Victory's Voice

All-star Yankee, Nick Swisher, launched a game-tying homerun to lead off the eighth inning against the Tampa Rays Friday in New York. Swisher planted Joaquin Benoit’s 2-1 offering into the stadium seats to knot the AL East rivalry game at 4-4. An inning later, the Yankee slugger drove home the winning run off Lance Cormier as New York bested the Rays 5-4. Mariano Rivera was the winning pitcher after completing a scoreless ninth. The walk-off victory was a fitting way to begin the season’s second half for the defending champions. It was an emotional night in the Bronx, as the team paid tribute to the late owner, George Steinbrenner and public address announcer, Bob Sheppard.
The Rays had an early advantage in a back-and-forth affair in which Tampa scattered nine hits off Yankee pitching. C.C. Sabathia allowed right of those hits. The lefty yielded a second inning run on Willie Aybar’s sacrifice fly to center and gave up another run in the top of the third on an Evan Longoria double. The Bombers got a run back in the bottom half of the frame on Swisher’s RBI single. Swisher went 3-for-5 at the plate but contributed one of two New York errors in the field. Rays’ starter, James Shields tossed six innings of four hit ball. Shields walked three and struck out five while allowing three runs. Tampa built on their 2-1 lead in the fifth but could have produced more runs. Sabathia and the Bomber defense limited the damage after the Rays loaded the bases with no outs. Jason Bartlett tallied the third Tampa run on Longoria’s double play groundout.
Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada erased Tampa’s two run cushion in the fifth. Cano knocked home a run on his own solo shot off Shields. Posada pounded a 3-0 high fastball into the second deck in right to tie the game at 3-3. Both long balls came with two outs. Sabathia remained in the game through the seventh, allowing another run to cross the plate. Tampa retook their one run edge on Ben Zobrist’s groundout to first base. B.J. Upton scored on the play. Sabathia retired the next batter to end the threat with two runners on base. The 30 year old hurler fanned six Rays on the night but left without earning his 13th win. Tampa’s Grant Balfour held the Yankees scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, and New York reliever, Dave Robertson, struck out the side in the top of the eighth.
After Rivera held the contest at 4-4 in the ninth, the Yankees came to the plate to face Randy Choate. Curtis Granderson singled to lead off the frame and reached second on a sacrifice bunt by Ramiro Pena. Brett Gardner walked on a full count to put runners on first and second with one out. Dan Wheeler was called in from the Rays’ bullpen and retired Derek Jeter for the second out. Seven-year veteran, Cormier, couldn’t record the final out for the Rays. Swisher lined a base hit to punch home the winning tally and keep New York’s record as the best in baseball. Choate was charged with the loss.

Parting Points: I didn’t know J.J. Redick was worth that much.

Stephen Strasburg is something else. I like this kid.

Finally, I can’t wait to see the deal the Rams have in store for Sam Bradford.

Song of the day- “Until I Fall Away” by Gin Blossoms. These guys drop a new album in September titled “No Chocolate Cake”. I can’t wait to hear it.