(Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N.Y. Yankees « | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
| Seattle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
The Yankees continued their roll last night, beating the Mariners 6-1 to win their seventh in a row. I'm still a little disappointed they didn't land Cliff Lee, mainly because of how sick that rotation would be. But I'm glad they get to keep their prospects and most importantly, this team really doesn't need him right now. Even with their problems--problems that should be solved in the second half--they have the best record in baseball, and will be in first place all alone at the all-star break.
Phil Hughes has been struggling a bit lately posting a 6.53 ERA over his last five starts, but he was sharp last night against Seattle, holding them to just a run on six hits in seven innings to win his 11th of the year. He had good command of his fastball (109 pitches/79 strikes) and his his curveball was better than it has been since in a while. All five of his strike outs were of the swinging variety, three of them on curves. He also didn't walk a batter.
The Mariners run came in the sixth, when Jose Lopez doubled in Chone Figgins, who had doubled to leadoff the inning.
Hughes had the lead before he threw a pitch thanks to Mark Teixeira who hit one of his two solo homers on the night in the top of the first to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead.
The score stayed that way over the next four innings because former Red Sox, David Pauley, retired 13 straight Yankees between the first and the fifth.
Then, in the sixth, Pauley lost the plate and the Yankees were able to break the game open. They loaded the bases with one out via two walks and an error. Alex Rodriguez then drove in the Yanks second run with a sac fly. Robinson Cano then hammered one into the right-centerifeld gap for a two-run triple and the Yanks were now up 4-0. After another walk by Pauley, Curtis Granderson made it 5-0 with an RBI single.
The Yankees sixth run came in the ninth, on Tex's second homer of the game, and his 17th of the season.Relievers David Robertson and Chan Ho Park weren't really sharp, but the did the job keeping the Mariners off the board for the final two innings and preserving the Yankees 55th win of the year.
Tampa Bay lost 9-3 to the Indians tonight, so the Yankees are now 3 games up in the division.
They didn't have to face Lee last night, but Javier Vazquez and the Yankees will be facing Felix Hernandez tonight in game two of the series. First pitch is at 10:10 p.m. and the game will be on YES.
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Derek Jeter, SS | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .273 |
| Nick Swisher, DH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .304 |
| Mark Teixeira, 1B | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .243 |
| Alex Rodriguez, 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .273 |
| Robinson Cano, 2B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .337 |
| Jorge Posada, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .263 |
| Curtis Granderson, CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .235 |
| Colin Curtis, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .238 |
| Brett Gardner, LF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .309 |
| Totals | 33 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | | |
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B - Colin Curtis (3, French) | ||||||||
| 3B - Robinson Cano (2, C. Cordero) | ||||||||
| HR - Mark Teixeira 2 (17, Pauley, French) | ||||||||
| SF - Alex Rodriguez (7) | ||||||||
| SH - Nick Swisher (2) | ||||||||
| RBI - Mark Teixeira 2 (59), Alex Rodriguez (70), Robinson Cano 2 (57), Curtis Granderson (24) | ||||||||
| RISP: 2-6 (Mark Teixeira 0-1, Curtis Granderson 1-1, Brett Gardner 0-1, Alex Rodriguez 0-1, Colin Curtis 0-1, Robinson Cano 1-1) 2-OUT RBI - Mark Teixeira 2 (22), Robinson Cano 2 (19), Curtis Granderson (10) | ||||||||
| Team LOB - 8 | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Phil Hughes (W,11-2) | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3.65 |
| David Robertson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5.46 |
| Chan Ho Park | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.18 |
| Pitches-Strikes - Phil Hughes 109-79, David Robertson 14-10, Chan Ho Park 32-21 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Phil Hughes 7-9, Chan Ho Park 2-0 | ||||||||
| First-pitch strikes/Batters faced: Phil Hughes 20/27; David Robertson 4/4; Chan Ho Park 3/5 | ||||||||
| PLAYER OF THE GAME: Phil Hughes HONORABLE MENTION: Mark Teixeira |
