How were you feeling with two outs in the 9th, the Yankees trialing 3-1 and one strike away from their 9th loss in 11 tries?
Well, I know I was pretty pissed off. Thankfully, Alex Rodriguez was about to change all that. The third baseman sent Orioles closer Koji Uehara's 2-2 offering deep into the left field seats for a three-run homer to give the Yankees the lead and eventually the win. Their biggest win of the year.(Two things about the innings: That 1-2 pitch to A-Rod was a ball, and Jorge Posada deserves a ton of credit for that 11-pitch at-bat and single that started the inning.)
Up until that point, it was a pretty crappy game to have to endure. The Yankees bats once again couldn't do a thing against an Orioles pitcher, this time Kevin Millwood, and Baltimore looked to be on their way to another victory under miracle worker Buck Showalter. The only run the Yankees had scored until the 9th has also come on a homer by A-Rod, a 2nd inning solo shot off Millwood. The rest of the first eight innings were filled with more missed opportunities (A-Rod's blast in the 9th was the Yankees only hit in 9 chances with runners in scoring position.) and frustration. But the only thing that matters now is the final score and the fact that the Yankees are back in first place.
A.J. Burnett (What's with the black eye?) was pretty solid over seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits, while walking just one and fanning five. Solo homers by Adam Jones in the 4th and Robert Andino in 7th were really his only two major mistakes in the game.
After Burnett left the game, David Robertson came in for a scoreless 8th, and Mariano Rivera made quick work of the O's in the 9th for his 31st save of the year.
The win not only put the Yanks back on top of the division, but moved them to 7 games up on Boston, and a full game up on the Twins for homefield advantage.
The Yanks and O's play game two of this three-game series tonight in Baltimore as CC Sabathia makes his third attempt at win no. 20. Jeremy Guthrie will start for the O's. First pitch is at 7:05 pm and the game will be on YES.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Alex Rodriguez
HONORABLE MENTION: Jorge Posada