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Damon Stars in "Walk-Off Win Part III"
I can really get used to this.
Matt Tolbert snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI-single in the seventh and Nick Punto came home after two straight wild pitches by A.J. Burnett, but Alex Rodriguez countered with a solo home run and Melky Cabrera lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame and Johnny Damon launched the game-winning homer in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Yanks topped the Twins 3-2 in the Bronx. Alfredo Aceves (who should be moving up in the bullpen pecking order with the way he's throwing) vultured his second win in as many days with a perfect inning to help the Bombers to their third straight walk-off victory and fifth straight overall.
Sunday was the 11-year anniversary of David Wells' perfect game against the Twinkies and Burnett and Kevin Slowey paid homage with six innings of shutout baseball. And while this game lacked the historical drama of that contest, it still had a pretty good ending and was a lot of fun to watch. Especially if you were a Yankees fan. On the other hand, the Twins probably can't wait to skip town.
The Good:
Johnny Damon. There was a bit of an uproar when Joe Girardi decided to pencil Damon in as the No. 2 hitter in the order at the beginning of the season (I admit I wasn't a big fan of the move). Well, Johnny D is making a case for batting third or cleanup with the way he's been swinging the bat. Damon had his 10-game hitting streak snapped when he was ejected during Friday night's game, but that hasn't cooled him off. JD picked up his 15th multi-hit game of the season and sent the crowd home happy when he deposited a Jesse Crain fastball into the second deck in right to give the Yanks another thrilling victory. Keep on keepin on, Johnny. Damon finished 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Alex Rodriguez. There's no shame in playing Robin once in a while. A-Rod played the lead in Saturday's contest with a game-winning homer in the 11th inning, but he was the plucky sidekick Sunday afternoon. Rodriguez gave the Yankees hope when he led off the seventh with a dinger to left to slice the Twins' lead to 2-1. The Bombers could have gone into a shell after Minnesota pushed across two runs in the top of the frame, but A-Rod just wouldn't allow it. I like that. Rodriguez finished 1 for 3 with a run scored, a hit by pitch and one run batted in.
Brett Tomko. It's never easy being the new guy, but I think Tomko is going to have an easier time fitting in after his performance in the eighth inning. Tomko came into an almost impossible situation -- bases loaded and one out in a tie game -- and came out smelling like a rose. Mark Teixeira made a snazzy grab on a hot-shot to first and fired a strike to home plate for the second out and Tomko got Tolbert to pop out to Kevin Cash to end the threat. Tomko's box score probably won't garner a lot of attention, but he came up big when the team needed it most. And he also got by with a little help from his friends. Tomko's day: .2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.
The Bad:
Hideki Matsui. I love drama as much as the next guy, but Matsui had a chance to end things in the bottom of the eighth and failed miserably. Godzilla stepped to the dish with the bases loaded and two outs and quickly ran the count to 3-0. All seemed right with the world. I expected Godzilla to either work out a walk or deliver the big hit. Negative on both counts. Matsui took the 3-0 pitch for a strike, fouled of the next one and then struck out on the 3-2 pitch. There's no shame in getting beat, but the last two pitches were balls. But it wasn't all bad for Matsui -- he followed A-Rod's homer with a double and scored the tying run on Melky's sac fly. It's been that kind of run for the Yanks -- even the bads have a positive. Matsui finished 1 for 4 with a run scored.
The Ugly:
Bottom-line guy. Speaking of drama, this thing also could have ended in the bottom of the ninth with something even more thrilling than a game-winning home run. Nick Swisher led off the inning with a walk and Brett Gardner went in to pinch-run. Melky sacrificed Gardner to second and then things got exciting. Francisco Cervelli followed with grounder up the middle that Jose Mijares just managed to get a glove on. Mijares inadvertently slapped the ball toward home plate and Joe Mauer pounced on it and thought about throwing to first. He didn't. Gardner, who maybe thought Mauer threw the ball or just thought he could beat him to the plate, rounded third and raced home. Mauer found his bearings, retreated, dove and just beat Gardner to the plate. I was watching the game with my brother and we both agreed that it was a gutsy play by Gardner. Yes, you never want to make the second out at third (or at home in this case), but sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the opposition -- they're getting paid to make plays, too. YES announcer Michael Kay didn't see it that way. He went on about how it was a bad decision by Gardner because he didn't score. I understand Kay's argument in theory, but I can't stand the bottom-line argument. If it works you're a superstar and if it doesn't you're lower than crocodile piss. If the Yanks lost this game, I'm sure some fans would have complained about Gardner's play. Not me. Don't lose that aggressiveness, Brett.
The Yanks go for the four-game sweep Monday night and will send Andy Pettitte (3-1, 4.00 ERA) against Glen Perkins (1-2, 4.27 ERA). Perkins was blasted in his last start against the Detroit Tigers (5 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 1 HR), but picked up a no-decision in the Twins' 14-10 victory. The lefty had a respectable April (1-2, 2.48 ERA), but has been horrible so far in May. Still, he hasn't been tagged with a loss. Perkins is somehow 0-0 in three starts despite an abysmal 7.27 ERA. Lefties are hitting .352 against Perkins this season. Pettitte pitched well his last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays (6 IP, 5 H, 2 R) and seems to have righted himself after two lackluster starts against the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays. But the Twins see Pettitte well. Brendan Harris is hitting .462 (6 for 13) in his career off Pettitte and Michael Cuddyer is batting .364 (4 for 11). Pettitte has struggled a bit so far in the new Yankee Stadium -- he's 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA in three starts.
Can the Yanks make it four thrilling wins in a row and six straight overall? Make sure you tune in.
This team will keep you watching until the end.
Matt Tolbert snapped a scoreless tie with an RBI-single in the seventh and Nick Punto came home after two straight wild pitches by A.J. Burnett, but Alex Rodriguez countered with a solo home run and Melky Cabrera lifted a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame and Johnny Damon launched the game-winning homer in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Yanks topped the Twins 3-2 in the Bronx. Alfredo Aceves (who should be moving up in the bullpen pecking order with the way he's throwing) vultured his second win in as many days with a perfect inning to help the Bombers to their third straight walk-off victory and fifth straight overall.
Sunday was the 11-year anniversary of David Wells' perfect game against the Twinkies and Burnett and Kevin Slowey paid homage with six innings of shutout baseball. And while this game lacked the historical drama of that contest, it still had a pretty good ending and was a lot of fun to watch. Especially if you were a Yankees fan. On the other hand, the Twins probably can't wait to skip town.The Good:
Johnny Damon. There was a bit of an uproar when Joe Girardi decided to pencil Damon in as the No. 2 hitter in the order at the beginning of the season (I admit I wasn't a big fan of the move). Well, Johnny D is making a case for batting third or cleanup with the way he's been swinging the bat. Damon had his 10-game hitting streak snapped when he was ejected during Friday night's game, but that hasn't cooled him off. JD picked up his 15th multi-hit game of the season and sent the crowd home happy when he deposited a Jesse Crain fastball into the second deck in right to give the Yanks another thrilling victory. Keep on keepin on, Johnny. Damon finished 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Alex Rodriguez. There's no shame in playing Robin once in a while. A-Rod played the lead in Saturday's contest with a game-winning homer in the 11th inning, but he was the plucky sidekick Sunday afternoon. Rodriguez gave the Yankees hope when he led off the seventh with a dinger to left to slice the Twins' lead to 2-1. The Bombers could have gone into a shell after Minnesota pushed across two runs in the top of the frame, but A-Rod just wouldn't allow it. I like that. Rodriguez finished 1 for 3 with a run scored, a hit by pitch and one run batted in.
Brett Tomko. It's never easy being the new guy, but I think Tomko is going to have an easier time fitting in after his performance in the eighth inning. Tomko came into an almost impossible situation -- bases loaded and one out in a tie game -- and came out smelling like a rose. Mark Teixeira made a snazzy grab on a hot-shot to first and fired a strike to home plate for the second out and Tomko got Tolbert to pop out to Kevin Cash to end the threat. Tomko's box score probably won't garner a lot of attention, but he came up big when the team needed it most. And he also got by with a little help from his friends. Tomko's day: .2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.
The Bad:
Hideki Matsui. I love drama as much as the next guy, but Matsui had a chance to end things in the bottom of the eighth and failed miserably. Godzilla stepped to the dish with the bases loaded and two outs and quickly ran the count to 3-0. All seemed right with the world. I expected Godzilla to either work out a walk or deliver the big hit. Negative on both counts. Matsui took the 3-0 pitch for a strike, fouled of the next one and then struck out on the 3-2 pitch. There's no shame in getting beat, but the last two pitches were balls. But it wasn't all bad for Matsui -- he followed A-Rod's homer with a double and scored the tying run on Melky's sac fly. It's been that kind of run for the Yanks -- even the bads have a positive. Matsui finished 1 for 4 with a run scored.
The Ugly:
Bottom-line guy. Speaking of drama, this thing also could have ended in the bottom of the ninth with something even more thrilling than a game-winning home run. Nick Swisher led off the inning with a walk and Brett Gardner went in to pinch-run. Melky sacrificed Gardner to second and then things got exciting. Francisco Cervelli followed with grounder up the middle that Jose Mijares just managed to get a glove on. Mijares inadvertently slapped the ball toward home plate and Joe Mauer pounced on it and thought about throwing to first. He didn't. Gardner, who maybe thought Mauer threw the ball or just thought he could beat him to the plate, rounded third and raced home. Mauer found his bearings, retreated, dove and just beat Gardner to the plate. I was watching the game with my brother and we both agreed that it was a gutsy play by Gardner. Yes, you never want to make the second out at third (or at home in this case), but sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the opposition -- they're getting paid to make plays, too. YES announcer Michael Kay didn't see it that way. He went on about how it was a bad decision by Gardner because he didn't score. I understand Kay's argument in theory, but I can't stand the bottom-line argument. If it works you're a superstar and if it doesn't you're lower than crocodile piss. If the Yanks lost this game, I'm sure some fans would have complained about Gardner's play. Not me. Don't lose that aggressiveness, Brett.
The Yanks go for the four-game sweep Monday night and will send Andy Pettitte (3-1, 4.00 ERA) against Glen Perkins (1-2, 4.27 ERA). Perkins was blasted in his last start against the Detroit Tigers (5 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 BB, 1 HR), but picked up a no-decision in the Twins' 14-10 victory. The lefty had a respectable April (1-2, 2.48 ERA), but has been horrible so far in May. Still, he hasn't been tagged with a loss. Perkins is somehow 0-0 in three starts despite an abysmal 7.27 ERA. Lefties are hitting .352 against Perkins this season. Pettitte pitched well his last time out against the Toronto Blue Jays (6 IP, 5 H, 2 R) and seems to have righted himself after two lackluster starts against the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays. But the Twins see Pettitte well. Brendan Harris is hitting .462 (6 for 13) in his career off Pettitte and Michael Cuddyer is batting .364 (4 for 11). Pettitte has struggled a bit so far in the new Yankee Stadium -- he's 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA in three starts.
Can the Yanks make it four thrilling wins in a row and six straight overall? Make sure you tune in.
This team will keep you watching until the end.
You know how I feel about Gardner, and I still have no problem with that play. Any other catcher in the league and he scores. Mauer just made an exceptional play.
Speaking of catchers, though, Cash is complete garbage. That second passed ball was the most pitiful, lazy, unforgivable play a catcher can make. Didn't move his body one bit, just stabbed at the ball with his glove. That's not a wild pitch, in my book. Just wretched. I hope we see a whole lot more of Cervelli in the coming weeks.
Yeah, the second wild pitch should have been called a pass ball. Very lazy -- especially with a man on third. I guess Cash in used to catching knuckleballs every fifth day.
One away from your called "six in a row!"
I should have called for the baker's dozen. Damn my short-sightedness!