(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 2 |
| N.Y. Yankees « | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | x | 7 | 10 | 0 |
SV: A. Aceves (1)
The Yankees finished off their sweep of the Orioles today, with their 7-5 victory today in the Bronx. It was their fourth win in a row, and seventh in their last eight games. The only problem is that Andy Pettitte had to leave the game with a stiff elbow after just 77 pitches. An MRI later revealed minor inflammation and the Yankees expect him to miss at least one start. That makes it three members of the Core Four to be hit with recent injuries and I'm actually starting to believe in the whole SI cover jinx thing. At least none of the injuries have been major, so far. Still, the Yankees are 19-8 and if they can avoid any major injuries will remain one of, if not the best team in baseball.
On to the game itself, Pettitte was solid while he was in there, allowing just a run on six hits and two walks, and struck out two to pick up his fourth win of the year. He was in trouble for most of the day as he allowed at least one base runner in four of his five innings, but was helped out by three double plays. His roughest inning was the fourth when the O's loaded the bases with one out. Pettitte walked Nolan Reimold to force in a run, but was able to get out of the jam without allowing another run. Pettitte remained in the game for another inning before leaving with the elbow injury.
The O's run cut the Yankees lead to 3-1, but they'd put up three more in the bottom half of the inning to extend their lead to 6-1. The Yankees then put together a National League style rally in the fourth. Brett Gardner started it with a walk. That was followed by a bunt single by Francisco Cervelli and a sac bunt by Randy Winn. Derek Jeter drove in a run on a fielder's choice to make it 4-1. Then, following a walk by Johnson, Mark Teixeira gave the Yanks a five run lead with a two-run double. Johnson would drive in the Yanks seventh run with an RBI single in the eighth. He had a very good game, going 3-for-3, with two walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Johnson was the only Yankee who picked up more than one hit, but every Yankees starter besides Robinson Cano had a hit in the game.
Sergio Mitre replaced Pettitte in the sixth and held the O's off the board until the top of the eighth. With one out in the inning Julio Lugo singled and Ty Wigginton blasted a two-run homer to knock Mitre out of the game. David Robertson came in to finish the inning, but ran into trouble of his own in the top of the ninth. With one out in the inning he allowed back-to-back homers by Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold before being replaced by Boone Logan. Robertson continues to struggle and now has an ERA of 14.21. He's allowed 10 earned runs and three homers in 6.1 innings and if he doesn't correct things quickly he might need to be sent down to fix whatever problems he's having.
Logan walked Rhyne Hughes, then retired Lou Montanez before being replaced by Alfredo Aceves. Like Logan, he walked the first batter he faced, putting the tying run on base, but got Wigginton to fly out deep to right to end the game.
The Yanks have tomorrow off before starting a three-game series with the hated Red Sox in Fenway on Friday. Phil Hughes will be going up against Josh Beckett in the opener. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. and the game will be on YES.
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Derek Jeter, SS | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .310 |
| Nick Johnson, DH | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .171 |
| Mark Teixeira, 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .178 |
| Alex Rodriguez, 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .253 |
| Robinson Cano, 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .362 |
| Nick Swisher, RF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .295 |
| Brett Gardner, CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .346 |
| Francisco Cervelli, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .371 |
| Randy Winn, LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .158 |
| Totals | 33 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 5 | | |
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B: Teixeira (6, Hendrickson), Johnson, N (4, Hendrickson). HR: Johnson, N (2, 1st inning off Hernandez, D, 0 on, 1 out), Swisher (5, 2nd inning off Hernandez, D, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Jeter; Johnson, N 7; Teixeira 2; Rodriguez, A; Swisher 4; Gardner; Cervelli; Winn. RBI: Johnson, N (8), Swisher (17), Rodriguez, A (17), Jeter (21), Teixeira 2 (14). 2-out RBI: Teixeira 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Winn; Swisher; Cano; Teixeira; Rodriguez, A. S: Winn. Team RISP: 3-for-12. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING SB: Winn (1, 2nd base off Simon/Tatum), Gardner (13, 2nd base off Hernandez, D/Tatum). | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| DP - Cano-Jeter-Teixeira, Jeter-Cano-Teixeira, Jeter-Cano-Teixeira, Jeter-Cano-Teixeira | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Andy Pettitte (W,4-0) | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2.08 |
| Sergio Mitre | 2.1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2.79 |
| Damaso Marte (H,4) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.76 |
| David Robertson (H,2) | 0.2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14.21 |
| Boone Logan (H,2) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 |
| Alfredo Aceves (S,1) | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.27 |
| Pitches-Strikes - Andy Pettitte 77-46, Sergio Mitre 29-17, Damaso Marte 5-3, David Robertson 18-9, Boone Logan 14-6, Alfredo Aceves 5-3 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Andy Pettitte 7-3, Sergio Mitre 4-2 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - Andy Pettitte 20, Sergio Mitre 9, Damaso Marte 1, David Robertson 4, Boone Logan 3, Alfredo Aceves 1 | ||||||||
| PLAYER OF THE GAME: Nick Johnson HONORABLE MENTION: Andy Pettitte |
