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Yanks Sting Rays With Three-Run Eighth
It won't go down as the prettiest comeback this season, but a win is a win.
Gabe Gross snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run single in the sixth inning, but Hideki Matsui capped a three-run eighth with an RBI ground out and Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his 13th save of the season as the Yanks upended the Rays 4-3 at The Stadium. Nick Swisher crushed his 11th dinger of the season and Alfredo Aceves pitched two innings of shutout relief to help the Bombers reclaim first place in the AL East, one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox.
The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and managed to push across three runs without getting the ball past the infield. Robinson Cano walked, Jorge Posada reached on an error and a fielder's choice at third base and Hideki Matsui beat out a double-play ball to second base that drove in the go-ahead run. That was enough to get the job done. And that's why you can't predict baseball.
Joba Chamberlain surrendered three runs over six innings -- a quality start if you go by the book -- but picked up another no-decision, his seventh in 11 starts this season. Still, Chamberlain didn't pitch poorly and may have been able to go longer if not for a 31-pitch sixth inning in which he allowed two runs. But even though Joba walked only one batter, his strike-to-ball ratio wasn't great (56 strikes to 44 balls) and that contributed to his early departure.
The Good:
Alfredo Aceves. The Yanks don't have any blue-chip relievers in the pen after Rivera, but Aceves is close -- real close. Ace entered the game in the seventh inning with the Yanks trailing 3-1 and held the fort. I've been wondering why Joe Girardi hasn't given the eighth inning to Aceves and this may be the reason. Aceves is probably the only reliever who can be counted on to keep the game close in the middle innings. I still think Ace would be a dynamite set-up man and he should definitely get first crack if the Bombers are up by one in the eighth, but maybe he's too valuable and versatile to pigeon-hole. We'll see. Aceves improved to 4-1 with this: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K.
Nick Swisher. It's shaping up to be an up-and-down type of season for Swisher. The people's champ hit a rancid .150 during May, but he's been hot, hot, hot so far in June. Swisher pulled the Yanks even at 1-1 in the third inning with a solo bomb to right center. Pow! Right in the Swisher! It was the 100th home run hit at Yankee Stadium this season. Maybe that will be the answer to a trivia question one day. Doubtful, but you never know. Anyway, Swisher is hitting a sizzling .466 so far in June. Swisher finished 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a run scored and 1 RBI.
Mariano Rivera. It's always shocking when Rivera is hit hard and it's even more shocking when he leaves the mound before recording three outs. That's what happened to The Sandman Saturday afternoon, but if you thought that was going to carry over into Sunday, well, you just haven't been paying attention to Rivera these past 13 years or so. Rivera came in to close out a one-run lead and did so in typical fashion -- ground out, strikeout, ground out. And it took just 10 pitches -- eight of them for strikes. I wouldn't call it redemption for Rivera, but it gives me an excuse to put up some more Corrosion of Conformity.
The Bad:
Derek Jeter. The Bombers managed just six hits on the afternoon and while four other Yankees also went hitless, Jeter was the only regular who didn't work out a walk or drive in a run. Reason for concern? Not even close, but I have a job to do here. And if there's anyone on the team who isn't worried about his stats, it's DJ. The Captain is focused solely on winning and that means that being placed in this section will roll right off his back. Jeter finished 0 for 4.
The Ugly:
Five in a row. The Bombers set a Major League record with 18 straight games without an error this season, but they have followed that up with miscues in five consecutive contests. Jorge Posada was the culprit Sunday afternoon when he fielded a nubber in front of the plate off the bat of Dioner Navarro and sailed the ball past Mark Teixeira at first for a two-base error. Still, Posada's boo-boo belied some good defense by the Bombers -- Alex Rodriguez made some nice picks at third, Melky Cabrera made a diving stab in center field and Teixeira made a pretty play on a sharp grounder at first. But I'm here to snuff out any bad habits that may be forming.
Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07 ERA) will go against Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33 ERA) in the rubber game Monday night. Sonnanstine pitched well in his last start against the Kansas City Royals, giving up two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 6-2 Tampa win. But outings like that have been few and far between this season for Sonnanstine. Right-handers are hitting an astounding .433 against the righty this year, with seven doubles, three triples, eight homers and 33 runs batted in. It's also been a rough-go for Sonnanstine away from home -- he's 1-5 with a 9.00 ERA in seven starts on the road. Yet, he's somehow managed to pitch well against the Yankees in 2009. Sonnanstine is 0-0 with a 2.92 ERA in two starts against the Bombers this season. Pettitte had a rough time against the Texas Rangers his last time out, walking six batters in just five innings, en route to his second loss of the year. The veteran lefty has had control issues of late. He's walked 11 batters in his past 10 innings. Pettitte has pitched well in his career against the Rays -- he's 15-4 with a 3.78 ERA in 27 appearances, but he's 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts against Tampa Bay this season. Carlos Pena loves Pettitte -- the big lefty is 11 for 33 (.333) lifetime against Pettitte with two triples, four homers and seven ribbies.
These two Andys squared off April 15 in Tampa, but each picked up a no-decision in an eventual 4-3 Yankees win.
A repeat performance will be just fine with me.
Gabe Gross snapped a 1-1 tie with a two-run single in the sixth inning, but Hideki Matsui capped a three-run eighth with an RBI ground out and Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his 13th save of the season as the Yanks upended the Rays 4-3 at The Stadium. Nick Swisher crushed his 11th dinger of the season and Alfredo Aceves pitched two innings of shutout relief to help the Bombers reclaim first place in the AL East, one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox.
The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the eighth and managed to push across three runs without getting the ball past the infield. Robinson Cano walked, Jorge Posada reached on an error and a fielder's choice at third base and Hideki Matsui beat out a double-play ball to second base that drove in the go-ahead run. That was enough to get the job done. And that's why you can't predict baseball.Joba Chamberlain surrendered three runs over six innings -- a quality start if you go by the book -- but picked up another no-decision, his seventh in 11 starts this season. Still, Chamberlain didn't pitch poorly and may have been able to go longer if not for a 31-pitch sixth inning in which he allowed two runs. But even though Joba walked only one batter, his strike-to-ball ratio wasn't great (56 strikes to 44 balls) and that contributed to his early departure.
The Good:
Alfredo Aceves. The Yanks don't have any blue-chip relievers in the pen after Rivera, but Aceves is close -- real close. Ace entered the game in the seventh inning with the Yanks trailing 3-1 and held the fort. I've been wondering why Joe Girardi hasn't given the eighth inning to Aceves and this may be the reason. Aceves is probably the only reliever who can be counted on to keep the game close in the middle innings. I still think Ace would be a dynamite set-up man and he should definitely get first crack if the Bombers are up by one in the eighth, but maybe he's too valuable and versatile to pigeon-hole. We'll see. Aceves improved to 4-1 with this: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K.
Nick Swisher. It's shaping up to be an up-and-down type of season for Swisher. The people's champ hit a rancid .150 during May, but he's been hot, hot, hot so far in June. Swisher pulled the Yanks even at 1-1 in the third inning with a solo bomb to right center. Pow! Right in the Swisher! It was the 100th home run hit at Yankee Stadium this season. Maybe that will be the answer to a trivia question one day. Doubtful, but you never know. Anyway, Swisher is hitting a sizzling .466 so far in June. Swisher finished 1 for 2 with 2 walks, a run scored and 1 RBI.
Mariano Rivera. It's always shocking when Rivera is hit hard and it's even more shocking when he leaves the mound before recording three outs. That's what happened to The Sandman Saturday afternoon, but if you thought that was going to carry over into Sunday, well, you just haven't been paying attention to Rivera these past 13 years or so. Rivera came in to close out a one-run lead and did so in typical fashion -- ground out, strikeout, ground out. And it took just 10 pitches -- eight of them for strikes. I wouldn't call it redemption for Rivera, but it gives me an excuse to put up some more Corrosion of Conformity.
The Bad:
Derek Jeter. The Bombers managed just six hits on the afternoon and while four other Yankees also went hitless, Jeter was the only regular who didn't work out a walk or drive in a run. Reason for concern? Not even close, but I have a job to do here. And if there's anyone on the team who isn't worried about his stats, it's DJ. The Captain is focused solely on winning and that means that being placed in this section will roll right off his back. Jeter finished 0 for 4.
The Ugly:Five in a row. The Bombers set a Major League record with 18 straight games without an error this season, but they have followed that up with miscues in five consecutive contests. Jorge Posada was the culprit Sunday afternoon when he fielded a nubber in front of the plate off the bat of Dioner Navarro and sailed the ball past Mark Teixeira at first for a two-base error. Still, Posada's boo-boo belied some good defense by the Bombers -- Alex Rodriguez made some nice picks at third, Melky Cabrera made a diving stab in center field and Teixeira made a pretty play on a sharp grounder at first. But I'm here to snuff out any bad habits that may be forming.
Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07 ERA) will go against Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33 ERA) in the rubber game Monday night. Sonnanstine pitched well in his last start against the Kansas City Royals, giving up two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings in a 6-2 Tampa win. But outings like that have been few and far between this season for Sonnanstine. Right-handers are hitting an astounding .433 against the righty this year, with seven doubles, three triples, eight homers and 33 runs batted in. It's also been a rough-go for Sonnanstine away from home -- he's 1-5 with a 9.00 ERA in seven starts on the road. Yet, he's somehow managed to pitch well against the Yankees in 2009. Sonnanstine is 0-0 with a 2.92 ERA in two starts against the Bombers this season. Pettitte had a rough time against the Texas Rangers his last time out, walking six batters in just five innings, en route to his second loss of the year. The veteran lefty has had control issues of late. He's walked 11 batters in his past 10 innings. Pettitte has pitched well in his career against the Rays -- he's 15-4 with a 3.78 ERA in 27 appearances, but he's 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in two starts against Tampa Bay this season. Carlos Pena loves Pettitte -- the big lefty is 11 for 33 (.333) lifetime against Pettitte with two triples, four homers and seven ribbies.
These two Andys squared off April 15 in Tampa, but each picked up a no-decision in an eventual 4-3 Yankees win.
A repeat performance will be just fine with me.
Brian, I miss your letters to Joe! Bring 'em back! :-)