Yanks Drop The Hammer On Rangers

I guess this offense can take its show on the road.

A.J. Burnett went six uncomfortable but shutout innings, Hideki Matsui belted two homers and Derek Jeter smoked three hits and walked twice as the Yanks whipped the Rangers 9-2 at the Ballpark in Arlington.  Mark Teixeira crushed his 15th tater of the season, Robinson Cano cracked a solo home run and scored twice and even Kevin Cash got into the act, collecting two hits and driving in two to help the Bombers take two of three from Texas.

Chien-Ming Wang pitched two innings of scoreless relief and looked solid -- especially in the ninth.  The Yanks have a bit of a conundrum with Wang.  It seems foolish to have him languish in the bullpen, but there just aren't any slots available for him in the starting rotation.  Peter Abraham had a good article about the situation and I don't know what the answer should be.  One thing's for sure, it was great to see him pitch well again.

The Yankees also moved into a first-place tie in the AL East with the Boston Red Sox.  Looks like things are starting to fall into place.

The Good:

A.J. Burnett.  It wasn't a masterpiece, but Burnett tasted victory for the first time since April 14.  Burnett's control was sketchy at times and he allowed at least one baserunner in every inning except one, but he made the pitches when it mattered.  He also gave the Yankees a bit of a scare in the fifth inning when he slipped fielding a bunt single off the bat of Elvis Andrus.  Burnett went to field the ball and fell awkwardly on the play.  But Burnett took the edge off with his reaction to Cash's visit to the mound later in the inning.  Cash approached Burnett after he issued a two-out walk to Ian Kinsler.  Burnett was probably expecting a pep talk or something, but he received nothing.  Not one word.  Cash went to the mound, picked up the rosin bag and then walked back to the plate.  The look on Burnett's face was priceless.  He even looked toward the dugout with a "what the hell was that?" look.  Good stuff.  Burnett got Michael Young to ground to short to end the inning.  Burnett improved to 3-2 with this: 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 hit batsman.  'Bout time, Pie Man.

Hideki Matsui.  Looks like Godzilla is getting ready to start another hot streak.  Matsui ripped a solo jack to right in the sixth to give the Yanks a 4-0 lead.  I don't know if Matsui's knee or knees are bothering him, but he did a pretty good imitation of Rickey Henderson rounding the bases.  But Matsui wasn't done with the long ball.  Matsui smacked a two-run homer in the seventh inning to extend the Yankees lead to 8-0.  Maybe he was doing his best Reggie Jackson impression.  Matsui finished 2 for 4 with a walk, two runs scored and 3 runs batted in.

Derek Jeter.  It may be flying a bit under the radar, but The Captain is sizzling at the plate.  Jeter extended his hitting streak to 11 games and came within one at-bat of a perfect night.  DJ got the hitting parade started with a line-drive single to lead off the game and came around to score on Tex's homer.  He followed that with an RBI-double in the second and opened the fifth with another single.  It may not be a sexy as Teixeira's resurgence or Alex Rodriguez finding his stroke, but Jeter is putting together another fine season in pinstripes.  Jeter finished 3 for 4 with 2 walks, 1 run scored and 1 RBI.

The Bad:

Jose Veras.  The pecking order in the Yankee pen is in constant flux, but Veras may be playing his way out of a vital role.  And it's a shame because he has good stuff.  He just can't harness it.  Veras was called upon in the seventh to protect an 8-0 lead and allowed a leadoff double and then a two-run dinger.  That was bad enough, but then he followed that by issuing a walk to the next batter -- on a 3-2 slider no less.  Unacceptable.  Joe Girardi came out with the quick hook and Veras' night was over.  Veras was called on to pitch in a low-stress situation and couldn't get the job done.  I don't think he'll be called upon to pitch in a pressure situation any time soon.  Veras' night: .1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR.

The Ugly:

Close call.  Johnny Damon was the only Bomber who failed to get a hit Wednesday night (he also struck out three times), but that wasn't the reason he made every fan cringe in the sixth inning.  Josh Hamilton laced a shot to left that Damon tracked down, but he slammed his right shoulder into the wall.  The Yanks are already down Melky Cabrera (who was diagnosed with a bruised shoulder and will miss 5 to 7 days) and could ill afford to lose another outfielder.  Matsui is in no condition to play the field and Angel Berroa and Ramiro Pena may be the team's emergency outfielders.  God help us all.  Thankfully, Damon remained in the game and looked to be OK.  

Thursday is an off day in Yankee Land as the Bombers head to Cleveland and will begin a four-game series with the Indians Friday night.  Andy Pettitte (4-1, 4.30 ERA) will square off against Cliff Lee (2-5, 3.04 ERA) in the opener.  Pettitte didn't pitch poorly in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies (7 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 K) and picked up a no-decision in the Yanks' 5-4 loss.  The crafty lefty has pitched better in the road grays so far this season, going 2-1 with a 2.73 ERA in four away starts.  Jhonny Peralta is 5 for 11 (.455) in his career off Pettitte with a double, a triple, two homers and eight runs batted in.  Lee was bombed in his first two starts this season, but has pitched well lately.  Last season's Cy Young Award winner is just 1-2 in May, but his ERA during those five starts sits at a super-duper 2.25.  Lee won his first game of 2009 against the Yankees on April 16 -- allowing just one run over six innings in the Tribe's 10-2 win.  But many Bombers have hit Lee well, including Derek Jeter, who is 9 for 23 (.391) with three doubles and four ribbies.  And Alex Rodriguez, who is 5 for 13 (.385) with two homers and six runs batted in.

Enjoy the day off fellas.  You deserve it.