Yankees 1 Red Sox 0: Joba Comes Of Age; Mariano Is…Mariano

Joba just pitched seven magnificent innings, blowing through the Red Sox lineup and not without a gratuitous Youkilis incident (more about that later). With the score 1-0, the Yanks turned to my boy Nuke, who hadn’t allowed a hit in his last 28 batters faced–a disjointed no-hitter for Nuke. But Nuke gave up a single to right from Lowrie, got Varitek to pop to Jeter, and allowed a bleeder hit to Crisp down the first-base line, first and second, one out. Girardi made the right, and a great, move–bring in Mariano, who threw all of four pitches Wednesday and hadn’t pitched before that since Sunday against Oakland, for the five-out save. No problem. In this situation, I’m impelled to defer to the inimitable Frank the Sage to properly describe why we, as Yankees fans, have invested such unwavering faith in Mariano Rivera:

Until I hear that Mariano Rivera walked into the manager’s office carrying his right arm in his left hand and threw it down on the desk, then and only then will I believe that Mariano Rivera cannot get a batter out.

I concur and always will. Mariano needed to get five outs and got five outs while making it look easy to end a 1-0 gem of a pitchers duel. Beckett was very good, and Joba and Mariano were just that much better.

The lone Yankees run came in the third. After squandering one-out hits in the first from Jeter and Abreu, and stranding Cano in the second after his fine single, the Yanks cobbled together the only offense of the game with a two-out rally. Abreu singled to center, A-Rod did the same and Abreu wisely and crucially took third, and Giambi fisted an 0-1 fastball between short and third, into the shift and in just the right spot since Lowell had to somewhat hold Abreu, for a rare Giambi infield single and the game’s only run, 1-0. There endeth the offense, for Melky singled in the fourth but was caught stealing on a bad call, when Melky slid into second just before Pedroia’s tag. JD’s lead-off single in the fifth went for naught when Jeter grouned into a 4-6 force and Abreu lined into an easy 3U DP. A-Rod singled to start the sixth and took second on a wild pitch to Giambi, but Beckett wouldn’t budge, stranding A-Rod at third. Though JD walked and stole second in the seventh, Jeter couldn’t push him across. JD ended up the last Yankee base runner, heightening the tension.

Thankfully Joba was even better, scattering three measly hits and a walk in seven outstanding innings, fanning nine on 103 pitches/69 strikes. He was just unhittable, and used his slider and curve for strikeout pitches well established by his heater. The biggest threat he faced was in the fourth, when Ortiz singled with one out and Lowell walked with two outs. Yet Joba escaped with a nasty 2-2 slider to Drew for the K. Joba’s fastball was crackling at 99-100 for much of the night, but his use of the off-speed pitches–in a masterfully called game by Molina, not to be overlooked–was the difference when because of Beckett’s own excellent pitching, Joba had to be great. He was nothing short of great, and got defensive help early.  As Mike said in the HDLR, Gardner fielded the ball cleanly off the monster to hold Lowell to a single, Melky made a splendid diving catch in shallow center off Drew, and Cano performed some slick fielding work to start a 4-6-3, with Jeter making a very good and awkward turn.

However, the night did not pass without incidents. The first significant one was Joba buzzing Youkilis’s tower yet again with a 2-0 fastball in the bottom of the seventh, actually hitting Youkilis’s bat for a foul ball but again veering toward Youkilis’s head for the umpteenth time in the last season. While there’s no question in my mind or in the mind of the NESN crew that it was unintentional, with Joba cruising, it prompted a heated reaction from Youkilis and a warning to both benches. Yet Joba righted his ship and eventually fanned Youkilis for the first out, showing more poise than other youngsters such as Hughes (rightly mentioned by Heartland staple Mike) and Chase Wright (he of the four consecutive homers, some of which are still being tracked by NASA satellites) have had. It’s impossible to overstate how dominant Joba was tonight. He was a buzzsaw. This was a game that I speculated could be a pitchers duel, a classic hardball festival between two excellent pitchers but, since it was against and in Boston, anything could happen. It didn’t, at least not what Joba and Beckett would allow. Seven innings of excellent starting pitching, with Joba perhaps coming of age when locking horns with one of the premier pitchers in the game. For fans of hurlers, this one was hard to beat.

The other “incident” was in the ninth, when Mariano got Lowell looking on a cutter in for the second out. Lowell was literally hopping mad, throwing down his bat, helmet and gauntlet to home plate umpire Marty Foster, who summarily and rightly ejected Lowell for the tirade arguing balls and strikes. To be fair, the ball was a bit inside but, to be fair, the ball was in the same location on which Delcarmen struck out A-Rod in the eighth–a bit off the plate, but close enough not to simply take, which is exactly what I said in the HDLR when A-Rod fanned. Mariano then fanned Drew on a cutter that must have moved two feet, veering back over the plate–and an honest, bona fide K looking–to end the game. I’m really not sure when I’ve seen Mariano’s cutter have that much movement which, as we fans know, is no easy statement to make. He was throwing a hard cutter diving as a JR Richard-like slider, at 95 mph no less–like an extremely fast curve ball. Tonight, Mariano followed Joba’s tremendous start with a tremendous save, throwing 26 pitches/20 strikes to end a classic in Boston. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again and forever–Mariano Rivera is the best relief pitcher in the history of the game. There are many terrific closers in the game–Papelbon, Joe Nathan whom the Yanks thankfully avoided in the Crazy Stein of the Twins, K-Rod, Putz, and more–but none of them carry the palpable gravitas, none of them have the unwavering dominance, that Mariano does. That’s no offense to them, terrific pitchers with lots of success one and all. Mariano is quite simply the Babe Ruth of closers. He’s living legend, the best there has ever been. I’ll stand by that until my last breath.

Before I forget, don’t lose faith in Nuke yet, people. He surrendered a clean single to Lowrie but a nubber to Crisp. The timing was bad in such a close game and big setting, but Nuke has been outstanding lately. If I were Girardi, who has handled the bullpen exceedingly well generally and Nuke specifically, I’d get Nuke right back on the horse as soon as possible. No shame, Nuke, and I won’t trash the guy. However, nor do I blame Girardi for the move to Mariano. When he had Mariano rested and the game was on the line within two innings, he made the right move–go to Mariano. It paid off. But don’t forget about Nuke or ride the guy. He was bailed out, but it was the first time in over a month he allowed a hit. He’ll be fine. Did I just say that? Yes, believe it or not.

A-Rod and Abreu were each 2-4, with Abreu scoring the game’s only run. A-Rod is now hitting .320. JD, Jeter, Cano, and Melky each added a hit, and Giambi’s RBI infield hit was his 58th RBI. Beckett’s pitching was so good there was just no way to complain about a lack of quality at-bats. Tonight, the quality at-bats were at a minimum and premium with Beckett and Joba going to-to-toe.

Joba came of age tonight, pitching like an absolute ace. In Fenway, with the chance to close ground on Boston and Tampa, Joba came through with one of the very best if not the best start of the year. Masterful. With Tampa up 3-2 on KC in the bottom of the 8th, the Yanks have at least gained a game on Boston, and stand only one game behind Boston in the loss column. Huge win and thanks to the many great guests in the HDLR this evening. Trade talk to come in the next post of a War and Peace night–sorry Vanessa.