Fine and fantastic finishes are frequently becoming festivities for our featured New York baseball teams. The New York Yankees won in walk-off style Saturday to even the interleague series with Philadelphia 1-1. Melky Cabrera capped off a ninth inning three-run rally with the game winning RBI off Phillies closer, Brad Lidge. The confident Cabrera captured his centerfield job back and collected his third game-ending hit of the year. He is no longer an afterthought following Saturday’s sendoff single. The team grabbed their major league leading 17th come-from-behind victory with the 5-4 final.
Raul Ibanez got things started for the Phillies in the top of the second. The designated hitter clocked a 1-1 pitch off Yankee ace, Andy Pettitte, to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead. It was Ibanez’s 17th missile of the year to lead all major leaguers. New York answered back in their half of the second facing rookie pitcher, J.A. Haap. Haap was inserted into the rotation in place of fraught veteran, Chan Ho Park. Haap allowed a Yankee hit in the second inning and Robinson Cano was able to reach home on Nick Swisher’s groundout to Jimmy Rollins at shortstop.
The Phillies scored again in the fifth inning on a three run homerun by John Mayberry, Jr to build a 4-1 lead. Mayberry tagged a double later in the game. The new right-fielder for Philadelphia was making his major league debut after being called up from Triple A Lehigh Valley. The Phils sent down left handed pitcher, Sergio Escalona, to bring up the rookie. Mayberry is the son of former major leaguer, John Mayberry, Sr., a two-time All-star in fifteen major league seasons. To make room for Mayberry in the outfield, Philadelphia shifted Jayson Werth to left and plugged Ibanez into the DH role. The fifth inning shot off Pettitte also came on a 1-1 count from the Yankee southpaw. Pettitte shrugged off starting strains to throw seven innings of five hit ball. Andy threw 114 strikes to 67 balls through 27 batters. Phil Coke relieved him with 1.2 innings of shutout ball, succumbing one hit.
Down by three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Derek Jeter homered for the second straight day on the first pitch from Haap. The Jeter blast appeared to be Haap’s only real gaffe and he was in line for his first big league win after eight innings. He pitched six innings, walked none and struck out four in a noble effort. Chad Durbin and Ryan Madson each combined with an inning of scoreless relief on the afternoon.
The Phillies were three outs away from improving their NL East lead over the Mets. Lidge, the best closer in baseball last season, came in to shut down New York in the ninth. The Yankees scraped out three runs off the closer to complete the walkoff win. Johnny Damon worked Lidge to a full count before walking to lead off the inning. Lidge responded by slinging three straight sliders to send Mark Teixiera down swinging. Alex Rodriguez arrived at the plate batting .204 since his return from hip surgery. Lidge got ahead on Rodriguez 1-2. The famous third baseman fought off the signature slider twice and took a few pitches. On a full count, Rodriguez sent a fastball into the short porch in right to tie the ball game at 4-4. The ball sailed just over Mayberry’s glove for a terrific two-run masterpiece. The next batter, Cano, singled to center and immediately stole second base with Cabrera at bat. Cabrera singled to center and Cano trucked home without a play at the plate. Jose Veras recorded the win for the Yankees, getting one out in the ninth. Veras is now 3-1 and the Yankees have won 10 of their last 11 games. In today‘s series finale, World Series MVP, Cole Hamels, throws for the Phils and C.C. Sabathia takes the hill for the Yankees. It should play out as a left-handed pitcher’s duel, but anything is possible in this game. Will they overcome another deficit to nip the rubber game of the series?
I like how the Yankees generated runs again on Saturday in ecstatic manner. They scored by stealing bases and getting clutch clubbing from their starters. Rodriguez may not be hitting for a high average but his 560th homerun helped stamp out another comeback win. Arod is now three shy of Reggie Jackson for 11th place in the long ball department. Alex, antics aside, is a high-impact player who has desecrated pitchers, with seven homers, since putting on the pinstripes in 2009. I realize his dinger came off Lidge, who is not the same closer he was a year ago. Lidge converted 48 saves in 2008 , including the post-season, but has a 9.16 ERA as of May 24th. Still, The Yankees plated three runs off the Philadelphia reliever in resounding fashion. It is encouraging to witness win after comeback win in the Bronx. The Yankees are 12-3 since their third baseman’s return. The roster is filling out nicely and the pitching is coming around. New York has to stretch out their starters because the bullpen is overworked and injured. The defense has gone ten straight games without an error. The Yankees only trail by a half game in the AL East, and with the Red Sox on the verge of being swept at Fenway, I am one happy Bomber backer.
Speaking of that potential sweep in Boston…
The Red Sox were 16-0 when leading after nine innings going into Saturday’s contest. Jonathan Papelbon blew his first save of the year after going 11 for 11 in save opportunities for the Red Sox. Omir Santos got on top of a four-seam fastball and drove it over the left field wall of the Green Monster in the top of the ninth. Santos is a nice young hitter and capable catcher who might eventually be the Mets’ everyday starter at the position. The hard-nosed hero hails from Puerto Rico and is becoming a regular for Jerry Manuel’s Mets. He was originally in the Yankee farm system as a 2001 draft pick. The excessively energetic Papelbon began the inning looking like his vintage self. He did walk leadoff hitter, Gary Sheffield, but blew away David Wright and chipped Jeremy Reed with explosive high speed fastballs. Santos unloaded on a 97 mph pitch to give New York the eventual game-winning hit. Papelbon’s first blown save negated a solid outing from Boston ace, Josh Beckett. The Mets mustered only a run, an unearned one, in the first inning off the starter’s own throwing error. Beckett was deprived of victory when Santos’ shot put the chance to a bitter end. Instead of his fifth win of the season, Beckett came away with a no-decision.
The umpires initially ruled Santos’ long fly a double, but on replay review, overturned the call. The 3-2 Mets victory placed them in line for the Sunday sweep this afternoon. The Red Sox went 3-0 against New York in 2006 but now it seems the tables have turned. New York snuck past Boston, backed by a strong defensive stance in the bottom of the ninth. J.J. Putz was called on to close in place of Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod was shipped to the hospital with back spasms during the game and was unavailable to close. Putz issued a leadoff walk to Kevin Youkilis but managed two hard-hit outs off the bats of Jason Bay and J.D. Drew. Mike Lowell struck a ground ball to 36 year old journeyman, Ramon Martinez as Boston’s last hope. The sure-handed Martinez, replacing the injured Jose Reyes at shortstop, dove into the hole for the snag. He fired to first just in time as Daniel Murphy made the clean pick on a short hop for out number three. Lefty, Pedro Feliciano, notched the win as the Mets clipped the Red Sox.
Runs were of prime importance against Beckett on Saturday. Beckett harrowed the Mets with his longest effort of the season. He allowed a two-out single to left field in the first by Carlos Beltran. Beltran moved to second on Beckett’s error. The ace was trying to diplomatically pick off the teasing base runner, but the ball misfired to first. Sheffield singled in Beltran, giving the Mets the early advantage on the road. Sheffield hit a foul pop up between home and third prior to singling in Beltran. Beckett and Lowell converged and charged the ball but neither came away with the catch. Reed and Santos reached base in the seventh inning, with one out against Beckett. Josh proceeded to strike out Ramon Martinez and force Luis Castillo into a line drive out to centerfielder, Jacoby Ellsbury. Beckett was perfect in the eighth, working a 1-2-3 inning and striking out two. Boston took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first. Youkilis yielded a two-run base hit off Mike Pelfrey. Pelfrey cruised through the game and left after seven innings. Neither starting pitcher was knocked around. The game was decided on a defense and timely hitting. Santos’ controversial blast proved a profound punch to the punch-less Sox.
Boston’s staff ace will be on the mound this afternoon against Tim Redding for New York. That ace is the 5-2 knuckleball pitcher, Tim Wakefield. The veteran has a 3.59 ERA, with two complete games this year. He has only allowed four homeruns, the lowest for Red Sox starters. Sheffield is batting .237 in 49 appearances against Wakefield. He homered in 2005 off a Wakefield fastball but clearly struggles against the knuckle offerings. The Mets cannot afford to sit Sheffield with an already depleted lineup. Wakefield on the mound today is a major pitfall for the murky Mets. Redding cannot realistically be trusted on the mound every five days. Maybe the Mets are suitors for Jake Peavy, maybe not. They do need to address pitching if Oliver Perez is ineffective and Jon Niese is not ready to take off the diapers. Aside from their rock, Johan Santana, the rotation is shaky. I can’t see how New York is going to win three straight games in Boston, but as I will reiterate, anything is possible in this game. Read it and weep, do I smell a sweep?
Parting points: Girl power- Sheryl Crow, Sarah Mclachlan, Toni Braxton and Paula Abdul crooning this morning.
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