Federer-Roddick in a Classic–Federer Sets Grand Slam Record

Right now, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick are locked into one of the very best Wimbledon championship matches, with it 15-14 Federer in the 5th.  The thing is, Roddick has not lost his serve the entire match.  Nothing short of amazing, historic tennis as Federer seeks his 15th and record-setting Grand Slam title, with Pete Sampras in attendance. Do your self a favor and watch, 0-30 Federer on Roddick’s serve.  Deuce, Roddick falters at ad, and Federer also takes the next two points, ending the match on a Roddick mis-hit to win his 15th Grand Slam.  Incredible, some of the best tennis ever played.

Congratulations, Roger–the best ever, and that’s saying a lot succeeding the great Sampras.

Some Post-Game July 4th Thoughts

CMW appears headed to the DL with shoulder soreness with bursitism which he characterizes as less severe in pain compared to what he experienced in 2005.  We’ll see,  but CMW was very good through five before surrendering the mistake in the sixth to Lind.  I’d strongly prefer to see a bit more of CMW, when healthy, pitch at or near the capability he showed tonight, when he was in control for most of the game, got 10 ground ball outs in 5 1/3 IP and, while not throwing quite as hard (92) as before (94), Wang was more in control of his stuff than before.  He also left few of his pitches up, a good sign, and batters clearly struggled with his sinker.  It was as good as he has been all year, honestly.  That’s the Wang the Yanks need for the so-called second half–if he’s available.

Cano has been nothing short of brutal in RISP situations and, while I respect Girardi’s patient approach with Cano, in allowing him the chance to work through his travails with runns in scoring position, it’s long past time to move Cano out of the five-spot.  On any good offensive team but, especially on the Yanks, the five-spot is a delivery slot in the lineup.  The person who is there must plate runs, no two ways about it.  Cano is not doing that and, in fact, is struggling mightily to score runners this year, barely over .200. Worse, it is woefully obvious that teams are maneuvering past A-Rod to face him, for A-Rod walked three times today and once yesterday.  The Yanks need someone batting fifth not so easily, or readily, encountered.

What a good feeling it is to know that, after the Yanks had Coke, Hughes, and Mariano work in the seventh, eighth, and ninth, they had not exhausted all their options.

I hadn’t quite expected five runs off Halliday, but I awoke with the unexpected expectation that the Yanks were going to be in the game against him.  I am awfully glad they were, that they belted three homers off him, and that, as Frank the Sage opined on the horn, that the Yanks took advantage of it when Halliday was not quite at his best.  I knew somebody would eventually deliver, and who better than Posada to show his continued importance to the team.

Lots of excellent defense from the Yanks today.  Brett the Jet made two very good catches, Melky the Clutch had another, JD had one in left center, and the team turned three DPs.

Matsui is hitting well again, going 2-4 with a double and his 12th homer and 124th of his terrific Yankee career.  It’s hard to believe that Posada is down to .269 after going 2-4 with his 13th homer and game-winning single in the 12th, with 35 RBI in all.  Teixeira was 3-6, batting .279, and A-Rod was 2-3 with 3 walks, batting .244.  JD’s 16th homer tied the game at five in the seventh, and was his 199th of his impressive career.  His 49 RBis put him firmly ensconced in second on the team’s list this season.

The team was 2-10 with RISP today, stranding 11 and, combined with yesterday’s 1-6, the Yanks are all of 3-16 (.188), stranding 18 thus far this series.  Yet the Yanks have won twice, including a big victory over Halliday.

Jobs needs to do more than go 5 1/3, especially considering that most of the bullpen has been used today.  Thrice this season has Joba gone more than six innings (April 29, June 1, and June 24), and in the last five starts, Joba has only worked 27 2/3 IP.  It’s time for him to work more efficiently and start lugging the ball into the seventh more regularly.  Cut down on the walks too, Joba.

With Boston’s loss, the Yanks are but a game behind the Red Sox despite going 0-8 thus far against Boston.

Compare these numbers:

• Hughes, 2009 reliever: 0-0, 1.23 ERA, 14 2/3 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs earned, 3 walks, 16 K’s, .659 WHIP.
• Joba, 2007 reliever: 2-0, 0.38 ERA, 24 IP, 12 hits, 2 runs earned, 6 walks, 34 K’s, 0.750 WHIP.

Not too bad for Hughes in relief thus far this season.  In comparison to the standard-bearer for young, hard-throwing relieving starters, Joba, Hughes has a lower WHIP, comparable K/BB and K/IP ratios and, despite not Joba’s relatively unhittable ERA two years ago, a tremendous ERA.  He has much to do with the fact that, although the Yanks have only the eighth-best ERA among AL bullpens, they have the second-best BAA at .230; impressive, especially when logging the fourth-most IP thus far.

Last year, the Yanks were 43-37 after 80 games, six games behind first; this year, 47-33, 4 games better.  On July 4, 2008, the Yanks were 45-42, nine out of first.  This year, they’re one behind Boston.  Darrell Rasner got the loss last July 4, Dan Giese in last season’s 80th game.

Melky the Clutch and Brett the Jet combined to go 1-11 in the 8 and 9 spots today, and Cano was 0-6, stranding 10 in his at-bats–yet the Yanks still won.  That the bullpen pitched 6 2/3 straight scoreless innings, allowing but three hits and two walks, went a long way toward today’s win.

Today, I wondered if this could be a season-making game, facing a great pitcher in Halliday, being forced to value every at-bat, working the counts, and showing forethought in good at-bats.  The game was not a letdown and, after taking the first two from Toronto and closing to within one of Boston, the Yanks need to renew their previous streak, considering they’ve won nine of their last ten.  Now is the time to overtake Boston, if at all possible.

On this happy occasion, I’ll leave you with the full Lou Gehrig speech on this day, the seventieth anniversary of his day, July 4, 1939:

“Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans.

“Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn’t consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I’m lucky. Who wouldn’t consider it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball’s greatest empire, Ed Barrow? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I’m lucky.

“When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat, and vice versa, sends you a gift – that’s something. When everybody down to the groundskeepers and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies – that’s something. When you have a wonderful mother-in-law who takes sides with you in squabbles with her own daughter – that’s something. When you have a father and a mother who work all their lives so you can have an education and build your body – it’s a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed - that’s the finest I know.

“So I close in saying that I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for.”

Game 80: Jays @ Yankees, 7/4/09

As per Pete Abraham, below are today’s starting lineups.  I texted Frank the Sage saying that I have a good feeling about today’s game, which may entail working up Halliday’s pitch count.  We’ll see.  I’ll keep tabs in game today.  Enjoy the game, and Happy 4th of July.

YANKEES (46-33)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cabrera RF
Gardner CF

Pitching: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (1-6, 10.06).

BLUE JAYS (42-39)
Scutaro SS
Hill 2B
Lind DH
Rolen 3B
Overbay 1B
Wells CF
Rios RF
Dellucci LF
Barajas C

Pitching: RHP Roy Halladay (10-2, 2.56).

Top 1: Wang worked around a one-out single to get Lind on a 4-6-3, just 12 pitches needed for Wang.

Bottom 1: Jeter caught looking on a 2-2 fastball at the knees, tailing back over the inside corner, beautiful pitch, reminiscent of what Mariano does to fool batters looking on the right-handed batters box side.  JD worked a walk by patiently laying off the inside pitches.  Teixeira is showing good patience, ahead 2-0, now 3-0 with pitches tailing inside and the Yanks, thus far with a good read on them.  Halliday doesn’t budge much, painting the inside corner for 3-1, nasty cutter down and in swung at and missed, 3-2 before a 4-3 with JD running put him at second for the second out, A-Rod coming to bat.  A-Rod delivers!  Big base hit through the hole in right and, despite a great, one-hop throw to the plate by Rios, JD just beat the Barajas tag with a quick slide, 1-0 Yanks.  Cano got jammed for a 3U, but the Yanks are ahead 1-0.  It will be interesting to see if this chess match–and that’s just what it is when teams face a great pitcher in Halliday–sees the Yanks force Halliday to adjust from busting batters inside by laying off (as JD did and Cano didn’t), if Halliday sticks with that strategy, or if Halliday himself mixes the pitches up.

Top 2: Wang is hitting spots, painting the outside corner twice straight against Overbay, 0-2, then 3-2 before losing him.  The sinker has a lot of movement today which, as we’ve seen and need to understand with him, can be a good and bad thing.  Wells hit a bloop, excuse-me ground-rule double to right, second and third, one out facing Rios.  Wang needs to shake that off, it just wasn’t his fault.  Yet Rios singled up the middle to score two, 2-1 Jays.  That wasn’t a bad pitch, at the knees and over the outside corner.  Then a DP ends the second.  This would be a good time for Posada to urge Wang to shrug it off, to rightly encourage Wang that he has gotten two DPs and, although Rios delivered off him, it wasn’t a bad pitch and followed a cheap Wells double.  The problem is the Yanks are facing Halliday, but if Wang can keep it here, the Yanks can deliver off Halliday if they’re patient.  Plus, I’m convinced that today has that feeling–that Halliday will likely be very good but is not invincible.  The run in the first attests to that.

Bottom 2:  Posada-Halliday was a good battle of wills, with Posada astutely laying off the inside pitches and forcing Halliday to be over the plate, but not driving a good 2-1 pitch quite far enough to medium right, one out.  Then Matsui hit a good fastball, low and dipping at the knees, and creamed it to deep right center to tie the game with his 12th homer of the year and 124th of his terrific career with the Yanks!  Melky grounded out on the first pitch, and Brett the Jet failed to lay off the slider tailing low and in–something Halliday assuredly considered before he threw it–to fan for the last out.  But the Yanks tie it at two and, the question is, can Wang hold it here on a day when the great Halliday has surrendered a run in each of the first two innings?

Top 3: Wang gets a 5-3, nicely done A-Rod, on Barajas for the first out.  1-2 to Scutaro as Wang is looking strong, and Melky makes a nice shoestring catch, two down.  Excellent catch, Melky! Wang made Hill look bad with a first pitch up, tailing in as Hill looked off it the whole time, and he then steered Hill into a manageable 6-3 for the third out, having thrown only 34 pitches through the first three and looking, dare I say, formidable like the Wang of recent past.

Bottom 3: I started the inning by haranguing Jeter via the computer, C’Mon Jeter, don’t get caught looking.  You’re too good of a bat for that, regardless of what you thought of the pitch. And he put his bat onto the next one hard but Wells made a good running and jumping catch in deep center, near the wall for the first out.  JD worked a five-pitch walk, really taking a very good approach to and recognizing Halliday.  It’s as if JD sees what’s coming.  Teixeira was way out in front of that, 0-1.  The guys in the YES booth are chomping as Teixeira singled on a cutter up, handling it to send JD to third, runners at the corners for A-Rod, who has the chance to deliver for the second straight time.  He doesn’t, popping out in foul territory to Overbay for the second out.  Cano needs a hit but grounds into a 6-4 force.  Yanks fail to deliver on a good chance, 1-4 with RISP, stranding three.  That won’t cut it against Halliday, who is at 49 pitches through three.  Cano is barely .200 with RISP, atrocious.

Top 4: Wang fanned Lind, but Rolen ripped one over Melky in right center, Melky’s strong throw into second making it close at second.  1-4-3 sent Rolen to third, and Wells popped into a soft F8, keeping it at 2, Wang at 44 pitches and more than holding his own against Halliday, who has been vulnerable.  Wang has been more efficient, has more ground ball outs in 7, and has looked more in control than he has in a long time.

Bottom 4:  Boy, did Jorge win that chess match?!? Halliday layed off two straight inside pitches, then creamed a hanging change to deep right for his 11th homer of the year, and 232nd of his great career, 3-2 Yanks!  Matsui lined out, and Melky, if you could recognize that you should foul off the 1-2 to stay alive–why swing in the first place?  Two down. The Jet down on a grounder, but 3-2 Yanks against Halliday is a very good sign.

Top 5:  Wang made Rios look bad on a 1-1 slider swinging, and after a difference of opinion between sinker and slider (according to Cone, likely right), Wang got Rios on a 3-2 6-3, then got Dellucci on a  3-1 for the second out.  Wang is rolling in no uncertain terms.  He is dealing, getting Barajas on a two-hop 6-3.  He is at 55 pitches through five, and has forced 10 ground-ball outs–outdueling Halliday through Wang’s first five.  I’m totally impressed, but felt it from this morning when I woke up.  I felt this would be a game, just not quite predicting that Wang would be this good and old school Wang. Add on, guys.

Bottom 5: Jeter lines out with a deep F9, one out.  JD has been good thus far on Halliday, who evens the count at 1-1. After an out, Teixeira ripped a fastball for a single to right.  A-Rod delivered for an RBI his first time up, but popped out last at-bat.  This time?  A-Rod’s patience works the count to 3-2, walked him, to face Cano?  He’s been so poor with RISP, Cano needs a mistake right now against a guy who so rarely makes them.  It doesn’t happen, as Cano chops at a rising first pitch, weakly tapping to second for the third out.  He is 0 for his last 18 with RISP.  The onus is back on Wang, who has been nothing but strong, to keep things as they are and preserve the lead.  I felt this morning that it could well be 3-2 either way through six and, after five, it’s 3-2 Yanks.  I’ll take it.

Top 6:  Scutaro ripped a lead-off double into the corner on a pitch up, big challenge to Wang here.  Hill up  and the 0-1 pitch looked good, but Wang didn’t get the call.  Hill golfs weakly at a low sinker 1-2, the 1-2 looked very good but not called for Wang 2-2, now 3-2 to Hill, and Wang won that as Hill failed to advance Scutaro on a two-hop 6-3, one out.  Lind up and Wang left that pitch belt-high and over the plate, and Lind tattooed it to deep right center, 4-3 Jays.  Wang bad a bad pitch on that, one of very few bad pitches he’s made.  Suddenly after a 1-0 pitch to Rolen, Girardi and Donahue trot out to the mound and yank Wang after a good start but tough finish, 4-3 Jays in the sixth, giving Halliday a long rest.  Robertson and the Yanks must hold it here; will this give Halliday a blow, or let some rust settle in?

Regarding Wang, that whole exit was hasty and, quite franky, rather strange, as if Girardihad just had it with Wang, or Wang had just had it.  Robertson at 2-2 to Rolen, and Kay is commenting about how quiet the crowd got.  It’s true, but this can be temporary, Michael.  Robertson walked Rolen on a 3-2 pitch inside.  He then got to 3-2 and walked Overbay, still one out.  First pitch straight change to Wells looked good but was called a ball, strike on outside corner 1-1, foul 1-2, then froze him with a fastball over the insider corner, K two outs for the dangerous Rios, who worked an inefficient Robertson to 3-2 before leaving a pitch up and in to Rios, who desposited it into shallow center, 5-3 Jays, widening the gap for Toronto, Rios moves to second on a passed ball.  Robertson is not impressing, failing to throw strikes against Dellucci 3-0, finally pours in a strike with Tomko lurking ominously in the pen, 3-2 at the knees–stop screwing around Robertson–foul to keep it alive, foul tip that Jorge dropped to keep it alive, with Gardner making a terrific running catch in deep left center, but the Yanks now trail 5-3 after a strange and pivotal top of the sixth. Posada, Matsui, and Melky to face Halliday, who has sat for some time.  What effect that will have remains to be seen.

Bottom 6: Posada bloops to right, one out.  After Melky’s two-out single, The Jet loops out wanly to center for the third out, letting Halliday get a scoreless inning.  Halliday is at 94 pitches after 6, not bad work by the Yanks against the great pitcher.  But the sixth was painful thus far, and Bruney needs to hold it here in the top of the seventh.  He threatens not to, second and third with one out, but Bruney gets Rolen to pop out to second, and Overbay to line out to a busy Cano to hold it at 5-3 Jays.

Bottom 7: Jeter singled to right, and as I played fetch with Dali the dog, I called out Wrap one around the pole, JD.  And JD homered to deep right tying the game at 5!  Huge at-bats against Halliday, making this an eminently winnable game. Teixeira grounded out, A-Rod singled up the middle as the Jays bullpen stirs.  [Wang is out with a strained right shoulder and has been taken for an MRI, quite a shame considering how strong he looked for the first five.  Hopefully he's OK.  Wang finally gave a glimpse this year of what he has been and hopefully will again be.] A-Rod grounded into an inning-ending DP, but the Yanks have been terrific against Halliday, who just may be done after seven at 108 pitches.  He’s not been his best, and the Yanks made him pay.  Great game thus far.

Top 8: Hughes was terrific and dominant in the eighth, buzzing through the Jays in just eight pitches.  League negotiated Matsui’s one-out ground-rule double to avert damage in the eighth.  Mariano allowed a single in the ninth but was good and efficient, but probably won’t go a second.  I’d expect Aceves if there is a tenth.  Teixeira is ahead of Accardo 2-1, 3-1, ripped a liner foul to right, he then fouled off two more before ripping one to deep center, with Jeter wisely tagging to go to second, two outs for A-Rod, a big hit from whom may win the game.  But the Jays won’t give him the chance.  A-Rod, who homered off Accardo yesterday afternoon, received an intentional pass for Accardo to face Cano, who is 0-4 today, grounded into a DP, and has left three in scoring position.  Gaston instead is going to the lefty Jesse Carlson.  Cano really needs to get this RISP issue off his back.  He doesn’t, sending the game to the tenth.

Coke has been good through two, giving the Yanks a chance to win in the eleventh with Brett the Jet, The Captain, and JD, who do nithing, groundout and two K’s.  Top of the 12th and Tomko is in.  He must be tough here for at least two. Tomko got Scutaro to line out to JD in left, Hill is fouling off everything including one off Jorge’s mask, tailing fastball in two down.  Lind whaled one deep to right but to the wall three down. Teixeira, A-Rod, and Cano loom.

Bottom 11: Teixeira doubles down the right field line, and A-Rod will get walked for Cano to prove he can hit with RISP.  Atrocious play, call, and execution on Cano’s miserable attempt at a bunt, no advance, with Posada coming up.  That’s weak, not making the third baseman play that bunt–“can’t hit in scoring position, can’t advance the runners with a bunt.  What good is he?!?” as Frank the Sage opined right afterward.  Jorge laces a single to right center, scoring A-Rod, 6-5 Yankees!  With the Red Sox loss, the Yanks are one back.  Outstanding!!

AJ Sharp As Offense Does Just Enough to Beat Toronto, 4-2

Burnett pitched a game that was alternatively a maddingly plodding affair punctuated by some clutch interludes to keep an equally torpid offense in the game long enough to scare up four runs.  Cano hit his 13th homer this year, a big blast over the bullpen in right center, A-Rod belted a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth for insurance, and the Yanks rode some walks, a bunt single, and a passed ball to two runs in the fifth.  Nice offensive diversification, two blasts and reliance on the generosity of Tallet.

However, it worked because the Yanks got a strong, seven-inning start and two innings in which only Hughes surrendered a measly single.  He’s been tremendous out of the bullpen–1.32 ERA, 13 2/3 IP, 6 hits, 2 runs earned, 3 walks, and 16 K’s–nothing short of Joba-like, throwing 95-96, snapping his curve and slider.  Mariano entered and got two K’s, as well as a gem of a running catch in center by Brett the Jet, to notch his 21st save this year and 503 in his incredible career.  Burnett is now 7-4 with a 3.83 ERA, allowing just six hits, two walks, and two runs earned while fanning 7 on 112 pitches/68 strikes.  It just didn’t feel as good as it looked, for Burnett went to some long counts in the first three innings, and worked slowly whenever he had men on base.  Yet he made few mistakes, grooving a belt-high fastball that Vernon Wells deposited in left to cut the Yanks’ lead to 3-2 in the sixth.  Teixeira had a single and an RBI walk with the bases loaded in the fifth, when they should have had more than two except for their wanton inability to drive the ball out of the infield.

Nonetheless, the win was a big one, returning the Yanks to their high-water mark of 13 games over .500.  For the time being, until tonight’s games, the Yanks sit 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the East.  Not to be overlooked, Halliday (10-2, 2.56 ERA) faces Wang (1-6, 10.06 ERA) and, while Wang has been better, the Yanks may well face a game tomorrow afternoon no less tight than today’s game.  The whole series has good pitching match-ups, with Joba (4-2, 3.89 ERA) facing Scott Richmond (6-5, 3.69 ERA) Sunday and lefty Ricky Romero (6-3, 2.85 ERA) facing Pettite (8-3, 4.25 ERA) Monday.  None are gimmees, so today’s win was vital.

CC Roughed Up; Yanks Lose 8-4

I missed all of the game except for the ninth, for my wife and I were out at the movies seeing “Public Enemies,” which was fairly good though at times a bit slow-moving.  Sabathia had a rough time, surrendering six runs earned and ten hits and three walks in 5 2/3 IP, while the Yanks’ offense was slowed down as the Yanks’ winning streak ended at seven, losing 8-4.  Aceves was good, helping to keep the Yanks in it until the ninth, when Teixeira committed his first error of the season, and Russell Branyan tattooed a homer to put it out of reach.  Though Cano and Swish singled to start the ninth, the Yanks could not muster a comeback.

The top of the order was brutal, going 1-15.  The eight and nine spots were no better, combining to go 0-8.  Nor did the Yanks hit with RISP–0-6, stranding five.  Cano was 3-3 with a double, batting .307, and Matsui was 2-3 with a double and three RBI on a two-run homer, his 11th, and a sac fly.  The rest of the lineup, save Swish’s single and sac fly, failed to show.

Toronto enters The Bronx for four games starting tomorrow at 1:05, which will be the starting times for the entire holiday series.  Burnett (6-4, 3.93 ERA) faces Tallet (5-5, 4.47 ERA), the third straight game that the Yanks will face a lefty.  Hopefully they will fare better tomorrow offensively than they did tonight, for they have Halliday (10-2, 2.56 ERA) Saturday against CMW (1-6, 10.06 ERA).  It won’t be easy, but the Yanks can get three of four with good pitching and some timely hitting.  The Yanks stand three behind Boston in second, two ahead of third-place Tampa and four ahead of fourth-place Toronto in the tight, tough AL East.

Game #78: Mariners @ Yankees, 7/2/09

As per Pete Abraham, below are tonight’s starting lineups.   I will miss most of the game since my wife and I are going out to see the new Johnny Depp movie, “Public Enemies.”  She’s a big Depp fan and, were it not for her working late last night, which was opening night, we would have gone then. It looks good and, as long as I can eat popcorn, I’m good regardless.  Cervelli starts for Posada, catching Sabathia who has the chance to notch the Yanks’ eighth straight win, and the Crazy Stein.  I like their chances, and hopefully Cano can become productive again in the five-slot.  Enjoy the game, and Let’s Go, Yankees!

YANKEES (45-32)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Matsui DH
Cabrera CF
Cervelli C

Pitching: LHP CC Sabathia (7-4, 3.55).

MARINERS (39-38)
Suzuki RF
Branyan 1B
Lopez 2B
Sweeney DH
Gutierrez CF
Johjima C
Langerhans LF
Woodward 3B
Cedeno SS

Pitching: LHP Jason Vargas (3-3, 3.79).

Pitching Carries Yanks to 4-2 Win

Pettite was excellent over 7, and the bullpen shut things down for the next two through Mariano to cinch a 4-2 win and the series win against seattle thus far.  A-Rod walloped his 13th this year and 566th of his career, JD crushed his 15th of the year in the third to break a scoreless tie, and Melky belted one over the foul pole in left to break a 1-1 tie.

Yet the key, to me, was Pettite’s tremendous start, going seven strong and allowing but six hits, two runs earned, one walk, and five strikeouts on 98 pitches/63 strikes.  He was excellent, and didn’t allow the Mariners much.  Aceves, Coke, and Mariano (20th save this year, 502nd of his illustrious career), closed it out with ease.

Interesting that, after Cano struggled so badly in the five-spot, Posada went 0-4 there.  Apparently, opposing pitchers are bearing down on hitters after A-Rod who, after going 2-4 with his 41st RBI, is up to .239.  Teixeira’s 2-4 puts him at .278.  JD’s 1-3 with his 15th homer and 47th RBI puts him at .292.  Melky’s 8th HR and 32nd RBI puts him at .287.

But the key was Pettite, shutting down the Mariners and allowing the Yanks to go 13 over .500, staying 2 1/2 games and 2 in the loss column behind Boston.  They’re hanging tough without playing their best baseball, in good part behind strong pitching especially starting pitching.  That also makes seven straight, with the Yanks going for eight straight and the crazy stein tomorrow.

Way to bring back the W, Mike.

Late Rally Propels Yanks, 8-5

Joba again wasn’t very efficient, and the Yanks’ inability to add on early threatened to cost the Yanks against Seattle, who stayed close.  Yet A-Rod ripped his 12th homer this year and the 565th of his career to make it 5-3 and, after Bruney struggled in relief to allow Seattle to tie it, the Yanks poured on three to lead off the eighth.  Mariano clinched it with his 19th save this year and 501st save, 8-5 Yanks.  It wasn’t pretty, but the Yanks showed good grit.

The Yanks scored in the second from two from some good hitting and poor Seattle defense.  Cano and Posada led off with singles, and Woodward mishandled Matsui’s slow chopper, then threw wildly to allow Cano to score, 1-0.  Swisher fanned, but Melky (who had a good game) delivered a sac fly to center, 2-0 Yanks.  Joba allowed a solo homer to Cedeno of all people to lead off the third cut the lead to one but, in spite of some awful nibbling, Joba emerged from the third otherwise unscathed.  He worked around Johjima’s two-out ground-rule double in the fourth, while the Yanks added one in the fourth, when it should have been more.  They loaded the bases with no outs when Cano led off with a single, and Posada and Matsui walked.  Swish popped out in an unproductive at-bat, but Melky grounded into a 1-6 force, 3-1 Yanks.

Yet Joba gave it right back right away in the top of the fifth, when he missed a slow comebacker from Ichiro who, after getting on with the infield hit, stole second and third, and came home on Branyan’s single.  After grounding into a 6-4 force, Lopez stole second, and scored on Gutierrez’s two-out single to tie the game.  The Yanks promptly squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom half when Matsui grounded out.

Yet Coke and Hughes were terrific in relief, holding Seattle at three.  Coke impressively got Ichiro on an F8, and fanned Branyan with gas to strand Johjima and end the sixth.  Hughes pitched a great 1-2-3 seventh, and really should have gone the eighth since he is stretched out, looked strong, and had a nine-pitch seventh.  The Yanks scored two in the seventh when JD hit a ground-rule double to left, and A-Rod absolutely crushed a 2-2 fastball way deep to left, 5-3 Yanks.

Against Bruney, Gutierrez, and Johjima strung together three singles to start the eighth to cut it to 5-4, and after Cedeno sac bunted the runners over, and the Yanks intentionally walked Ichiro, Branyan hit a sac fly to left to tie the game at five.  But the Yanks jumped on Sean White, which I felt they may right as the announcers touted his previously sub-2.00 ERA.  Matsui led off with a double and Brett the Jet pinch ran for him.  Swish bunted to third for a single, well done. Melky the Clutch then doubled to center, 6-5 Yanks, second and third with no outs, and The Captain blooped a single to center, 8-5 Yanks.  Good defense prevented the Yanks from adding on more, as I wished for four more in a text to Mike.  No matter, for Mariano mowed down the three batters he faced in the top of the ninth, getting Gutierrez on a weak check swing to lock down his 19th save this year and 501st of his incredible career.

Melky the Clutch drove in three (31 this year) with the sac fly and double, hitting .286 and turning over the bottom of the lineup. A-Rod’s 12th homer this year and 565th for his career gave him his 39th RBI thus far, batting .233.  JD was 2-4 with 2 doubles, batting .291.  Cano was 2-4 with 2 runs, batting .300 even.  Jeter was 1-5 with the big two-RBI single in the eighth, batting .307 with 32 RBI.  Matsui’s lead-off double (.248 now, and 13th double this year) started the big eighth-inning rally.  Swish, Teixeira, and Posada each had a hit, and Posada walked twice.  The Yanks were 4 for their last 6 with RISP after starting the game 0-10; in all, the team stranded eight.

The Yanks are 10-5 in games that Joba starts, in good part because he pitches out of trouble well.  However, he is also very inefficient in his approach, too often nibbling instead of overpowering batters.  His numbers make it hard to characterize Joba as anything more than decent–5 1/3 IP, 9 hits, 3 runs earned, 3 walks, and 4 K’s on 96 pitches/55 strikes.  12 base runners in just over 5 innings is poor, but Joba managed to wriggle out of his long counts and often laborious innings.  Coke was tremendous, getting the two big outs to mop up Joba’s slop.  In Coke’s last 12 2/3 IP, he has allowed a mere 5 hits, 1 run earned, 3 walks, and 14 K’s, lowering his ERA from 4.79 to 3.24.  Hughes has also been tremendous, and really should have worked the eighth, and I felt that before Bruney collapsed.  After throwing all of nine pitches in the seventh and looking great, another inning with anything short of 30 pitches would have done no harm at all.  Girardi has done well with Hughes out of the pen, but would be wise not to waste the fact that Hughes. having started primarily this year, is more than sufficiently stretched out to work a good two innings.  Maybe Girardi wants him available more often, and short stints best help that.  Yet Hughes would likely have bought Bruney a day off without being hard-pressed.  Bruney’s eighth was bad–3 hits, 2 runs earned, and a walk.  Hughes’s last 8 1/3 are most impressive–3 hits, no runs, 1 walk, and 10 K’s.  The guy is bearing down, attacking hitters, and throwing 96 routinely out of the pen.  He’s provided much-needed depth and stability.  Mariano, well, he’s the man.  This makes six straight and, sitting 12 above .500, the Yanks have hit their high water mark.

This game was huge, for the Red Sox blew a 10-1 lead, with Baltimore scoring 5 in the seventh and five more in the eighth to come back and win, 11-10.  Tremendous benefit for the Yanks, who now trail by 2 1/2, 2 back in the loss column.  The streaking Yanks, who have won six straight, helped themselves by staying 1 1/2 games ahead of TB, who won their seventh straight and nine of their last ten.  Pettite (7-3, 4.38 ERA) faces Jarrod Washburn (4-5, 3.22 ERA) tomorrow night.

Keep stringing them together, guys.

Game 76: Mariners @ Yankees, 6/30/09

Below, as per Pete Abraham, are tonight’s lineups.  There is rain in The Bronx right now, so we’ll see if tonight’s game is either delayed or postponed. The Yanks acquired Eric Hinske from the Pirates for two low-level minor-league players, pitcher Casey Erickson and outfielder Eric Fryer.  Hinske is not in town yet, but probably after tonight’s game, Ramiro Pena will be optioned to SWB, giving the Yanks some decent pop off the bench.  I love Pena’s glove and ability to pinch run, but his playing every day in SWB until September 1 (if not needed beforehand) will only help him later, and he had hardly played lately.

Yanks must win at least two of three.  Morrow, a former reliever moved into the rotation, was good out of the pen but is getting stretched out now.  With him, Washburn (4-5, 3.22 ERA), and Jason Vargas (3-3, 3.79 ERA), the Yanks won’t have it really easy but are certainly in position to win at least two of three.  A sweep would put lots of pressure on the others in the East and, with TB playing Toronto, the Yanks have a good chance to distance themselves from someone as well as catch up to Boston, who has Smoltz pitching tonight against Baltimore.  Make some hay now, Yanks.

YANKEES (43-32)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Cano 2B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF

Pitching: RHP Joba Chamberlain (4-2, 3.81).

MARINERS (39-36)
Ichiro RF
Branyan 1B
Lopez 2B
Griffey LF
Sweeney DH
Gutierrez CF
Woodward 3B
Johjima C
Cedeno SS

Pitching: RHP Brandon Morrow (0-3, 5.64).

TIME/TV: 7:05, YES.

Yanks Earn Crazy Stein; Mariano Earns 500th Save and First RBI; Yanks Gain in AL East

Those are some pretty impressive highlights from a close pitchers duel and not the best played game, either. Yet it became a historic night, with Mariano cinching a four-out save for the 500th in his amazing, one-of-a-kind career.  Mariano also worked a bases-loaded RBI walk on a 3-2 pitching against K-Rod, who was completely worked over for his inaccuracy by, among other players, a pitcher, the greatest relief pitcher in my opinion and one of the greatest pitchers of all time.  There is nothing that the guy cannot do.

Returning to where we’re staying after my nephew’s graduation party, on a day that started with some light rain but became decent, somewhat warm, and pleasant and fun, I got in for the game in the bottom of the sixth, Yanks ahead 3-2.  I had checked the score via the Internet later in our stint at the bash, when it was 3-0 the last I checked.  Wang was pretty good, had a rough fourth but got defensive help tonight as the bullpen was on the whole quite good, holding it together despite three walks in 2 2/3 IP.  Yet they had to keep things tight against the Mets’ depleted lineup, for the Yanks’ somewhat depleted and flu-ridden lineup had started strong with three in the first, no outs, then got nothing until the top of the ninth despite earning 11 walks.  Jeter led off with a double, went to third on a fielder’s choice when Murphy tried in vain to get Jeter on Swish’s ground ball, and both scored on Teixeira’s RBI double.  A-Rod walked, Cano’s 4-6 force moved Teixeira to third for Posada’s sac fly, 3-0 Yanks.

It stayed that way until the fourth, when the Mets scored two.  Wang pitched in and out of some trouble in the first, then got help from Jeter, who lunged to his left and started a terrific, inning-ending 6-4-3 DP.  In the bottom of the fourth, Sheffield the selfish walked, went to second on Tatis’s soft 5-3, and scored on Martinez’s RBI double.  Martinez eventually scored on Castillo’s single, 3-2.  The Yanks missed a golden opportunity in the sixth, when Hernandez loaded the bases with three walks, one of which was intentional to A-Rod to get to Cano, who doubled into an inning-ending DP as part of a bad night from him.  In the bottom half, the Yanks avoided trouble when Sheffield the selfish singled off Wang, went to second on a sac bunt, Coke entered and fanned Martinez for the second out and, with Santos pinch-hitting, the Yanks countered with Hughes.  He made a wizard out of Girardi by getting Santos on a slider diving outside, which fell harmless into Melky’s glove in right for the third out.

Hughes stayed for the seventh but walked the lead-off man in Castillo.  Reyes pinch-hitting for Hernandez bunted to third to a charging A-Rod, who whirled and threw a hard, one-hop throw to Jeter, who made a terrific snare for the force; excellent on both ends.  After a 4-3, Hughes just froze Cora with a 95-mph fastball at the knees, outside corner for the third out, a great pitch from a guy who looks terrific out of the bullpen so far.

After three more walks in the eighth, the Yanks again failed to score when Cano grounded out on a sharply hit ball, but Castillo made a nice snare to his left to end the threat and end Cano’s 0-4 night. This made the bottom of the eighth a bit tougher to take, when Bruney walked Wright on four pitches, got Sheffield the selfish to pop out chasing a high fastball, but then walked Tatis.  After fanning Martinez on three pitches, Mariano entered and fanned Santos on a 3-2 cutter on the inside corner.  The Yanks took advantage of K-Rod’s erratic pitching, culminating in Mariano’s great at-bat.  He got ahead of the count 2-0, then K-Rod got back to 2 before Mariano took a good swing and fouled off a pitch, then got two up and in to walk in a run, big insurance, 4-2 Yankees. GLG and I were watching the game together in the kitchen, and she said, “Imagine if they walk the pitcher here.” I responded, It would be a tremendous disgrace to give up an insurance run to a pitcher, and it would be great to see that jerk K-Rod cough one up.  When the 3-2 pitch started to sail in, and I realized it wasn’t going to be a bender but a ball, it was a great moment of sheer elation and schadenfreude–seeing K-Rod walk off the mound, it looked like he wanted to keep walking to the dugout, as Mariano calmly and without expression took first base as Melky scored.  How poignant it was that Mariano, who can’t stand K-Rod and is said to have requested not to have his locker at the All-Star game any where near K-Rod’s, patiently worked a walk and showed his grace and poise by trotting to first with his head down, and allowing himself a sheepish smile at first after his battle against his counterpart but also alter ego, the bombastic, histrionic Mets closer.  Were it not for a bad check-swing strike call at third on Teixeira on a 3-2 pitch in the dirt from the rattled K-Rod, it would have been 5-2.  But as it was, K-Rod had to throw 38 pitches, was wild with three walks (one intentional to Jeter to face Mariano), and surrendered what Mike termed in a text a “delicious” moment during Mariano’s historic night.  I’ll bask in that for months.

Mariano nailed down his 18th save in 19 chances this year, and became only the second pitcher in MLB history to notch his 500th career save, by getting Castillo on a 4-3, getting Reed looking on a 2-2 cutter outside, worked around a bloop single to Murphy, and ended it on Cora’s first-pitch 4-3, with Teixeira handing Mariano the game ball and starting a long string of energetic hugs for the greatest closer and, to me, reliever ever.

I’m going to avoid a statistical run-down, for it’s somewhat late and I’m tired.  Great Crazy Stein of the Mets, taking 5 of 6 this season.  Great that Boston and Toronto lost, moving the Yanks to within three of Boston and three ahead of Toronto.  The Rays, having won again (7 of their last 10), stand only two behind the Yanks in third.  The Yanks return to AL action at home Tuesday night against Seattle to start a three-game set before hosting Toronto for four before heading West to Minnesota, then the Angels.  Good to see Wang pitching better, going 5 1/3 and allowing 4 hits, 2 runs earned, 3 walks, and 3 K’s with 11 ground ball outs on 85 pitches/49 strikes to earn his first win of the year.  Slowly but surely, as the starters have improved, the Yanks have again put together a strong rotation, with a deeper bullpen with Hughes, Aceves, Robertson and Coke joining Bruney and the great Mariano for a tougher gauntlet.  I’ll take it.

Nice response after the listless shutout loss, 4-0 in Atlanta, with the Yanks having won 5 straight and getting some of the best starting pitching they’ve had all year.  CC and AJ paired probably the best back-to-back starts in the first two games of the Mets series.  I like Girardi’s use of Mariano for four outs after Bruney walked two, and after Mariano had two games off after going 1 1/3 Wednesday, and 1/3 Thursday.

I’ll end by saying again what a genuine, special, sublime privilege it has been and continues to be to watch Mariano Rivera pitch.  He’s easily one of the very greatest Yankees to don pinstripes, his steady dominance something that has been nothing short of a core component of the Yankees every single year Mariano has played a prominent role.  There has never been, nor will there ever be, another player, another pitcher, another Yankee like the great Mariano, whom I would pit against any batter in the history of the game and on whom I would put my money.  Any player, any era, I’ll take Mariano.