The Rays edged the Red Sox 3-2 in St. Petersburg on Saturday, pushing Boston 5 ½ games behind the AL East leaders. Tampa is tied at the top of the division with the New York Yankees, who defeated the White Sox behind C.C. Sabathia’s 18th win of the season. Dan Johnson’s leadoff homerun in the 10th inning sealed the victory for the Rays in front of a sellout crowd at the Trop. It was the fifth walkoff win for the first place Rays this season.
Randy Choate recorded the final out of the 10th and was credited for the win after Johnson’s walkoff shot off losing pitcher, Scott Atchison. The Rays tied the game two times before taking the lead for good in the 10th. Boston went ahead 1-0 in the top of the fourth on Adrian Beltre’s sacrifice fly. The Red Sox pounded out ten total hits, including four from Victor Martinez, but were still parched for production. Martinez drove in both Boston runs and has a lifetime batting average of .425 at Tropicana Field. The Boston slugger has three of the five Red Sox RBIs this series and has scored four of the five runs. Martinez was the only run charged to Tampa hurler, Matt Garza. Garza scattered six hits through seven solid innings before Joaquin Benoit took over in the eighth.
Evan Longoria’s infield single in the fourth was the first hit for Tampa. Longoria also set the stage for the Rays’ first run with a seventh inning leadoff single of starter, Clay Buchholtz. The third baseman was tagged when Carlos Pena reached safely on a fielder’s choice. Pena advanced to third on Buchholtz’s errant pick-off move and scored on Matt Joyce’s sacrifice fly to right.
Martinez launched a solo shot off Benoit in the top of the eighth to give Boston a 2-1 advantage. It was the catcher’s 13th long ball of the year. B.J. Upton made it an even affair again with a homerun off Buchholtz. Upton drove a 1-0 offering into the left field stands for his 13th of the year. Bullet-proof Buchholtz allowed only four hits in just over seven frames. He struck out five batters but his consecutive 26-inning scoreless streak was snapped by Joyce. Both bullpens shut down the bats in the ninth inning, sending the game to extra frames. Choate relieved Chad Qualls with two outs in the tenth and Martinez on first base. Choate induced a fly out from David Ortiz to end the inning. Ortiz finished with three hits for Boston. In the tenth, Johnson ended the game on a 2-2 walkoff homer, the third of his career against the division rival Red Sox.
Parting Points: Disheartning news for the Nats—Stephen Strasburg needs surgery.
Good news for tennis fans—the U.S. Open starts tomorrow.
Showing posts with label Boston Red Sox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boston Red Sox. Show all posts
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sinking the Sox
It was a Lonestar letdown for the AL East’s third place team Friday in Arlington. Texas topped the visiting Red Sox 10-9 in 11 innings on Nelson Cruz’s leadoff homerun off Tim Wakefield. The Boston knuckleballer had his first pitch crushed into the seats to suffer his third loss of the season. The Red Sox bullpen folded in relief of Josh Beckett, who allowed six runs in five innings. Still, Boston staked to an 8-2 advantage thanks to a seven run fourth inning to lead 8-2. Boston crumbled through the next five frames, allowing Texas to tie the game in the eighth inning. The Rangers went on to win the game to prevent the Sox from gaining any ground on the second place Rays. Both Texas and Boston have 66 wins, but the Rangers hold a sizeable division lead in the West, while Boston trails two teams for the East lead.
Cruz collected a pair of RBI’s for Texas, including a first inning infield single to drive in the Rangers’ first tally. Josh Hamilton scored the first run and was the offensive and defensive star for the home team. Hamilton went 4-for-5 at the dish and scored four runs while making three great outfield snags. Hamilton robbed Jed Lowrie of a possible homerun in the seventh before scoring the tying run in the eighth following his extra-base hit. Hamilton raised his major league leading batting average to .362.
Leadoff man, Elvis Andrus, gave the Rangers a 2-0 cushion in the second by driving in his 30th run of the year. Boston answered in the next inning off Texas starter, Tommy Hunter. Lowrie blasted a homerun off Hunter to pull the Sox within a run. Hunter allowed six hits for the gritty AL West Rangers. Boston knocked him around in the top of the fourth and eventually out of the game all together. David Ortiz led off the inning with a game tying solo shot. Adrian Beltre, the next batter, also went deep to give the Sox the lead. Beltre’s 427 foot shot was followed by another homerun. J.D. Drew took Hunter’s 1-2 offering for a ride to give Boston three straight long balls in the span of seven pitches. Scott Feldman came out of the pen, signaling the end of Hunter’s night. Mike Lowell drew a walk off the reliever and Marco Scutaro singled him in. Victor Martinez added a two-run base hit to put Boston ahead by five. Boston batted around in the fourth, completing their high scoring frame with Ortiz’s grounder that scored Scutaro.
The Rangers began to chip away at Boston’s lead beginning in the bottom of the fourth. Texas tallied two runs on Mitch Moreland’s homerun and made it a two-run game in the fifth on Michael Young’s tater. Drew found the seats again for Boston in the seventh inning off Texas’ Darren Oliver. Terry Francona taxed his dismal bullpen, sending seven relievers to the mound to preserve the game. Texas finished with 17 hits and rallied from a 8-2 deficit to close the gap in the seventh. The home team picked up a run on David Murphy’s sacrifice fly off of Felix Doubront. Boston set-up man, Daniel Bard, surrendered a run on Bengie Molina’s double to score Cruz.
Bard faced the dangerous Vlad Guerrero with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth inning. Guerrero grounded weakly to second base, but the Lowrie rushed the throw to first. The Texas slugger was ruled safe after Lowell came off the bag and Hamilton kept running until he crossed the plate. Both bullpens were effective in retiring batters in the ninth and tenth. Neither team connected for a hit until the decisive eleventh. Wakefield’s first pitch was drilled to left to send Boston home losers and handing David O’Day the win. O’Day hasn’t been scored upon since June 1 and has 26 1/3 straight scoreless frames for the Rangers. The teams go at it again tonight with Daisuke Matsuzaka facing off against the Texas southpaw, C.J. Wilson.
Parting Points: It’s great to see Karl “The Mailman” Malone and Scottie Pippin get some recognition.
K-Rod’s suspension is not severe enough. The Mets’ closer should be facing jail time because this is not the second time he’s been involved in off-the-field scuffles.
Cruz collected a pair of RBI’s for Texas, including a first inning infield single to drive in the Rangers’ first tally. Josh Hamilton scored the first run and was the offensive and defensive star for the home team. Hamilton went 4-for-5 at the dish and scored four runs while making three great outfield snags. Hamilton robbed Jed Lowrie of a possible homerun in the seventh before scoring the tying run in the eighth following his extra-base hit. Hamilton raised his major league leading batting average to .362.
Leadoff man, Elvis Andrus, gave the Rangers a 2-0 cushion in the second by driving in his 30th run of the year. Boston answered in the next inning off Texas starter, Tommy Hunter. Lowrie blasted a homerun off Hunter to pull the Sox within a run. Hunter allowed six hits for the gritty AL West Rangers. Boston knocked him around in the top of the fourth and eventually out of the game all together. David Ortiz led off the inning with a game tying solo shot. Adrian Beltre, the next batter, also went deep to give the Sox the lead. Beltre’s 427 foot shot was followed by another homerun. J.D. Drew took Hunter’s 1-2 offering for a ride to give Boston three straight long balls in the span of seven pitches. Scott Feldman came out of the pen, signaling the end of Hunter’s night. Mike Lowell drew a walk off the reliever and Marco Scutaro singled him in. Victor Martinez added a two-run base hit to put Boston ahead by five. Boston batted around in the fourth, completing their high scoring frame with Ortiz’s grounder that scored Scutaro.
The Rangers began to chip away at Boston’s lead beginning in the bottom of the fourth. Texas tallied two runs on Mitch Moreland’s homerun and made it a two-run game in the fifth on Michael Young’s tater. Drew found the seats again for Boston in the seventh inning off Texas’ Darren Oliver. Terry Francona taxed his dismal bullpen, sending seven relievers to the mound to preserve the game. Texas finished with 17 hits and rallied from a 8-2 deficit to close the gap in the seventh. The home team picked up a run on David Murphy’s sacrifice fly off of Felix Doubront. Boston set-up man, Daniel Bard, surrendered a run on Bengie Molina’s double to score Cruz.
Bard faced the dangerous Vlad Guerrero with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth inning. Guerrero grounded weakly to second base, but the Lowrie rushed the throw to first. The Texas slugger was ruled safe after Lowell came off the bag and Hamilton kept running until he crossed the plate. Both bullpens were effective in retiring batters in the ninth and tenth. Neither team connected for a hit until the decisive eleventh. Wakefield’s first pitch was drilled to left to send Boston home losers and handing David O’Day the win. O’Day hasn’t been scored upon since June 1 and has 26 1/3 straight scoreless frames for the Rangers. The teams go at it again tonight with Daisuke Matsuzaka facing off against the Texas southpaw, C.J. Wilson.
Parting Points: It’s great to see Karl “The Mailman” Malone and Scottie Pippin get some recognition.
K-Rod’s suspension is not severe enough. The Mets’ closer should be facing jail time because this is not the second time he’s been involved in off-the-field scuffles.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Salvaging the Split
Jon Lester pitched a thrifty six inning game of four hit ball to win his 12th game of the season for the Boston Red Sox. Lester, Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon were an overpowering pitching trio Monday afternoon in the Bronx as the Sox split a four game series with the Yankees. Boston defeated the Bronx Bombers 2-1 to take the middle two games of the set and remain within six games of the division leaders. New York finished 3-4 on their recent home stand and next head to Texas to battle the first-place Rangers.
Phil Hughes was tagged with his fifth loss of the season for New York. Hughes allowed a pair of runs in the second inning, and was essentially blemish-free the rest of the game. The Yankees’ offense did not give their starter much run support, stranding 11 total base runners in the loss. Mark Teixeira drove in the only Bomber run on his team-leading 26th long ball of the year. Teixeira’s crush came in the bottom of the eighth off Daniel Bard. The Red Sox did all their scoring in the top of the second, pounding out three hits and capitalizing on a Jorge Posada throwing error. Lester tossed 6 1/3 innings, limiting the Yankee bats and fanning six. Newly-acquired Yankee, Austin Kearns, was first to break out against the tough Lester. Kearns’ one-out base hit in the fifth was one of six Bomber hits on Monday. Boston also banged out six hits during the contest, struggling after Hughes’ shaky second inning in which he threw over 40 pitches.
The Yankees had an opportunity in the seventh frame after Lester loaded the bases. Lester buckled down to strike out Curtis Granderson for the first out before being replaced by Bard. Bard needed just six pitches to get Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher whiffing on his 98-plus mph heaters to keep Boston clinging to a two-run edge. Teixeira put the Yankees on the board with a towering leadoff homerun in the eighth and pitted runners on first and second with two outs. Papelbon induced a Kearns ground ball to end the threat and struck out the side in the ninth for the save. Boston continues their road trip when they head to Toronto tomorrow, knowing the Yankees squandered a chance to put them in a deeper division hole.
Parting Points: Buck’s birds? Buck Showalter certainly has a way of motivating an underperforming ballclub. Perhaps he should take over the Seattle job too.
I don’t understand NFL players who hold out and don’t show up at camp. Aren’t these guys making enough money?
Phil Hughes was tagged with his fifth loss of the season for New York. Hughes allowed a pair of runs in the second inning, and was essentially blemish-free the rest of the game. The Yankees’ offense did not give their starter much run support, stranding 11 total base runners in the loss. Mark Teixeira drove in the only Bomber run on his team-leading 26th long ball of the year. Teixeira’s crush came in the bottom of the eighth off Daniel Bard. The Red Sox did all their scoring in the top of the second, pounding out three hits and capitalizing on a Jorge Posada throwing error. Lester tossed 6 1/3 innings, limiting the Yankee bats and fanning six. Newly-acquired Yankee, Austin Kearns, was first to break out against the tough Lester. Kearns’ one-out base hit in the fifth was one of six Bomber hits on Monday. Boston also banged out six hits during the contest, struggling after Hughes’ shaky second inning in which he threw over 40 pitches.
The Yankees had an opportunity in the seventh frame after Lester loaded the bases. Lester buckled down to strike out Curtis Granderson for the first out before being replaced by Bard. Bard needed just six pitches to get Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher whiffing on his 98-plus mph heaters to keep Boston clinging to a two-run edge. Teixeira put the Yankees on the board with a towering leadoff homerun in the eighth and pitted runners on first and second with two outs. Papelbon induced a Kearns ground ball to end the threat and struck out the side in the ninth for the save. Boston continues their road trip when they head to Toronto tomorrow, knowing the Yankees squandered a chance to put them in a deeper division hole.
Parting Points: Buck’s birds? Buck Showalter certainly has a way of motivating an underperforming ballclub. Perhaps he should take over the Seattle job too.
I don’t understand NFL players who hold out and don’t show up at camp. Aren’t these guys making enough money?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Rubber Rewind
The A’s took down the Red Sox 6-4 in the rubber match of a three game set in Oakland. Whenever Boston battles the junior league from the Bay Area, it usually results in a heated and tense contest. This series on the West Coast was no different from series between the rivals over the past few seasons. Adrian Beltre singled in a run, and stole second base in the top of the Boston first frame to give the Red Sox an early edge. It was the only lead the visitors would hold Wednesday night. Oakland’s offense awakened, coming alive to pound out 12 total hits. Boston starter, Clay Buchholz was shelled for his fifth loss, yielding five runs over four plus innings. Fresh off the disabled list, Buchholz was not sharp, exiting the game after failing to record an out in the fifth.
Red-hot Oakland took their third straight series thanks to 31 year old Matt Watson’s first major-league homerun. The journeyman outfielder clubbed a solo shot off the scoreboard in right field, leading the A’s to their seventh win in their last eight tries. Jack Cust followed Watson’s lead by hitting his fourth homerun in seven games. The designated hitter for power-challenged Oakland took Buchholz deep in the bottom of the third and finished 2-for-3. Cust’s two run blast padded the A’s advantage to two runs providing hurler, Gio Gonzalez, a small cushion to work with.
Gonzalez allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings of work. Oakland’s defense turned in a superb performance with more dazzling double plays and diving outfield grabs. The Red Sox made it a one run game, closing in on the home team when Jed Lowrie drove in teammate, Bill Hall for the second Boston tally. The A’s responded in the home half of the fifth with three runs on four hits. Boston reliever, Scott Atchison gave up a one-out single to Mark Ellis to score Kurt Suzuki. Rajai Davis singled to center, notching a pair of RBIs and giving the A’s a 6-2 advantage.
Gonzalez ran into more trouble in the six after allowing a single by Kevin Youkilis and a homerun by Beltre. For Beltre, it was his 16th long ball of the year, putting the Sox within two runs of tying the game. The A’s bullpen was strong with Henry Rodriguez pitching around a pair of seventh inning walks and Brad Ziegler nailing down three outs in the eighth. Oakland’s Coco Crisp smacked a triple in the eighth but was tagged out at the plate trying to score on a fly ball from Cliff Pennington. Crisp’s extra base hit was a positive note for the slumping A’s slugger, who was dropped to ninth in the lineup. Michael Wuertz was perfect in the ninth for his second save of the year.
Parting Points: Sad song of the day- Colbie Caillat’s “I Never Told You”
Cool player for Thursday- the Yankees’ Colin Curtis
RIP Ralph Houk
Red-hot Oakland took their third straight series thanks to 31 year old Matt Watson’s first major-league homerun. The journeyman outfielder clubbed a solo shot off the scoreboard in right field, leading the A’s to their seventh win in their last eight tries. Jack Cust followed Watson’s lead by hitting his fourth homerun in seven games. The designated hitter for power-challenged Oakland took Buchholz deep in the bottom of the third and finished 2-for-3. Cust’s two run blast padded the A’s advantage to two runs providing hurler, Gio Gonzalez, a small cushion to work with.
Gonzalez allowed seven hits and four runs in six innings of work. Oakland’s defense turned in a superb performance with more dazzling double plays and diving outfield grabs. The Red Sox made it a one run game, closing in on the home team when Jed Lowrie drove in teammate, Bill Hall for the second Boston tally. The A’s responded in the home half of the fifth with three runs on four hits. Boston reliever, Scott Atchison gave up a one-out single to Mark Ellis to score Kurt Suzuki. Rajai Davis singled to center, notching a pair of RBIs and giving the A’s a 6-2 advantage.
Gonzalez ran into more trouble in the six after allowing a single by Kevin Youkilis and a homerun by Beltre. For Beltre, it was his 16th long ball of the year, putting the Sox within two runs of tying the game. The A’s bullpen was strong with Henry Rodriguez pitching around a pair of seventh inning walks and Brad Ziegler nailing down three outs in the eighth. Oakland’s Coco Crisp smacked a triple in the eighth but was tagged out at the plate trying to score on a fly ball from Cliff Pennington. Crisp’s extra base hit was a positive note for the slumping A’s slugger, who was dropped to ninth in the lineup. Michael Wuertz was perfect in the ninth for his second save of the year.
Parting Points: Sad song of the day- Colbie Caillat’s “I Never Told You”
Cool player for Thursday- the Yankees’ Colin Curtis
RIP Ralph Houk
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thames' Timely Tater
The Red Sox offense went deep five times at Yankee Stadium Monday night. Boston scored nine runs on thirteen hits. The visiting team from Beantown even came back from a 5-0 first inning deficit to take the lead in the eighth inning. Yet, the Red Sox left the Bronx ballpark losers of their eighth straight in New York because the rival Yankees staged a ninth frame comeback in the thrilling two-game series opener. Alex Rodriguez clubbed a game tying homerun to left center off closer, Jonathan Papelbon and Marcus Thames plated the go-ahead run moments later with a two-run blast. Javier Vasquez picked up his second win in his second stint in pinstripes after recording the final out of the ninth. It was the third career relief outing for the struggling starter, but an overall productive one as his team bounced back from a devastating dropping Sunday night.
Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up five first inning runs to the potent Bombers. Rodriguez singled in Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner for the first two tallies of the inning. Robinson Cano’s base hit to left field signaled in Mark Teixeira from third base, and Francisco Cervelli’s double produced the fourth New York run all with no outs. Cervilli crossed the plate on Marcus Thames’ sacrifice fly to complete the Yankees’ five-run jumpstart. Boston got a run back in the top of the second off Phil Hughes. Hughes tossed five innings of six hit ball, including an Adrian Beltre RBI single in the second. Gardner gave the Yankees a 6-1 advantage in the bottom half of the second when he raced home on Teixeiria’s double. The young Yankee centerfielder scored three times during the contest and collected two hits.
David Ortiz launched his seventh homerun of the season on a 1-1 offering from Hughes in the fourth. J.D. Drew added his own long ball an inning later to put the Red Sox within one run. New York got an insurance run in their half of the fifth when Thames doubled in Cervelli for a 7-5 Bomber edge. Boone Logan replaced Hughes in the sixth and allowed Victor Martinez to drill his first of two homeruns of the night. The Boston slugger smacked his second in the eighth on a full count but not before teammate, Kevin Youkilis, roped a two run tater to lead off the inning. It was the sixth time this season the Boston first baseman went yard. Both homeruns were served up by Chan Ho Park. Youkilis couldn’t help the Red Sox in the ninth, however. Vasquez fanned Youkilis to hold the Boston lead at two with runners at the corners and two outs. Papelbon was summoned from the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth. The closer promptly yielded a Gardner double before giving up Rodriguez’s game tying bomb. Papelbon hit Cervelli with a pitch and let Thames walk off with the winning homerun a batter later to suffer his third loss of the year. Thames’ four RBIs Monday were one short of his career high. The well-traveled right fielder has 10 RBIs for New York and is batting .365 though a month and a half of 52 at-bats. Matsuzaka allowed seven runs and nine hits as the Red Sox fell under the .500 mark with a 19-20 record.
Parting Points: Tuesday’s tune-“Insensitive” by Jann Arden
I wish Tampa Bay would cool off before coming to New York. They are impressive.
Kobe helped the Lakers set down out the Suns for 40 points in Game 1. I think L.A. will take this series. It’s a tossup in the East, however.
Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka gave up five first inning runs to the potent Bombers. Rodriguez singled in Derek Jeter and Brett Gardner for the first two tallies of the inning. Robinson Cano’s base hit to left field signaled in Mark Teixeira from third base, and Francisco Cervelli’s double produced the fourth New York run all with no outs. Cervilli crossed the plate on Marcus Thames’ sacrifice fly to complete the Yankees’ five-run jumpstart. Boston got a run back in the top of the second off Phil Hughes. Hughes tossed five innings of six hit ball, including an Adrian Beltre RBI single in the second. Gardner gave the Yankees a 6-1 advantage in the bottom half of the second when he raced home on Teixeiria’s double. The young Yankee centerfielder scored three times during the contest and collected two hits.
David Ortiz launched his seventh homerun of the season on a 1-1 offering from Hughes in the fourth. J.D. Drew added his own long ball an inning later to put the Red Sox within one run. New York got an insurance run in their half of the fifth when Thames doubled in Cervelli for a 7-5 Bomber edge. Boone Logan replaced Hughes in the sixth and allowed Victor Martinez to drill his first of two homeruns of the night. The Boston slugger smacked his second in the eighth on a full count but not before teammate, Kevin Youkilis, roped a two run tater to lead off the inning. It was the sixth time this season the Boston first baseman went yard. Both homeruns were served up by Chan Ho Park. Youkilis couldn’t help the Red Sox in the ninth, however. Vasquez fanned Youkilis to hold the Boston lead at two with runners at the corners and two outs. Papelbon was summoned from the bullpen in the bottom of the ninth. The closer promptly yielded a Gardner double before giving up Rodriguez’s game tying bomb. Papelbon hit Cervelli with a pitch and let Thames walk off with the winning homerun a batter later to suffer his third loss of the year. Thames’ four RBIs Monday were one short of his career high. The well-traveled right fielder has 10 RBIs for New York and is batting .365 though a month and a half of 52 at-bats. Matsuzaka allowed seven runs and nine hits as the Red Sox fell under the .500 mark with a 19-20 record.
Parting Points: Tuesday’s tune-“Insensitive” by Jann Arden
I wish Tampa Bay would cool off before coming to New York. They are impressive.
Kobe helped the Lakers set down out the Suns for 40 points in Game 1. I think L.A. will take this series. It’s a tossup in the East, however.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Twins on Target
Minnesota raced out to a 2-0 lead during the opening frame of first ever game at the new Target Field in Minneapolis. The Twins tacked on three more runs to top the Boston Red Sox 5-2 in convincing fashion. Minnesota battered Boston starter, Jon Lester early to take control of the contest. Lester struggled with control from the start, walking Denard Span to begin the game. Span’s pass was followed by an Orlando Hudson single before Lester retired the dangerous due, backstop Joe Mauer and first baseman, Justin Morneau. Minnesota’s Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel clubbed back-to-back RBI singles to give the Twins two tallies in their first trip to the plate. The Red Sox never recovered.
Carl Pavano dazzled for the Twins and improved his season record to 2-0. Pavano pitched six innings of one run ball and allowed just four hits. Lester allowed five runs in four innings. The lefty was laced with nine hits. Kubel was the offensive hero for Minnesota in the 2010 grand home debut. The 27 year old DH socked the first homerun of the new ballpark and finished 3-for-4 at the plate. Kubel began the seventh inning with a bang, rocking a 2-2 pitch to right field to give the Twins a 4-1 lead. Minnesota recorded 12 hits in front of their hometown crowd. Mauer collected three hits and a pair of RBIs. His slicing double down the left field line in the bottom of the second inning secured a 3-0 advantage for Pavano. Nick Punto singled, stole a base, scored and made a few exceptional plays in the field for the Twins.
Both teams recorded runs in the fourth inning. Boston got a double from slipping slugger, David Ortiz in the top of the fourth for one of the few Boston highlights. Kevin Youkilis scored on Big Papi’s base hit to put the Sox on the scoreboard. Boston didn’t reach home again until the eighth, by which time it was too little, too late. Dustin Pedroia’s sacrifice fly to Cuddyer in right field scored the ninth hitter, Jeremy Hermida from third. Jon Rauch put the finishing touches on a memorable first game with a perfect ninth for his second save. Pavano earned the win, while striking out four. The Twins’ fourth frame run came on Mauer’s infield single in the breezy 65 degree Minnesota ballpark. Monday was the first home game in a non-indoor venue since the 1981 season. The Twins will throw right-hander Kevin Slowey against Boston newcomer, John Lackey on Wednesday. Lackey is coming off a strong Red Sox debut in which he shutout New York for six solid frames. Minnesota wraps up the first Target Field series Thursday. Southpaw flamethrower, Francisco Liriano toes the rubber for the Twins against Beantown veteran knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield.
Parting Points: Song of the day-“Hanging by a Moment” by Lifehouse
“You can observe a lot just by watching”- Yogi Berra
Carl Pavano dazzled for the Twins and improved his season record to 2-0. Pavano pitched six innings of one run ball and allowed just four hits. Lester allowed five runs in four innings. The lefty was laced with nine hits. Kubel was the offensive hero for Minnesota in the 2010 grand home debut. The 27 year old DH socked the first homerun of the new ballpark and finished 3-for-4 at the plate. Kubel began the seventh inning with a bang, rocking a 2-2 pitch to right field to give the Twins a 4-1 lead. Minnesota recorded 12 hits in front of their hometown crowd. Mauer collected three hits and a pair of RBIs. His slicing double down the left field line in the bottom of the second inning secured a 3-0 advantage for Pavano. Nick Punto singled, stole a base, scored and made a few exceptional plays in the field for the Twins.
Both teams recorded runs in the fourth inning. Boston got a double from slipping slugger, David Ortiz in the top of the fourth for one of the few Boston highlights. Kevin Youkilis scored on Big Papi’s base hit to put the Sox on the scoreboard. Boston didn’t reach home again until the eighth, by which time it was too little, too late. Dustin Pedroia’s sacrifice fly to Cuddyer in right field scored the ninth hitter, Jeremy Hermida from third. Jon Rauch put the finishing touches on a memorable first game with a perfect ninth for his second save. Pavano earned the win, while striking out four. The Twins’ fourth frame run came on Mauer’s infield single in the breezy 65 degree Minnesota ballpark. Monday was the first home game in a non-indoor venue since the 1981 season. The Twins will throw right-hander Kevin Slowey against Boston newcomer, John Lackey on Wednesday. Lackey is coming off a strong Red Sox debut in which he shutout New York for six solid frames. Minnesota wraps up the first Target Field series Thursday. Southpaw flamethrower, Francisco Liriano toes the rubber for the Twins against Beantown veteran knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield.
Parting Points: Song of the day-“Hanging by a Moment” by Lifehouse
“You can observe a lot just by watching”- Yogi Berra
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Bombers Beat Boston on Blunder
The Yankees’ bullpen bounced back from Sunday’s defeat in Boston to preserve a 6-4 victory Tuesday night. New York was the team coming back in game two of the three game set with the Red Sox. Shortstop Marco Scutaro’s eighth inning throwing error kept the inning alive and keyed the Bombers’ go-ahead run. Scutaro fielded a routine ground ball by Derek Jeter and flicked it beyond the reach of first baseman, Kevin Youkilis to load the bases for the Bombers. Nick Johnson, known for his keen eye, walked on a 3-1 count to break a 4-4 tie with Hideki Okajima on the hill for Boston. The reliever couldn’t salvage an almost inescapable bases-loaded jam and Jorge Posada scored on the base-on-balls. Robinson Cano capped off the ninth inning with a solo shot for the two run decision. It was Cano’s first bomb of the season and the Yankees’ first appearance in the win column. Another first for New York: Marino Rivera’s first save and 527th of his career.
New York fell behind in the first inning on Youkilis’ sacrifice fly off A.J. Burnett. The Yankee hurler went five innings and allowed seven hits, while fanning five. The defending champions gave Burnett little run support until a three-run fifth frame. The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 following a Nick Swisher RBI double off Boston starter, Jon Lester in the second inning. Lester matched Burnett by throwing four innings and giving up five runs in his season debut at Fenway. Burnett was the victim of Victor Martinez’ first dinger of the young season, a two-run shot in the third. New York loaded the bases with no outs as they trailed 3-1 in the fifth. Curtis Granderson and Jeter scored before Cano’s sacrifice fly gave the Yankees their first lead of the night. Mark Teixeira crossed the plate for the 4-3 Yankee advantage as lefty Lester was yanked from the mound. In the bottom of the fifth, Jacoby Ellsbury hammered a hotshot to Jeter, who crisply grabbed the liner with a vertical leap. Jeter robbed Adrian Beltre of an extra-base hit in the sixth in a strong defensive showing for New York. Last year’s Yankee-killer, Martinez, belted a game-tying double to center in the bottom of the fifth and the game remained knotted until Scutaro’s gaffe paved the way for New York run production in the eighth. Jeter made a throwing error in the sixth, but the damage wasn’t nearly as costly as Scutaro’s blunder.
Joe Girardi’s bullpen was sure-handed and steady in setting down the Red Sox in relief roles. Alfredo Aceves trotted to the mound after Burnett’s exit. Aceves fired two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Joba Chamberlain, Dave Robertson and Damaso Marte combined for a one-hit outing out of the pen, and Rivera clamped down the win in the ninth. The Red Sox went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and failed to hold the early lead, keep the game tied or capitalize late. Martinez led the way with three RBIs and two hits in the loss. Manny Delcarmen threw a scoreless sixth inning and Daniel Bard managed a hitless seventh for Terry Francona’s Sox. Okajima was charged with the loss two nights after snagging the win. Chamberlain’s slider and heater were equally impressive as the big setup man struck out two Boston batters. The Yankees were patient at the plate and made Lester work.
Parting Points: NJ’s Martin Brodeur notched his 600th career win last night.
Congrats to the UConn Huskies on a second straight NCAA championship. Did you ever doubt them?
Song of the day- “Yesterday” by Toni Braxton
New York fell behind in the first inning on Youkilis’ sacrifice fly off A.J. Burnett. The Yankee hurler went five innings and allowed seven hits, while fanning five. The defending champions gave Burnett little run support until a three-run fifth frame. The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 following a Nick Swisher RBI double off Boston starter, Jon Lester in the second inning. Lester matched Burnett by throwing four innings and giving up five runs in his season debut at Fenway. Burnett was the victim of Victor Martinez’ first dinger of the young season, a two-run shot in the third. New York loaded the bases with no outs as they trailed 3-1 in the fifth. Curtis Granderson and Jeter scored before Cano’s sacrifice fly gave the Yankees their first lead of the night. Mark Teixeira crossed the plate for the 4-3 Yankee advantage as lefty Lester was yanked from the mound. In the bottom of the fifth, Jacoby Ellsbury hammered a hotshot to Jeter, who crisply grabbed the liner with a vertical leap. Jeter robbed Adrian Beltre of an extra-base hit in the sixth in a strong defensive showing for New York. Last year’s Yankee-killer, Martinez, belted a game-tying double to center in the bottom of the fifth and the game remained knotted until Scutaro’s gaffe paved the way for New York run production in the eighth. Jeter made a throwing error in the sixth, but the damage wasn’t nearly as costly as Scutaro’s blunder.
Joe Girardi’s bullpen was sure-handed and steady in setting down the Red Sox in relief roles. Alfredo Aceves trotted to the mound after Burnett’s exit. Aceves fired two scoreless innings to pick up the win. Joba Chamberlain, Dave Robertson and Damaso Marte combined for a one-hit outing out of the pen, and Rivera clamped down the win in the ninth. The Red Sox went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and failed to hold the early lead, keep the game tied or capitalize late. Martinez led the way with three RBIs and two hits in the loss. Manny Delcarmen threw a scoreless sixth inning and Daniel Bard managed a hitless seventh for Terry Francona’s Sox. Okajima was charged with the loss two nights after snagging the win. Chamberlain’s slider and heater were equally impressive as the big setup man struck out two Boston batters. The Yankees were patient at the plate and made Lester work.
Parting Points: NJ’s Martin Brodeur notched his 600th career win last night.
Congrats to the UConn Huskies on a second straight NCAA championship. Did you ever doubt them?
Song of the day- “Yesterday” by Toni Braxton
Monday, April 5, 2010
Rallying Relief
The Red Sox scratched out their first win of the 2010 season, rallying past the Yankees in Sunday night’s opener at Fenway Park. Boston inked a 9-7 victory over their AL East rivals from New York. The defending champion Yankees allowed the Sox to erase a 5-1 fifth inning lead. C.C. Sabathia issued one run through four frames before a three-hit, one run fifth. Marco Scutaro, the newly acquired Boston infielder, knocked in J.D. Drew to cut Boston’s deficit to three runs. The Yankees enabled three more runs in the bottom of the sixth as the Red Sox tied the game 5-5. The Yankees beat up Sox reliever, Ramon Ramirez, in the erratic seventh before Boston rallied again. Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez provided the runs in New York’s half of the seventh to put the visiting team up by two. Gold glovers, Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia supplied the power for Boston in the seventh. Youkilis smacked three extra-base hits for the home team during the opening game. Pedroia clocked a two-run bomb off first year Yankee reliever, Chan Ho Park. Youkilis scored later in the inning on Damaso Marte’s wild pitch past Jorge Posada to give the Sox a one run advantage. The Yankees bullpen continued to struggle throughout the game. Park was charged with the loss and recorded just two outs in his Yankees debit.
New York tallied two runs on back-to-back solo shots by Posada and outfielder, Curtis Granderson. Both homeruns came off Boston starter, Josh Beckett, in the second inning. Posada had three hits and two RBIs to lead New York. Sabathia gave up five runs and six hits while Beckett tossed 4.2 innings of eight hit ball. Adrian Beltre put the Sox on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly in the second. Brett Gardner countered two frames later for the New York offense. Gardner got his season off on the right foot with a single to begin a three run fourth inning. Derek Jeter’s base hit scored Nick Swisher, and Gardner stole home (a double steal with Jeter) to pad the Yankee lead to 5-1. Thirty-three year old, Hideki Okajima, earned the win for Theo Epstein’s club and Jonathan Papelbon sealed his first save of the season. The Sox save man induced a Granderson ground ball with the tying run at the plate in the ninth. Both teams had 12 hits and left nine on base in the opener of this three-game series.
Parting Points: Donovan McNabb has swapped NFC East teams. The quarterback is headed to Washington for two draft picks.
New York tallied two runs on back-to-back solo shots by Posada and outfielder, Curtis Granderson. Both homeruns came off Boston starter, Josh Beckett, in the second inning. Posada had three hits and two RBIs to lead New York. Sabathia gave up five runs and six hits while Beckett tossed 4.2 innings of eight hit ball. Adrian Beltre put the Sox on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly in the second. Brett Gardner countered two frames later for the New York offense. Gardner got his season off on the right foot with a single to begin a three run fourth inning. Derek Jeter’s base hit scored Nick Swisher, and Gardner stole home (a double steal with Jeter) to pad the Yankee lead to 5-1. Thirty-three year old, Hideki Okajima, earned the win for Theo Epstein’s club and Jonathan Papelbon sealed his first save of the season. The Sox save man induced a Granderson ground ball with the tying run at the plate in the ninth. Both teams had 12 hits and left nine on base in the opener of this three-game series.
Parting Points: Donovan McNabb has swapped NFC East teams. The quarterback is headed to Washington for two draft picks.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sabathia's Saturday Sox Shutdown
C.C. Sabathia became the majors’ first 19 game winner and Robinson Cano belted his 24th homerun of the season as the Yankees cruised to a shutout win at home against the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees won for the second time in the three game set by skating past Boston 3-0. Sabathia, Phil Hughes and Marino Rivera combined for a two-hitter and Cano provided all the offense the Bombers would need with his sixth inning opposite field shot.
Boston’s magic number for a playoff berth stands at three and New York can clinch the AL East title with a win today against the pesky Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka was outshined by a stellar Sabathia performance Saturday. The ace tossed seven innings of one-hit ball and retired the first 11 Boston batters he faced. Victor Martinez was the first Red Sox to reach base on a walk in the fourth inning. Martinez extended his 25-game hitting streak with a single off Rivera in the ninth. Mike Lowell mustered the only hit off the southpaw with a crack up the middle in the top of the fifth. C.C. lowered his ERA to 3.21 and fanned eight Red Sox on a crisp Fall afternoon in the Bronx.
Matsuzaka, pitching to Martinez for just the first time, was not great but asserted an encouraging effort in his third start off the disabled list. He only allowed one run, but gave up six hits in seven innings. Matsuzaka’s control was a troubling factor. He walked five Bombers and hit a batter. Cano homered in the sixth to break the taut affair, and Johnny Damon clubbed a soft two -run double off Billy Wagner in the eighth. As it turned out, it would only take one run to beat Boston on this day. The Red Sox left five runners on base, but it wasn’t often they reached the bags. Sabathia faced the minimum three batters in the first three frames before Boston plated four hitters in the fourth. Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Lowell all struck out twice as the Red Sox couldn’t get any wood on the ball. They seemed sluggish, shoddy and overmatched when Sabathia was stymieing their sticks.
The Red Sox have lost eight of their last nine meetings with the Yankees. The season series finale could be the game that crowns New York champions of the division. Saturday, Sabathia looked like the Game One playoff starter the Bombers expect come October. The lefty had stupendous command but come post-season time, he will need even more. The Yankees’ ace struggled in the playoffs against Boston as a Cleveland Indian. His ERA was over ten in just two ALCS starts two years ago. Last year, Sabathia yielded five runs as an NL post-season starter with Milwaukee. Although he is undefeated in his last 11 starts in pinstripes, the Yankees are not ensuring he will rise to the occasion in the next month. The difference in 2009 could be the bullpen. The Yankees have a solid relief core and arguably still have the best closer on the bench in Rivera. Sabathia should not have to do it all himself on the mound, but the former CY Young winner must be an innings-eater when the level of play increases.
Parting Points: Song for Sunday- “On Bended Knee”- Boyz II Men
Who would have thought Ohio State would be good for their second shutout in as many weeks? I am a Buckeye backer, but I admit, I didn’t.
Boston’s magic number for a playoff berth stands at three and New York can clinch the AL East title with a win today against the pesky Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka was outshined by a stellar Sabathia performance Saturday. The ace tossed seven innings of one-hit ball and retired the first 11 Boston batters he faced. Victor Martinez was the first Red Sox to reach base on a walk in the fourth inning. Martinez extended his 25-game hitting streak with a single off Rivera in the ninth. Mike Lowell mustered the only hit off the southpaw with a crack up the middle in the top of the fifth. C.C. lowered his ERA to 3.21 and fanned eight Red Sox on a crisp Fall afternoon in the Bronx.
Matsuzaka, pitching to Martinez for just the first time, was not great but asserted an encouraging effort in his third start off the disabled list. He only allowed one run, but gave up six hits in seven innings. Matsuzaka’s control was a troubling factor. He walked five Bombers and hit a batter. Cano homered in the sixth to break the taut affair, and Johnny Damon clubbed a soft two -run double off Billy Wagner in the eighth. As it turned out, it would only take one run to beat Boston on this day. The Red Sox left five runners on base, but it wasn’t often they reached the bags. Sabathia faced the minimum three batters in the first three frames before Boston plated four hitters in the fourth. Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia and Lowell all struck out twice as the Red Sox couldn’t get any wood on the ball. They seemed sluggish, shoddy and overmatched when Sabathia was stymieing their sticks.
The Red Sox have lost eight of their last nine meetings with the Yankees. The season series finale could be the game that crowns New York champions of the division. Saturday, Sabathia looked like the Game One playoff starter the Bombers expect come October. The lefty had stupendous command but come post-season time, he will need even more. The Yankees’ ace struggled in the playoffs against Boston as a Cleveland Indian. His ERA was over ten in just two ALCS starts two years ago. Last year, Sabathia yielded five runs as an NL post-season starter with Milwaukee. Although he is undefeated in his last 11 starts in pinstripes, the Yankees are not ensuring he will rise to the occasion in the next month. The difference in 2009 could be the bullpen. The Yankees have a solid relief core and arguably still have the best closer on the bench in Rivera. Sabathia should not have to do it all himself on the mound, but the former CY Young winner must be an innings-eater when the level of play increases.
Parting Points: Song for Sunday- “On Bended Knee”- Boyz II Men
Who would have thought Ohio State would be good for their second shutout in as many weeks? I am a Buckeye backer, but I admit, I didn’t.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Scorching Sox September Surge
It wasn’t such a pleasant Sunday for New England football fans. Patriot backers had little to cheer about after they marched into the Meadowlands and suffered a meltdown at the hands of Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets. New England led at halftime, but it all went downhill from there. Boston baseball aficionados had more to celebrate and cheer about after the Red Sox inched closer to the AL Wildcard. Boston coasted to their 10th win in 11 games. Sunday’s victory over Baltimore, combined with a Texas Rangers loss, reduced the Red Sox wildcard number to seven. Boston now has an eight game edge over the suddenly slipping Rangers. The Sox outscored the Orioles 23-9 in completing a three game sweep at Camden Yards.
Daisuke Matsuzaka started just his second game since returning from a three-month stay on the disabled list. Matsuzaka allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings as Boston beat Baltimore 9-3. Baltimore’s rookie hurler from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Jason Berken, coughed up six runs in three innings of work. The Red Sox jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first frame on a Jason Bay single and a pair of Mike Lowell RBIs. Bay was playing on his 31st birthday as he returned to the lineup for the series finale in Baltimore. Berken walked two of the first three batters he faced and left his team in a hole before they even stepped to the plate. In the second inning, Victor Martinez crushed a single off the rookie to extend his career best hitting streak to 19 games. Jacoby Ellsbury added a double good for two runs in the second. The ball was clocked with backspin and sliced away from the fielder in left-center. Bay connected off relief pitcher, Chris Waters, two innings later for a 7-0 Red Sox advantage. Bay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to drive in his third of the afternoon, and Ellsbury contributed a solo shot in the seventh to account for the remainder of Boston’s runs. The talented centerfield leadoff man was 3 for 4 on the day, with three RBIs and a stolen base. The Orioles only scoring came on a bottom of the fourth Luke Scott two-run tater and a bases loaded walk in the sixth. The pass came off Ramon Ramirez in relief of Matsuzaka.
Bay is having a phenomenal season in only his first full year donning Boston red. He is the leading MVP of the team, and a potential candidate for AL MVP too. His offensive resume is pretty impressive despite a less-than spectacular batting average. Bay’s 35th blast yesterday marked a career high for the All-star outfielder. Kevin Youkilis has also grabbed headlines in Boston with his versatility and plate patience. Youkilis is batting .314 with 85 RBIs and 25 long balls. While the Orioles are not a very good team, the Sox swung the bats well and built on an early lead. Ellsbury was a triple short of hitting for the cycle and the offense took care of business against a less than talented team. The Red Sox are rolling but must hold things together the rest of the season. Rest is important as the teams hit the homestretch and there will be some challenges along the way. But Boston is close to clicking on all cylinders and there is not much room for improvement. The pitching is healthier than it was earlier in the year and starters are locating their pitches more effectively. Clay Bucholtz gutted his way through six innings during his last start, and despite not throwing quality breaking balls or changeups, has matured and emerged as a number three starter. He is 5-0 in his last seven starts. The Sox need him to make pitches and have good command if they expect to succeed beyond September. The pitching staff posted a 1.87 in their last nine games before yesterday. If they can sustain their pitching, the Sox can get within a handful of games as they head into a key matchup with the Yankees next weekend.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Last Night” by the Strokes
Goodbye Summer!
Daisuke Matsuzaka started just his second game since returning from a three-month stay on the disabled list. Matsuzaka allowed three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings as Boston beat Baltimore 9-3. Baltimore’s rookie hurler from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Jason Berken, coughed up six runs in three innings of work. The Red Sox jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first frame on a Jason Bay single and a pair of Mike Lowell RBIs. Bay was playing on his 31st birthday as he returned to the lineup for the series finale in Baltimore. Berken walked two of the first three batters he faced and left his team in a hole before they even stepped to the plate. In the second inning, Victor Martinez crushed a single off the rookie to extend his career best hitting streak to 19 games. Jacoby Ellsbury added a double good for two runs in the second. The ball was clocked with backspin and sliced away from the fielder in left-center. Bay connected off relief pitcher, Chris Waters, two innings later for a 7-0 Red Sox advantage. Bay was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth to drive in his third of the afternoon, and Ellsbury contributed a solo shot in the seventh to account for the remainder of Boston’s runs. The talented centerfield leadoff man was 3 for 4 on the day, with three RBIs and a stolen base. The Orioles only scoring came on a bottom of the fourth Luke Scott two-run tater and a bases loaded walk in the sixth. The pass came off Ramon Ramirez in relief of Matsuzaka.
Bay is having a phenomenal season in only his first full year donning Boston red. He is the leading MVP of the team, and a potential candidate for AL MVP too. His offensive resume is pretty impressive despite a less-than spectacular batting average. Bay’s 35th blast yesterday marked a career high for the All-star outfielder. Kevin Youkilis has also grabbed headlines in Boston with his versatility and plate patience. Youkilis is batting .314 with 85 RBIs and 25 long balls. While the Orioles are not a very good team, the Sox swung the bats well and built on an early lead. Ellsbury was a triple short of hitting for the cycle and the offense took care of business against a less than talented team. The Red Sox are rolling but must hold things together the rest of the season. Rest is important as the teams hit the homestretch and there will be some challenges along the way. But Boston is close to clicking on all cylinders and there is not much room for improvement. The pitching is healthier than it was earlier in the year and starters are locating their pitches more effectively. Clay Bucholtz gutted his way through six innings during his last start, and despite not throwing quality breaking balls or changeups, has matured and emerged as a number three starter. He is 5-0 in his last seven starts. The Sox need him to make pitches and have good command if they expect to succeed beyond September. The pitching staff posted a 1.87 in their last nine games before yesterday. If they can sustain their pitching, the Sox can get within a handful of games as they head into a key matchup with the Yankees next weekend.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Last Night” by the Strokes
Goodbye Summer!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Elusive Empire Erupts
Are the Patriots and Jets starting the NFL season earlier this year? Nope. Those high-scoring slugfests Friday and Saturday were just baseball games. The Red Sox and the Yankees collided at Fenway for their final series of 2009 Friday night. The outcomes were closer to football finals than a nine inning game on the diamond. The offenses were more than prepared, exploding with hits and runs like they were going out of style. Even with Yankee ace, A.J. Burnett, on the mound, Boston batters bashed the Bombers. Burnett has had past success at Fenway Park. He could not sustain that success Saturday afternoon in rainy New England, allowing the home team to score a pair of touchdowns in a 14-1 New York loss. The scoring during this series so far is extremely obscure. As a Yankee fan, it’s never fun when the “empire” strikes back.
The Yankees put up 20 runs behind Andy Pettitte on Friday night in the series opener. The Bombers allowed 11 Boston runs, but still won the game. Yesterday, the Red Sox piled on even more runs, but this time were the victors. Junichi Tazawa, the rookie Boston hurler, kept the Yankee bats on the shelf with six shutout innings to snap a five game skid for his hurting team. Tazawa pitched out of trouble all day and allowed two walks and eight hits. He was less jarring on the mound than Brad Penny was the night before, and more poised than when he delivered the game winning pitch to Alex Rodriguez in the 15th inning earlier this month. The Japanese 23 year old established his prominence in the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox with his profound performance.
Equally marvelous were the Red Sox hitters on Saturday afternoon. Kevin Youkilis put the “kill” in Burnett by drilling a duo of dingers. Kevin clocked six RBIs, tying a career high for a single game. His first homerun came in the second inning as Boston already put up ten runs. Burnett surrendered a solo shot to Alex Gonzalez before letting Youkilis drive one out. The Red Sox had a seven run second and added five more by the sixth inning when Youkilis went deep again. David Ortiz contributed a solo homerun in the fifth that was followed by destructive back-to-back doubles by J.D. Drew and Jason Bay. Burnett lasted five innings and gave up nine earned runs. The Red Sox roughed up Burnett and set a team record with their eighth consecutive multihomer game. With no lead a safe one in the bandbox ballpark, the Red Sox were eager to equip more runs. Manager, Joe Girardi, displaced Burnett with an ineffective Alfredo Aceves and later, Dave Robertson. Together, the relievers gave up the final five Red Sox runs. Burnett demonstrated none of the magic from the pitching duel with Josh Beckett earlier in the season. The electricity went out and Burnett simply could not locate his pitches. The fastball to Youkilis was thrown right over the plate, belt high. The result, of course, was a three run bomb over the Green Monster.
New York couldn’t score more than one run Saturday. The only run came on a Nick Swisher seventh inning solo slash. Swisher and Robinson Cano had three hits, Mark Teixeira had two, and four other Bombers a paltry two. Hideki Matsui went 0-5 a night after accounting for a pair for homeruns. The team was coming off a Friday evening outburst they had not seen since July 20, 2007. Their 23 hit series opener was the most runs and hits the Yankees have scored in over two years. Yet, baseball’s best team since the All-Star break couldn’t figure out the opposing rookie. The difference between Tazawa and Burnett was location. Tazawa dialed up the fastball and breaking ball with a little zing and precise placement. The communication between Burnett and his battery-mate, Jorge Posada, could also be a factor. The $82.5 million dollar Burnett denies any miscommunication with his teammate, citing he did not throw enough curveballs in the 14-1 crushing. Burnett found it harder to explain why he threw certain pitches and was shellacked by Boston. He inexplicably tossed an outside fastball to Ortiz in the fifth, good for a Big Papi longball. A.J. has one awesome curveball when he uses it. Why he didn’t implement the breaking ball and use his fastball to set up the curve is agonizingly beyond me. The loss should be a huge deal because the Bombers still hold a sufficient division advantage, with a chance to pad the lead. Most significant right now is how C.C. Sabathia and Burnett will handle the big spots come playoff time.
Parting points: Song of the day—“I’m Only Happy When it Rains” by Garbage
The Yankees put up 20 runs behind Andy Pettitte on Friday night in the series opener. The Bombers allowed 11 Boston runs, but still won the game. Yesterday, the Red Sox piled on even more runs, but this time were the victors. Junichi Tazawa, the rookie Boston hurler, kept the Yankee bats on the shelf with six shutout innings to snap a five game skid for his hurting team. Tazawa pitched out of trouble all day and allowed two walks and eight hits. He was less jarring on the mound than Brad Penny was the night before, and more poised than when he delivered the game winning pitch to Alex Rodriguez in the 15th inning earlier this month. The Japanese 23 year old established his prominence in the rivalry between the Yankees and Red Sox with his profound performance.
Equally marvelous were the Red Sox hitters on Saturday afternoon. Kevin Youkilis put the “kill” in Burnett by drilling a duo of dingers. Kevin clocked six RBIs, tying a career high for a single game. His first homerun came in the second inning as Boston already put up ten runs. Burnett surrendered a solo shot to Alex Gonzalez before letting Youkilis drive one out. The Red Sox had a seven run second and added five more by the sixth inning when Youkilis went deep again. David Ortiz contributed a solo homerun in the fifth that was followed by destructive back-to-back doubles by J.D. Drew and Jason Bay. Burnett lasted five innings and gave up nine earned runs. The Red Sox roughed up Burnett and set a team record with their eighth consecutive multihomer game. With no lead a safe one in the bandbox ballpark, the Red Sox were eager to equip more runs. Manager, Joe Girardi, displaced Burnett with an ineffective Alfredo Aceves and later, Dave Robertson. Together, the relievers gave up the final five Red Sox runs. Burnett demonstrated none of the magic from the pitching duel with Josh Beckett earlier in the season. The electricity went out and Burnett simply could not locate his pitches. The fastball to Youkilis was thrown right over the plate, belt high. The result, of course, was a three run bomb over the Green Monster.
New York couldn’t score more than one run Saturday. The only run came on a Nick Swisher seventh inning solo slash. Swisher and Robinson Cano had three hits, Mark Teixeira had two, and four other Bombers a paltry two. Hideki Matsui went 0-5 a night after accounting for a pair for homeruns. The team was coming off a Friday evening outburst they had not seen since July 20, 2007. Their 23 hit series opener was the most runs and hits the Yankees have scored in over two years. Yet, baseball’s best team since the All-Star break couldn’t figure out the opposing rookie. The difference between Tazawa and Burnett was location. Tazawa dialed up the fastball and breaking ball with a little zing and precise placement. The communication between Burnett and his battery-mate, Jorge Posada, could also be a factor. The $82.5 million dollar Burnett denies any miscommunication with his teammate, citing he did not throw enough curveballs in the 14-1 crushing. Burnett found it harder to explain why he threw certain pitches and was shellacked by Boston. He inexplicably tossed an outside fastball to Ortiz in the fifth, good for a Big Papi longball. A.J. has one awesome curveball when he uses it. Why he didn’t implement the breaking ball and use his fastball to set up the curve is agonizingly beyond me. The loss should be a huge deal because the Bombers still hold a sufficient division advantage, with a chance to pad the lead. Most significant right now is how C.C. Sabathia and Burnett will handle the big spots come playoff time.
Parting points: Song of the day—“I’m Only Happy When it Rains” by Garbage
Friday, August 7, 2009
Finally Figuring
It won’t be remembered as a classic, but last night’s ball game was probably the last of John Smoltz’s stellar career and the first time the Yankees beat the Red Sox in 2009. New York’s Joba Chamberlain was not the lights out pitcher he’s been since the All-Star break, but he was effective enough to plow through the pesky Sox at the plate.
All the emotion leading up to the game created the perfect atmosphere for another heated horde of hyped-up players. Two edge-of-your-seat innings were followed by a third inning Dustin Pedroia homerun to right field off Chamberlain. Victor Martinez and Kevin Youkilis drew back-to-back passes from the Yankees hurler. Chamberlain doubled up “Big Papi” David Ortiz on a ground ball to second base and induced J.D. Drew into flying out to centerfield to escape the jam. Boston was on board first, but the Yankees would counter in the bottom half of the frame. Johnny Damon planted a 2-1 Smoltz pitch just over the right field fence to even the score at one.
In an eventful fourth inning, Boston added two more runs. Casey Kotchman provided the goods in his first start for Boston. He smothered the third long ball of the game, a two-run shot to right. The hits just kept coming in the bottom of the fourth. Jorge Posada led off the inning with a double, somewhat making up for a missed slide in the first inning. (Jorge would later completely make up for that gaff) Robinson Cano singled to center, scoring Posada, on the next play. Nick Swisher followed Cano with a walk on four pitches. Then, Melky Cabrera belted a bomb into the second deck on a 1-2 count to give the Bombers a 5-3 lead. A Damon base hit and Mark Teixeira double preceded an intentional walk to Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees padded the lead with the bases juiced and Billy Traber pitching. Jorge Posada’s second plate appearance signaled the Yankees batting around in the inning. Posada, hitting from the right side, connected courageously by clipping the ball into the stands for a 9-3 Yankees advantage.
Martinez crossed the plate for the visiting Red Sox in the top of the fifth after reaching base on his second walk of the night. The Yankees collected two of their own runs in the bottom of the fifth. Hideki Matsui slapped a double to score the speedy Damon and Rodriguez and clear the bases. Matsui made it to third base on a Nick Green error but Posada was fanned to end the threat. Jerry Hairston, Jr. was driven in on a Derek Jeter RBI single in the sixth to give New York an eight run cushion. The Yankees weren’t done scoring just yet. The final notch came in the seventh on Teixeira’s 28th dinger of the season.
Thursday’s opening game of the four game set was not without controversy. Yankees reliever, Mark Melancon, lost control of two pitches to Pedroia. He was accused of intentionally tossing at the former MVP. Posada walked Pedroia down the line as Boston manager, Terry Francona came out to talk to the home plate umpire. The game resumed and the Red Sox would have to endure some of the suffering New York has experienced in this version of the rivalry.
Smoltz was lit up by the Yankees’ offense and was designated for assignment by the Sox this afternoon. It is likely the last we will see of the future Hall-of-Fame pitcher. Boston left 15 men on base last night and were unable to capitalize on 12 walks by New York hurlers. Chamberlain allowed seven of the 12 passes and went just five frames but has not lost since June 18 against the Nationals. He still did a better job than his opposition. Smoltz gave up eight earned runs, nine hits and two homeruns in just over three innings on the hill. His batterymate Martinez was walked three times in his first glimpse of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. But the second baseman, Pedroia, had the best evening of any Red Sox player. He seems to own Yankee pitching this year and added another three hit affair Thursday night. The bottom of New York’s order was extremely productive, in racking up 11 of the 18 Bomber hits.
A sweep might not be realistic but it is possible the Yankees take three of four this series.
Parting points: Sad news about John Hughes passing away. He directed some of my favorite 80’s movies. I can never watch “National Lampoon’s Vacation”, “Planes, trains and automobiles”, “The Breakfast Club”, and “Ferris Buhler’s Day Off” enough.
All the emotion leading up to the game created the perfect atmosphere for another heated horde of hyped-up players. Two edge-of-your-seat innings were followed by a third inning Dustin Pedroia homerun to right field off Chamberlain. Victor Martinez and Kevin Youkilis drew back-to-back passes from the Yankees hurler. Chamberlain doubled up “Big Papi” David Ortiz on a ground ball to second base and induced J.D. Drew into flying out to centerfield to escape the jam. Boston was on board first, but the Yankees would counter in the bottom half of the frame. Johnny Damon planted a 2-1 Smoltz pitch just over the right field fence to even the score at one.
In an eventful fourth inning, Boston added two more runs. Casey Kotchman provided the goods in his first start for Boston. He smothered the third long ball of the game, a two-run shot to right. The hits just kept coming in the bottom of the fourth. Jorge Posada led off the inning with a double, somewhat making up for a missed slide in the first inning. (Jorge would later completely make up for that gaff) Robinson Cano singled to center, scoring Posada, on the next play. Nick Swisher followed Cano with a walk on four pitches. Then, Melky Cabrera belted a bomb into the second deck on a 1-2 count to give the Bombers a 5-3 lead. A Damon base hit and Mark Teixeira double preceded an intentional walk to Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees padded the lead with the bases juiced and Billy Traber pitching. Jorge Posada’s second plate appearance signaled the Yankees batting around in the inning. Posada, hitting from the right side, connected courageously by clipping the ball into the stands for a 9-3 Yankees advantage.
Martinez crossed the plate for the visiting Red Sox in the top of the fifth after reaching base on his second walk of the night. The Yankees collected two of their own runs in the bottom of the fifth. Hideki Matsui slapped a double to score the speedy Damon and Rodriguez and clear the bases. Matsui made it to third base on a Nick Green error but Posada was fanned to end the threat. Jerry Hairston, Jr. was driven in on a Derek Jeter RBI single in the sixth to give New York an eight run cushion. The Yankees weren’t done scoring just yet. The final notch came in the seventh on Teixeira’s 28th dinger of the season.
Thursday’s opening game of the four game set was not without controversy. Yankees reliever, Mark Melancon, lost control of two pitches to Pedroia. He was accused of intentionally tossing at the former MVP. Posada walked Pedroia down the line as Boston manager, Terry Francona came out to talk to the home plate umpire. The game resumed and the Red Sox would have to endure some of the suffering New York has experienced in this version of the rivalry.
Smoltz was lit up by the Yankees’ offense and was designated for assignment by the Sox this afternoon. It is likely the last we will see of the future Hall-of-Fame pitcher. Boston left 15 men on base last night and were unable to capitalize on 12 walks by New York hurlers. Chamberlain allowed seven of the 12 passes and went just five frames but has not lost since June 18 against the Nationals. He still did a better job than his opposition. Smoltz gave up eight earned runs, nine hits and two homeruns in just over three innings on the hill. His batterymate Martinez was walked three times in his first glimpse of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. But the second baseman, Pedroia, had the best evening of any Red Sox player. He seems to own Yankee pitching this year and added another three hit affair Thursday night. The bottom of New York’s order was extremely productive, in racking up 11 of the 18 Bomber hits.
A sweep might not be realistic but it is possible the Yankees take three of four this series.
Parting points: Sad news about John Hughes passing away. He directed some of my favorite 80’s movies. I can never watch “National Lampoon’s Vacation”, “Planes, trains and automobiles”, “The Breakfast Club”, and “Ferris Buhler’s Day Off” enough.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Smoltz Starts Sox Series Showdown
As the date indicates, it is time for the Yankees to “86” the outcome of the head-to-head meetings with the Boston Red Sox. Redemption time is here and the Bombers are about to settle the score. New York and Boston have plenty on the line as they collide in a classic AL East battle tonight in the bandbox Bronx ballpark. This late season four game series could determine which team wins the division. Tempers are sure to flare whenever the greatest rivalry in baseball occurs. It should be interesting to see if the Yankees can come out of this series on the winning end.
A stabilized Joba Chamberlain is the starting pitcher for the home team in Game 1 tonight. The Bombers’ hurler is 3-0 with a .83 ERA since the All-star break. The right-hander hasn’t been very successful against the division rival Red Sox, however. He will face a young and deep Red Sox lineup, which has defeated the Bombers eight times already this year. New York has yet to beat the pesky Red Sox in 2009 and will have another opportunity against their old tomahawk foe, John Smoltz. Smoltz is not the same fastball pitcher he once was and the Yankees have not seen him in a while. Most of the 2009 men in pinstripes have not faced Smoltz often. Boston skipper, Terry Francona, is integrating Casey Kotchman and Victor Martinez into the order tonight. Kotchman will handle first base for the visitors, and Martinez will be the backstop. The switch-hitting former Cleveland Indian Martinez adds a vicious bat and flexibility to the lineup. Victor will be without some protection in the first two games. Jason Bay is expected to sit those out for Boston. How the Red Sox and Yankees respond to the importance of this series tonight will be indicative of how the four games will play out. No matter what they players say, this series is huge.
The Yankees are 14-5 since the All-Star break and aren’t the only team with resourceful sluggers. New York has some versatility and usefulness in Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston, Jr. Hairston is a patient hitter with pop. He has eight homeruns this year. Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira are red hot and surging as of late. The bullpen has done a great job and the starters have been eating up innings. The team is clicking on all cylinders and is assertive in making the small plays that don’t show up in the box score. The Yankees finished a two game sweep of the Toronto Bluejays and are riding a three game winning streak to boost their confidence heading into the Boston series.
Chamberlain and the Yankees begin the series as the better team. Boston has the upper hand in the season series, but the Bombers hold the division’s best record and can only gain more ground by adding wins this weekend. It is time to “86” the Sox. Boston has scored first in six of the eight games this season against New York. The Bombers have committed ten errors to Boston’s three. The Yankees have their best chance to win the series this time around because their bullpen is much stronger than it was earlier in the year. And, the Red Sox have more question marks in their starting rotation. Here’s to a terrific performance by the Yankees on Thursday night and an outstanding homestand.
Parting points: Good decision by Lou Holtz not to run for Congress. I like Lou and all, but anyone with a lisp should not be in politics.
A stabilized Joba Chamberlain is the starting pitcher for the home team in Game 1 tonight. The Bombers’ hurler is 3-0 with a .83 ERA since the All-star break. The right-hander hasn’t been very successful against the division rival Red Sox, however. He will face a young and deep Red Sox lineup, which has defeated the Bombers eight times already this year. New York has yet to beat the pesky Red Sox in 2009 and will have another opportunity against their old tomahawk foe, John Smoltz. Smoltz is not the same fastball pitcher he once was and the Yankees have not seen him in a while. Most of the 2009 men in pinstripes have not faced Smoltz often. Boston skipper, Terry Francona, is integrating Casey Kotchman and Victor Martinez into the order tonight. Kotchman will handle first base for the visitors, and Martinez will be the backstop. The switch-hitting former Cleveland Indian Martinez adds a vicious bat and flexibility to the lineup. Victor will be without some protection in the first two games. Jason Bay is expected to sit those out for Boston. How the Red Sox and Yankees respond to the importance of this series tonight will be indicative of how the four games will play out. No matter what they players say, this series is huge.
The Yankees are 14-5 since the All-Star break and aren’t the only team with resourceful sluggers. New York has some versatility and usefulness in Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston, Jr. Hairston is a patient hitter with pop. He has eight homeruns this year. Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira are red hot and surging as of late. The bullpen has done a great job and the starters have been eating up innings. The team is clicking on all cylinders and is assertive in making the small plays that don’t show up in the box score. The Yankees finished a two game sweep of the Toronto Bluejays and are riding a three game winning streak to boost their confidence heading into the Boston series.
Chamberlain and the Yankees begin the series as the better team. Boston has the upper hand in the season series, but the Bombers hold the division’s best record and can only gain more ground by adding wins this weekend. It is time to “86” the Sox. Boston has scored first in six of the eight games this season against New York. The Bombers have committed ten errors to Boston’s three. The Yankees have their best chance to win the series this time around because their bullpen is much stronger than it was earlier in the year. And, the Red Sox have more question marks in their starting rotation. Here’s to a terrific performance by the Yankees on Thursday night and an outstanding homestand.
Parting points: Good decision by Lou Holtz not to run for Congress. I like Lou and all, but anyone with a lisp should not be in politics.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Sickening Sweep
I was sick to my stomach yesterday, and I attribute the Yankees to my queasiness. The diagnosis: pathetic pinstripeitis. The Bombers’ futility against the Boston Red Sox continued Thursday. They trail their AL East rivals by two games in the standing and have now lost eight in a row to Boston in 2009. The Red Sox currently hold a nine game winning streak against New York, dating back to last season. The teams don’t meet again until August. I know my stomach will appreciate that. I was bothered by the brooms Boston brandished in this latest sweep. Here are a dozen reasons the Yankees made me sick last night:
1) Boston is 8-0 against the Yankees this year. Please tell me how that is possible. Even the Mets rudely wrecked the Red Sox. It is the first time the Red Sox have won that many games to open a season since 1912. The Yankees have never been UNABLE to beat the Red Sox. Boston sure has their number this year. The players and radio announcers can say whatever they want about having 102 more games on the schedule. The Yankees are still only two games back. But, if they can’t get over this Boston snide soon, I can’t expect them to be contenders in September and October. Boston is the class of the division, and that makes me ill.
2) Jason Bay. He’s the new Yankee-killer. The Red Sox do not miss Manny Ramirez with his ex-Pirate coming through with clutch hit after clutch hit. Bay had a key RBI single to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth last night. Jason comes up like a view from a big bay window, large, in major moments. He derides and disparages the Yankees pitchers by ridiculing them with rockets.
3) The Red Sox bullpen makes me sick because they are sickeningly good. They are far better than what the Yankees throw out there, besides Mariano Rivera. Jonathan Papelbon threw nine pitches and picked up his 16th save by preserving the 4-3 lead in the ninth on Thursday. Takashi Soto earned his first AL victory by throwing a scoreless four out effort of relief. Manny Delcarmen has been stable but the Yankees touched him up for three runs in the seventh inning. It was the first time in the last 16 appearances Delcarmen has allowed the Yankees to score a run.
4) Joe Girardi hasn’t beat the Red Sox yet. He had a chance to bring in Rivera for a six out relief role but chose to use Alfredo Aceves. To his credit, Aceves has been good and effective in marred mop-up and long relief responsibilities for Girardi this year. But Rivera was the better choice. Mariano hadn’t pitched in two days and needed the work. In a must-win game for New York, Rivera has to be in there for the late-inning duties. The Red Sox don’t fear Rivera as much as they used to, but he is still a dominant reliever. Aceves came into a tough and impossible situation with two runners on base. He gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis to load the bags, and another to Bay to tie it. Mike Lowell then hit a shallow sacrifice fly to Melky Cabrera in centerfield, scoring JD Drew for the go-ahead run. I’d rather lose a game with my best reliever on the mound than any band of bullpen boys Girardi parades out there.
5) C.C. Sabathia suffers the loss after tossing a season-high 123 pitches and showing some fight on the mound. He gave up one run through seven innings. The lefty is now 5-4 and was pitted against Brad Penny, a mediocre counterpart at best. Penny went six shutout innings before Delcarmen was summoned in relief. Sabathia lost a game he should have one after running into trouble in the eighth. New York’s former farmhand, Nick Green, singled off C.C. and Dustin Pedroia drew a walk on ten pitches. When the Red Sox needed to, they made things happen. Of course Boston took advantage of their runners in scoring position by driving them in at the first opportunity. I felt the Yankees had their best chance to finally win a game against Boston with their ace on the hill. Instead, Sabathia comes out of Fenway with the loss and the Bombers drop their eighth straight.
6) David Ortiz doesn’t seem to have problems hitting against the Yankees. He socked two homeruns during the series, including a bomb to the Green Monster in left off the first pitch he saw in the second inning. It was Big Papi’s third homer in five games and he might be coming out of his season-long slump. Still, it is stomach-turning how he suddenly is cured when he sees the pinstripes.
7) The New York offense is frustrating. They finally have their opening day lineup in tact yet they waste at-bats and fail to hit well with runners in scoring position. The Yankees were 3 for 26 with runners in scoring position in the two one-run losses this series. The Bombers play for the big inning and wait for the long ball too often against the Red Sox. I miss the scrappy small ball and come from behind rallies this team seemed to be relying on just a month ago.
8) Base running and defense. I love Nick Swisher, but his second frame base running blunder last night did not do much to settle my stomach. Johnny Damon’s defense was dismal too. He dropped what should have been the final out of the fourth inning on an easy fly ball. It didn’t do any damage, but why is the defense suddenly dispensable? The errors seem to be doubling now that the Yankees’ aren’t riding that consecutive game errorless streak.
9) The Yankees did not envision being swept off the road in the three-game trip. They expected to at least win a game after coming into Fenway park with a one game division lead. The Bombers were reeling off wins as the hottest team in the league before the were ghastly greeted by the Green Monster. I don’t know what it is about this Boston team, but the Yankees just can’t win close games. They had their chance by actually taking the lead last night. Alex Rodriguez and Francisco Cervelli gave New York the 3-1 edge in the seventh. The team was six outs from ending the drought. But again, the magic that is the Red Sox prevailed. The 2009 rivalry is now a one-sided, uneventful event.
10) A.J. Burnett did not even start last night but seeing him in the dugout induces nausea. All anyone could talk about was how great Burnett was pitching in Boston last year. He baffled as a Bluejay in Boston. In pinstripes, he went two hapless innings Tuesday for a perturbed and pitiful pounding.
11) Plunkings. Can we go a game without a feud between these two teams? I realize fighting and umpire warnings are what makes this rivalry so heated and intense. But, it gets sickening and tiring after a while. Penny hit Rodriguez in the back in the middle of the first inning. Both benches had to be warned. There were no further problems because the Red Sox answered by winning yet again. They really do not need to show the Yankees up because they already do enough by playing better baseball.
12) Josh Beckett is a big-game pitcher. He has bounced back this year to come up in key situations as a Boston starter. The Yankees could do nothing at the plate against the ace in the opener of the series. Chien Ming-Wang is not a big game pitcher anymore. Why Girardi chose to start Wang in Boston after only his second game since rehabbing is beyond me. Of course the Red Sox smacked him around.
I am disheartened by the series sweep. There are not many positive things to take from this series. The one thing I did take was an aspirin. It didn’t do much to relieve me but quelled the quandary for some time.
Maybe the Subway Series will embolden my thoughts about the Yankees.
Parting points: A little Beck never hurt anyone, even the song “Nausea”.
1) Boston is 8-0 against the Yankees this year. Please tell me how that is possible. Even the Mets rudely wrecked the Red Sox. It is the first time the Red Sox have won that many games to open a season since 1912. The Yankees have never been UNABLE to beat the Red Sox. Boston sure has their number this year. The players and radio announcers can say whatever they want about having 102 more games on the schedule. The Yankees are still only two games back. But, if they can’t get over this Boston snide soon, I can’t expect them to be contenders in September and October. Boston is the class of the division, and that makes me ill.
2) Jason Bay. He’s the new Yankee-killer. The Red Sox do not miss Manny Ramirez with his ex-Pirate coming through with clutch hit after clutch hit. Bay had a key RBI single to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth last night. Jason comes up like a view from a big bay window, large, in major moments. He derides and disparages the Yankees pitchers by ridiculing them with rockets.
3) The Red Sox bullpen makes me sick because they are sickeningly good. They are far better than what the Yankees throw out there, besides Mariano Rivera. Jonathan Papelbon threw nine pitches and picked up his 16th save by preserving the 4-3 lead in the ninth on Thursday. Takashi Soto earned his first AL victory by throwing a scoreless four out effort of relief. Manny Delcarmen has been stable but the Yankees touched him up for three runs in the seventh inning. It was the first time in the last 16 appearances Delcarmen has allowed the Yankees to score a run.
4) Joe Girardi hasn’t beat the Red Sox yet. He had a chance to bring in Rivera for a six out relief role but chose to use Alfredo Aceves. To his credit, Aceves has been good and effective in marred mop-up and long relief responsibilities for Girardi this year. But Rivera was the better choice. Mariano hadn’t pitched in two days and needed the work. In a must-win game for New York, Rivera has to be in there for the late-inning duties. The Red Sox don’t fear Rivera as much as they used to, but he is still a dominant reliever. Aceves came into a tough and impossible situation with two runners on base. He gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis to load the bags, and another to Bay to tie it. Mike Lowell then hit a shallow sacrifice fly to Melky Cabrera in centerfield, scoring JD Drew for the go-ahead run. I’d rather lose a game with my best reliever on the mound than any band of bullpen boys Girardi parades out there.
5) C.C. Sabathia suffers the loss after tossing a season-high 123 pitches and showing some fight on the mound. He gave up one run through seven innings. The lefty is now 5-4 and was pitted against Brad Penny, a mediocre counterpart at best. Penny went six shutout innings before Delcarmen was summoned in relief. Sabathia lost a game he should have one after running into trouble in the eighth. New York’s former farmhand, Nick Green, singled off C.C. and Dustin Pedroia drew a walk on ten pitches. When the Red Sox needed to, they made things happen. Of course Boston took advantage of their runners in scoring position by driving them in at the first opportunity. I felt the Yankees had their best chance to finally win a game against Boston with their ace on the hill. Instead, Sabathia comes out of Fenway with the loss and the Bombers drop their eighth straight.
6) David Ortiz doesn’t seem to have problems hitting against the Yankees. He socked two homeruns during the series, including a bomb to the Green Monster in left off the first pitch he saw in the second inning. It was Big Papi’s third homer in five games and he might be coming out of his season-long slump. Still, it is stomach-turning how he suddenly is cured when he sees the pinstripes.
7) The New York offense is frustrating. They finally have their opening day lineup in tact yet they waste at-bats and fail to hit well with runners in scoring position. The Yankees were 3 for 26 with runners in scoring position in the two one-run losses this series. The Bombers play for the big inning and wait for the long ball too often against the Red Sox. I miss the scrappy small ball and come from behind rallies this team seemed to be relying on just a month ago.
8) Base running and defense. I love Nick Swisher, but his second frame base running blunder last night did not do much to settle my stomach. Johnny Damon’s defense was dismal too. He dropped what should have been the final out of the fourth inning on an easy fly ball. It didn’t do any damage, but why is the defense suddenly dispensable? The errors seem to be doubling now that the Yankees’ aren’t riding that consecutive game errorless streak.
9) The Yankees did not envision being swept off the road in the three-game trip. They expected to at least win a game after coming into Fenway park with a one game division lead. The Bombers were reeling off wins as the hottest team in the league before the were ghastly greeted by the Green Monster. I don’t know what it is about this Boston team, but the Yankees just can’t win close games. They had their chance by actually taking the lead last night. Alex Rodriguez and Francisco Cervelli gave New York the 3-1 edge in the seventh. The team was six outs from ending the drought. But again, the magic that is the Red Sox prevailed. The 2009 rivalry is now a one-sided, uneventful event.
10) A.J. Burnett did not even start last night but seeing him in the dugout induces nausea. All anyone could talk about was how great Burnett was pitching in Boston last year. He baffled as a Bluejay in Boston. In pinstripes, he went two hapless innings Tuesday for a perturbed and pitiful pounding.
11) Plunkings. Can we go a game without a feud between these two teams? I realize fighting and umpire warnings are what makes this rivalry so heated and intense. But, it gets sickening and tiring after a while. Penny hit Rodriguez in the back in the middle of the first inning. Both benches had to be warned. There were no further problems because the Red Sox answered by winning yet again. They really do not need to show the Yankees up because they already do enough by playing better baseball.
12) Josh Beckett is a big-game pitcher. He has bounced back this year to come up in key situations as a Boston starter. The Yankees could do nothing at the plate against the ace in the opener of the series. Chien Ming-Wang is not a big game pitcher anymore. Why Girardi chose to start Wang in Boston after only his second game since rehabbing is beyond me. Of course the Red Sox smacked him around.
I am disheartened by the series sweep. There are not many positive things to take from this series. The one thing I did take was an aspirin. It didn’t do much to relieve me but quelled the quandary for some time.
Maybe the Subway Series will embolden my thoughts about the Yankees.
Parting points: A little Beck never hurt anyone, even the song “Nausea”.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Fantastic Finish (Interleague Intrigue Part II)
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.
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.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Interleague Intrigue
The New York Yankees are rapidly raking in wins as they set to host the NL defending champion Philadelphia Phillies this weekend. In the first installment of interleague play this season, both New York teams face intriguing matchups. The Phillies visit the new ballpark in the Bronx and the Mets finish their three city road trip in Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.
Winning is infectious for the Yankees, while the Mets still have a few wrinkles to work out. The Yankees initially struggled to find chemistry, but now seem to have picked themselves up. The team is even winning without catcher, Jorge Posada’s bat and mitt. Francisco Cervelli has handled the pitching staff with emotion and there is no timetable yet for Posada’s return. The Yankees took all three games against the Twins at home and swept aside the Orioles with ease. The Bombers won their ninth consecutive game and made their new home a record for most homeruns hit in the first 20 games of existence. The Yankees won 7-4 to sweep Baltimore out of the Bronx. They did so without their starting pitcher, Joba Chamberlain, throwing past the first inning. The raucous right-hander exited the game after bruising his knee on Adam Jones’ one-out line drive. He stayed in the game long enough to allow Nick Markakis to single into the right field corner. Markakis would later go deep for the Orioles in the 7th inning. The solo shot was the 75th long ball hit in Yankee Stadium.
Alfredo Aceves filled in for Joba and went 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the surging Yankees. He has not allowed a run since May 13th. Jonathan Albaladejo allowed four Baltimore runs on five hits. He followed Aceves with 2 1/3 innings of relief work. The depleted bullpen gave way to Jose Veras and Mariano Rivera to close out the game. Robinson Cano starred on offense, driving in three runs. He hit a two run shot in the second after doubling for an RBI in the first inning. Cano is in a groove and has taken over as a star. He seems much more concentrated this season. Derek Jeter, Cano and Mark Teixeria opened the inning with consecutive doubles off Baltimore starter, Adam Eaton. Melky Cabrera also had a double in the first inning, good for two Yankee runs. Hideki Matsui’s fifth inning homerun signaled the record for four bag totals in the new park’s opening twenty games. . Eaton allowed seven runs on eight hits for the Orioles. He was ineffective through 4 2/3 innings, but Baltimore had a chance to come back, pitting the tying run at home plate during the game. Brian Roberts belted a homerun for Baltimore and Ty Wigginton blasted a sixth inning double to score two runs.
Mariano Rivera earned his second save in as many days and 57th against the Orioles lifetime. The pitcher with the master cutter tossed a perfect ninth inning, throwing seven pitches. The last time the Yankees won nine in a row was June of 2007. Chamberlain believes he will be well enough to make his next start. The Yankees start the first portion of the interleague schedule with A.J. Burnett on the mound. Burnett brings a 2-1 record and 5.02 ERA against the Phillies. Philadelphia will counter with Brett Myers. Myers is 3-2 this year with a 4.5 ERA. Andy Pettitte pitches game two of the series against Jay Happ, and C.C. Sabathia closes out the weekend facing Cole Hamels in a feature matchup. Sabathia leads the Yankees in strikeouts and Hamels has pitched his best baseball of the year as of late for the Phillies.
Alex Rodriguez went 0-4 last night and is batting just .171. However, the Yankees are a better team with Alex in the batter’s box. He gives the Yankees more muscle by floating fastballs beyond the reach of outfielders. The Yankees have adjusted well to injuries and bounced back from their recent slump superbly. The team is coming on with a vengeance to close the gap in the AL East race. Cabrera, Cano, Texeria and Brett Garnder are making plays on defense, and the bullpen is producing well enough to keep the team reeling. The team has seen a barrage of situational hitting and dramatic homeruns to maneuver their way to nine straight wins.
The Phillies always pose a threat with their balanced lineup and swell hitters. Second baseman, Chase Utley, drove in four runs last night for the Phillies’ 12-5 knocking of the Reds. The cool and composed Utley knocked in one of the team’s four solo homers. Greg Dobbs, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez all connected for Philadelphia. It was Raul’s 15th nip of the year. The Phillies scored in seven of the game’s nine innings. The hit parade made series winners out of the Phillies on the road. A dozen runs was enough for mediocre starter, Joe Blanton. They overcame a sub par start from Blanton with the first three hitters in the order combining for five runs and going 9-of-15 collectively. Jimmy Rollins was hard to keep off base as the productive and deadly leadoff bat. The Phils raced ahead 6-0 and Blanton consistently shut down Cincinnati . He got ahead on the batters and struck out four. But, Blanton almost let a six run lead slip away, despite registering the win. The right-hander gave up five runs in five innings, highlighted by Brandon Phillips’ three run dinger. The bomb by Brandon ended Blanton’s blighted night.
The Phillies starting rotation have a hideous 6.31 ERA, worst in the majors. They also have given up the most homeruns by any other team, with 46 in 2009. The offense keeps the team in the game to dismantle opponents, and they continue to pull off stunning victories. They own the NL’s highest scoring offense and should clobber the ball at the launching pad known as Yankee Stadium. I am a little concerned Aceves will not be available for a few days because he has pitched so much lately, but Brian Bruney should be ready to bridge the gap to Rivera if needed. The Phillies’ homer-friendly batters are capable of sending lasers into the stands, and both Burnett and Pettitte are prone to allow them. However, the Bombers have big bats of their own and Philadelphia starters throw out homeruns as if they are going out of style. That should determine which team is successful. The team is living proof you can win with a premier offense. The Phillies also have the game’s best winning percentage on the road. Their 14-5 road record will be blemished if New York pitching can contain a lashing lineup. Philadelphia has won six of their last seven games on the road and look to increase that in New York this Memorial Day weekend.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Red Sox capped off a sweep of the Bluejays with a 5-1 win. Jon Lester rebounded from two bad outings to blank Toronto through six innings. Boston is baseball’s highest scoring team and Jason Bay continues to sizzle at the plate. Bay gave Lester support with his 13th homerun to the opposite field bullpen. It was Bay’s 11th straight homer with runners on base. Bay is now second in the league in long balls this season. Jacoby Ellsbury buried a double off Bluejay starter, Robert Ray, to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. The Red Sox handed Toronto an 0-4 deficit in the third inning on Dustin Pedroia’s double and Kevin Youkilis’ single. An RBI came in the fifth inning off Pedroia’s bat again to give Boston their final tally. Lester left with one out in the seventh after navigating the mound. Ramon Ramirez came in from the bullpen to end a bases-loaded Bluejay threat.
The Bluejays only scored one run off Lester and were held to just five during the entire three games. The Red Sox remain in the flow of the game and keep beating teams with small ball tactics. The Mets will have their hands full this weekend, punctuated by the loss of their leadoff shortstop, Jose Reyes. Reyes is not on the DL but is listed as day-to-day. Without Carlos Delgado and Reyes, the Mets look to David Wright and Carlos Beltran to be the run producers. Jerry Manuel is fielding a bunch of Triple-A caliber fill-ins, but the Mets pitching is good enough to keep Boston at bay. Manuel finally moved Daniel Murphy to first base and the kid was great Wednesday in L.A. I am curious to see how he does at Fenway and glad the Mets made one right move. It sure beats cringing at Murphy fetching flies in the field.
Johan Santana goes tonight for New York. He is 5-2 this year with an outstanding ERA of 1.36. Boston starts an on-the-mend Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox ace is 0-1 with a 12.79 ERA and will be making just his third start of the year. Boston’s sweep of Toronto cut the AL East lead to a half game. Boston is 15-2 in their last 17 games at Fenway Park. The Mets are coming off a four game losing streak on the road after winning 11 of 13. That does not bode well for New York, especially since they have not been fundamentally sound in the field. They have to play better baseball if they expect to buck the odds in Boston.
Parting points: The return of Rancid, “Last One To Die”, marks a great new song.
The Minnesota Twins weren’t exactly frugal in the run department last night. How many runs did they end up scoring against the Whitesox? 20!?
“A wrong decision is better than indecision”- Tony Soprano
This is 200th blog post!
Winning is infectious for the Yankees, while the Mets still have a few wrinkles to work out. The Yankees initially struggled to find chemistry, but now seem to have picked themselves up. The team is even winning without catcher, Jorge Posada’s bat and mitt. Francisco Cervelli has handled the pitching staff with emotion and there is no timetable yet for Posada’s return. The Yankees took all three games against the Twins at home and swept aside the Orioles with ease. The Bombers won their ninth consecutive game and made their new home a record for most homeruns hit in the first 20 games of existence. The Yankees won 7-4 to sweep Baltimore out of the Bronx. They did so without their starting pitcher, Joba Chamberlain, throwing past the first inning. The raucous right-hander exited the game after bruising his knee on Adam Jones’ one-out line drive. He stayed in the game long enough to allow Nick Markakis to single into the right field corner. Markakis would later go deep for the Orioles in the 7th inning. The solo shot was the 75th long ball hit in Yankee Stadium.
Alfredo Aceves filled in for Joba and went 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the surging Yankees. He has not allowed a run since May 13th. Jonathan Albaladejo allowed four Baltimore runs on five hits. He followed Aceves with 2 1/3 innings of relief work. The depleted bullpen gave way to Jose Veras and Mariano Rivera to close out the game. Robinson Cano starred on offense, driving in three runs. He hit a two run shot in the second after doubling for an RBI in the first inning. Cano is in a groove and has taken over as a star. He seems much more concentrated this season. Derek Jeter, Cano and Mark Teixeria opened the inning with consecutive doubles off Baltimore starter, Adam Eaton. Melky Cabrera also had a double in the first inning, good for two Yankee runs. Hideki Matsui’s fifth inning homerun signaled the record for four bag totals in the new park’s opening twenty games. . Eaton allowed seven runs on eight hits for the Orioles. He was ineffective through 4 2/3 innings, but Baltimore had a chance to come back, pitting the tying run at home plate during the game. Brian Roberts belted a homerun for Baltimore and Ty Wigginton blasted a sixth inning double to score two runs.
Mariano Rivera earned his second save in as many days and 57th against the Orioles lifetime. The pitcher with the master cutter tossed a perfect ninth inning, throwing seven pitches. The last time the Yankees won nine in a row was June of 2007. Chamberlain believes he will be well enough to make his next start. The Yankees start the first portion of the interleague schedule with A.J. Burnett on the mound. Burnett brings a 2-1 record and 5.02 ERA against the Phillies. Philadelphia will counter with Brett Myers. Myers is 3-2 this year with a 4.5 ERA. Andy Pettitte pitches game two of the series against Jay Happ, and C.C. Sabathia closes out the weekend facing Cole Hamels in a feature matchup. Sabathia leads the Yankees in strikeouts and Hamels has pitched his best baseball of the year as of late for the Phillies.
Alex Rodriguez went 0-4 last night and is batting just .171. However, the Yankees are a better team with Alex in the batter’s box. He gives the Yankees more muscle by floating fastballs beyond the reach of outfielders. The Yankees have adjusted well to injuries and bounced back from their recent slump superbly. The team is coming on with a vengeance to close the gap in the AL East race. Cabrera, Cano, Texeria and Brett Garnder are making plays on defense, and the bullpen is producing well enough to keep the team reeling. The team has seen a barrage of situational hitting and dramatic homeruns to maneuver their way to nine straight wins.
The Phillies always pose a threat with their balanced lineup and swell hitters. Second baseman, Chase Utley, drove in four runs last night for the Phillies’ 12-5 knocking of the Reds. The cool and composed Utley knocked in one of the team’s four solo homers. Greg Dobbs, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez all connected for Philadelphia. It was Raul’s 15th nip of the year. The Phillies scored in seven of the game’s nine innings. The hit parade made series winners out of the Phillies on the road. A dozen runs was enough for mediocre starter, Joe Blanton. They overcame a sub par start from Blanton with the first three hitters in the order combining for five runs and going 9-of-15 collectively. Jimmy Rollins was hard to keep off base as the productive and deadly leadoff bat. The Phils raced ahead 6-0 and Blanton consistently shut down Cincinnati . He got ahead on the batters and struck out four. But, Blanton almost let a six run lead slip away, despite registering the win. The right-hander gave up five runs in five innings, highlighted by Brandon Phillips’ three run dinger. The bomb by Brandon ended Blanton’s blighted night.
The Phillies starting rotation have a hideous 6.31 ERA, worst in the majors. They also have given up the most homeruns by any other team, with 46 in 2009. The offense keeps the team in the game to dismantle opponents, and they continue to pull off stunning victories. They own the NL’s highest scoring offense and should clobber the ball at the launching pad known as Yankee Stadium. I am a little concerned Aceves will not be available for a few days because he has pitched so much lately, but Brian Bruney should be ready to bridge the gap to Rivera if needed. The Phillies’ homer-friendly batters are capable of sending lasers into the stands, and both Burnett and Pettitte are prone to allow them. However, the Bombers have big bats of their own and Philadelphia starters throw out homeruns as if they are going out of style. That should determine which team is successful. The team is living proof you can win with a premier offense. The Phillies also have the game’s best winning percentage on the road. Their 14-5 road record will be blemished if New York pitching can contain a lashing lineup. Philadelphia has won six of their last seven games on the road and look to increase that in New York this Memorial Day weekend.
Meanwhile, in Boston, the Red Sox capped off a sweep of the Bluejays with a 5-1 win. Jon Lester rebounded from two bad outings to blank Toronto through six innings. Boston is baseball’s highest scoring team and Jason Bay continues to sizzle at the plate. Bay gave Lester support with his 13th homerun to the opposite field bullpen. It was Bay’s 11th straight homer with runners on base. Bay is now second in the league in long balls this season. Jacoby Ellsbury buried a double off Bluejay starter, Robert Ray, to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. The Red Sox handed Toronto an 0-4 deficit in the third inning on Dustin Pedroia’s double and Kevin Youkilis’ single. An RBI came in the fifth inning off Pedroia’s bat again to give Boston their final tally. Lester left with one out in the seventh after navigating the mound. Ramon Ramirez came in from the bullpen to end a bases-loaded Bluejay threat.
The Bluejays only scored one run off Lester and were held to just five during the entire three games. The Red Sox remain in the flow of the game and keep beating teams with small ball tactics. The Mets will have their hands full this weekend, punctuated by the loss of their leadoff shortstop, Jose Reyes. Reyes is not on the DL but is listed as day-to-day. Without Carlos Delgado and Reyes, the Mets look to David Wright and Carlos Beltran to be the run producers. Jerry Manuel is fielding a bunch of Triple-A caliber fill-ins, but the Mets pitching is good enough to keep Boston at bay. Manuel finally moved Daniel Murphy to first base and the kid was great Wednesday in L.A. I am curious to see how he does at Fenway and glad the Mets made one right move. It sure beats cringing at Murphy fetching flies in the field.
Johan Santana goes tonight for New York. He is 5-2 this year with an outstanding ERA of 1.36. Boston starts an on-the-mend Daisuke Matsuzaka. The Red Sox ace is 0-1 with a 12.79 ERA and will be making just his third start of the year. Boston’s sweep of Toronto cut the AL East lead to a half game. Boston is 15-2 in their last 17 games at Fenway Park. The Mets are coming off a four game losing streak on the road after winning 11 of 13. That does not bode well for New York, especially since they have not been fundamentally sound in the field. They have to play better baseball if they expect to buck the odds in Boston.
Parting points: The return of Rancid, “Last One To Die”, marks a great new song.
The Minnesota Twins weren’t exactly frugal in the run department last night. How many runs did they end up scoring against the Whitesox? 20!?
“A wrong decision is better than indecision”- Tony Soprano
This is 200th blog post!
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