could be big for them. I know some people have left them for dead. However, the Red Sox seem to have been inspired by Youkillis' idiotic mound charging incident and are only a few games away from putting themselves right back into the division race. They need to keep winning and they'll have to do it next week without Joba.
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Jeter, SS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .317 |
| Pena, R, SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .273 |
| a-Teixeira, PH-1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .286 |
| Damon, LF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .287 |
| Matsui, H, DH | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .260 |
| Rodriguez, A, 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .257 |
| Posada, C | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .282 |
| Cano, 2B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .317 |
| Swisher, 1B-RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .244 |
| Hinske, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .252 |
| Hairston, J, SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .259 |
| Cabrera, Me, CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .275 |
| Totals | 37 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 17 | |
a-Popped out for Pena, R in the 10th. | ||||||||
BATTING 2B: Damon (26, Romero, R), Rodriguez, A (12, Romero, R). HR: Damon (22, 3rd inning off Romero, R, 0 on, 0 out), Cano (18, 4th inning off Romero, R, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Pena, R; Damon 6; Rodriguez, A 2; Posada; Cano 5. RBI: Posada (53), Damon (67), Cano 2 (60). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano 2; Pena, R; Posada. GIDP: Matsui, H. Team RISP: 1-for-8. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING PO: Pena, R (1st base by Chavez, R). FIELDING DP: (Pena, R-Cano-Swisher). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Burnett, A | 6.0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3.71 |
| Coke | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.88 |
| Robertson, D | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.24 |
| Hughes, P | 1.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3.49 |
| Gaudin (W, 5-10) | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5.03 |
Pitches-strikes: Burnett, A 107-68, Coke 3-3, Robertson, D 26-17, Hughes, P 16-14, Gaudin 44-25.
BLUE JAYS STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Robinson Cano (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, GW Single in 11th)
HONORABLE MENTION: Johnny Damon (2-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI, BB, R)
Tomorrow's Game
Yankees @ Mariners
Game Time: 10:10 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (12-7, 3.76) vs. RHP Ian Snell (2-8, 5.42)
Yankees @ Mariners
Game Time: 10:10 p.m. | TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (12-7, 3.76) vs. RHP Ian Snell (2-8, 5.42)
8 Comments:
Posada has got to block the ball with a runner at third. That shouldn't have been a wild pitch it was curve ball in the dirt that went between Posada legs. Oh well the yanks won though.
Another great outing from the bullpen. The bullpen is very good. Gaudin will be a nice addition in the pen because he can give you a ton of pitches. I dont know how good he will be as a spot starter though.
I agree, that was all on Posada, he's got to get on the ground to block that ball.
I'm amazed we even scored another run after the 4th inning with the way Joe West's strike zone magically time travelled back to 1994 when pitches 8 inches off the plate were strikes.
Jorge and AJ had a tough time getting on the same page near the end... even on the final pitch strike out, Jorge was crossed up if you watch closely- this is after he was crossed up and the ball hit West in the chest.
All problems/issues aside, another good, exciting win. These are the kinds of games you have to win, and this team builds more and more character at every step with wins like these. It was also nice to win it without hitting a HR, although it almost was. It appeared like starting with the 8th or 9th inning, guys were trying to end it with one swing, uppercutting the ball and hitting it in the air. They might have scored earlier if they had just kept with a solid, back through the box or opposite field approach at the plate. Hopefully they don't get homer-happy, especially the lefties at home.
But again, all that aside, another great win.
They need to call back up Melancon after tommorow. You will be short two pitchers on the days Mitre and Gaudin pitch in seattle. Neither will give you many innings. The bullpen will be toast if they dont bring up Melancon.
I was at the game and despite the fact that the Jays kept getting runners on base, they just weren't scoring a lot. I had the feeling in the 7th that the Yanks were going to win in walk off fashion.
There really is nothing like leaving the Stadium after a walk off.
Posada has always had an issue blocking balls in the dirt. He's actually better than he was but he'll never be good at it.
you would think posada is the best defensive catcher in the game the way stephen philips talked about him during the self promotion...cough...yankees redsox broadcast on espn on sunday
what has happened to vernon wells - if he even has a half decent series they may have won all three of these games. i used to think he was always on the brink of huge upside but has fallen way way off. left a ton of guys on in big spots. go yanks--p.s. if a rod had charged the mound and thrown his helmet like pukilis did there wouild be an outrage all over. when a rod slaps at at glove as he goes by the roid sox scream it was the bushest play ever. Boston truly - sux!!!
Youkilis really looked like a wussbag doing that. Then getting thrown to the ground put the stamp on it.
If you listen to the radio calls of the play there is an incredible difference.
Joe Castiglione, the red sox announcer said that Youkilis threw his helmet away and threw Porcello to the ground.
What a load of crap by a homer. I don't mind an announcer being a homer to a degree but at least tell it like it is. Castiglione had his head up his ass and gave the party line instead of the truth. Pathetic.
Then Dan Dickerson, the Tiger's announcer calls it perfectly saying that Youkilis threw the helmet at Porcello and that Porcello threw Youkilis down.
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