The Yankees' action on the mound was the weakest link tonight as New York fell to Philadelphia 8-6. The good news is two-fold: (1) A.J. Burnett won't be pitching any more and (2) the bats stayed alive even after the Phillies appeared to have put the game away.
Johnny Damon went 3-for-4 for the Yankees and was sent home twice by Alex Rodriguez, who was 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.
Other Yankees Posts
Showing posts with label philadelphia phillies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philadelphia phillies. Show all posts
11.03.2009
11.02.2009
Team W
Was it Mr. November, punching home the go-ahead run in fifth? The acquired workhorse pitcher, muscling his way through nearly six innings on short rest? Perhaps the All-Star first baseman, cleaning up a 20-foot radius at the right-field bag? Or maybe the team's biggest "fraud," driving the hit he's been trying to find for the past five years? Wait — the old-man, shallow-throwing Boston defector? Or the bullpen ghosts, actually finding outs rather than bringing a curse? Perhaps the Sandman, closing it out with eight pitches?
It was the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers, the boys in pinstripes, the Evil Empire. The team that resides in New York, N.Y., collectively won Game 4 of the World Series tonight, and it was beautiful.
The action began in the first inning, as it always should, with Yankees captain Derek Jeter up to bat. He struck the second pitch of the night and ran for a single, and Johnny Damon followed behind with a pounding double.
Mark Teixeira, who has one hit to his name in the World Series so far, took a step in the right direction by lacing an RBI grounder down the right-field line. Teixeira was tagged out by first after a great Ryan Howard dive, but the Yankees were up 1-0 after six pitches.
(Irony: Teixeira and Howard are both first baseman and their team's leading sluggers, and both haven't been hitting in the Series but have played incredible defense.)
Alex Rodriguez came to the plate with his own redemption at stake. Since torching the American League Division and Championship Series, Rodriguez has been horrific against the Phils, striking out six times and getting just one hit (although it was a beauty, a two-run round-tripper). Clearly in the zone, A-Rod got in his stance and stared toward Philadelphia pitcher Joe Blanton, ready to send the runner on third home.
Blanton's first pitch skewed out of his hand and flew straight into the back of A-Rod's rib cage, a pitch so off the mark you had to think he was more shaken at the prospect of the ensuing at-bat than trying to plunk the hard-hitting cleanup man. A-Rod turned away, visibly angry — not so much at the pain, though. This man wanted to drive 'em in.
It was the third time Rodriguez had been hit in the last two games, with the two times he was beaned yesterday the first time since the 1960s that a player had been hit twice in a World Series game.
Jorge Posada came through with a sacrifice fly, putting New York up 2-0, and then it was time for CC Sabathia to get to work.
Sabathia looked rough early, allowing back-to-back doubles for a run, but he buckled down to strike out two and escape the innings. It appeared that the game might dissolve into a pitcher's duel, but in the bottom of the fourth, Sabathia allowed another run.
The Yankees' batters were ready.
Nick Swisher drew a four-pitch walk from the leadoff spot, a big feat for a guy who's been hitting nothing lately, sans yesterday's outburst. (Swisher ended up drawing two walks, a mix of hilarity and greatness.) Then, in a scene all Yankees fans could smile at, the camera cut to the on-deck circle to show Sabathia lopping his bat around, stretching/practice swinging, looking like a fat kid trying to imitate his father.
Melky Cabrera was up next, though, and he provided the Melky special with a man on first. Cabrera doesn't always hit it strong, but he finds ways to get on base, such as his legging out a bunt a couple games ago or his hit tonight, a grounder he outran.
Sabathia arrived at the plate wanting to pull a Pettitte and put his team ahead after letting the Phils catch up, but he came up short. No worries: Mr. November will take care of it.
Jeter hooked an RBI single to put the Yankees up again, 3-2, in the top of the fifth.
Damon followed, absolutely plopping the ball in the gap, and alert running by Cabrera helped him come all the way home once he knew the ball would drop, scoring a 4-2 run in a game that proved to hang on each run's importance.
With the Yankees bats finally, officially, unflukishly alive, all Sabathia had to do was hold the Phillies. The big man worked into the seventh and was an out away from sewing up the frame when Chase Utley came to the plate. Utley had already hit a first-inning RBI double off Sabathia to get Philly within one, and he was the one responsible for Philadelphia's Game 1 win, thanks to his two quads off of Sabathia while Cliff Lee held New York at bay (until the bullpen imploded, and New York destroyed itself).
Chase Utley did it again, chasing Sabathia with a solo homer that brought the Phillies, once again, within a run. 4-3 Yankees.
Sabathia left with six-and-two-thirds innings pitched, 107 pitches tossed, and six strikeouts. It wasn't a flawless game, but it was enough — just what the Yankees needed. New York didn't need dominance; it just needed him to work out of enough jams to let a decent bat effort win the game. You know, have him be part of the team rather than carrying everyone.
The bottom of the eighth brought a pitching change for the Yankees necessitated by a pinch batter, and manager Joe Girardi summoned Joba Chamberlain. Once the fireballing pride of the Bronx, Chamberlain has been caught in management's yo-yo routine between being an average starting pitcher and a dominating setup man to the point that he can barely do either now. But he seemed to have found his form again when he took the mound, striking out two and loading two strikes on Pedro Feliz.
Chamberlain was close to redemption, then boom, Feliz ripped one over the wall. In a game the Yankees had been controlling, with just one inning left, it was all evened up, 4-4.
Out of Philadelphia's bullpen, with the game on the line, came the Phillie with the biggest need of his own redemption: Brad Lidge. A year after being Philadelphia's savior, winning the town its first championship since 1983 by saving game after game with Mariano Rivera-like perfection, Lidge had imploded in the regular season, posting unsightly numbers and losing games.
But come October, he was the old Lidge, not allowing anything past him and closing out the tight Phillies games as the men in red recorded more of their vaunted comebacks.
It was the Yankees' first test against Lidge, and at first it looked like they were failing. Hideki Matsui went down on a popup, and Jeter struck out ugly on seven pitches. Damon came to the plate as the Yankees' final chance before an extra innings (or comeback) mess and worked up a nine-pitch, full-count single to put a man on first with two out and the American League's most prolific hitter in 2009 coming to the plate.
Problem is, the American League's most prolific hitter in 2009 has been one of the Yankees' worst postseason hitter. Teixeira has one hit so far in the Series, and his only other good stat (that first-inning RBI) was inches from being another chopped foul.
The pressure was on, and Teixeira — Sesame Street-face seriousness and all — was ready for it.
But the baseball gods wanted someone else to have a try at it. With a 1-0 count, Damon took off running for a steal of second, and the throw — while wayward — barely went to the right side of the bag as Damon slid in for an easy swipe. But Damon, realizing that the throw had drawn the second baseman away, and seeing that no Phillies were on the left side of the diamond due to the shift they'd put on to quell Teixeira, decided he'd take third.
At first, it looked like a blunder. Had Damon not seen that the fielder had the ball? Was he trying to be a hero? Why did he need third? Where was he going?
Moments later, when sneaky Damon had taken third, all was clear, and the Yankees were in prime position to close out the game.
The pressure was still on Teixeira, but Lidge took it off when his next pitch plunked Tex, putting men on first and third for the man the baseball gods have been summoning since last Wednesday.
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez, come forth.
(Word play to not be taken seriously: Doesn't Emmanuel mean "God with us"?)
We've been saying it in June, in July, in the final days of September, that this A-Rod is the real deal. He's a team player; he's focused; he's ready to just play; he's firing on all cylinders. October showed up, and A-Rod bashed seven RBI in his final regular-season game to snatch 100 RBI and rev the motor for the playoffs. The postseason arrived, and he arrived with it, carrying the Yankees past the Twins and the Angels, breaking records and erasing years of terrible play.
But the World Series brought an 0-for-8 start, including six strikeouts. And even the two-run blast yesterday to pull the Yankees into the game wasn't a solace as A-Rod came to the plate against Lidge, who despite his foibles, had looked very good in striking out Jeter three batters before.
Strike looking. A-Rod is calm, serene, stepping back, then moving into the box again.
Nervousness grips the pinstriped faithful, for as much as they've hated him before, they don't want to hate him anymore. They want this one. They want it bad.
Take back what is rightfully our's. K-O the Phillies. Three games to one. Championship No. 27. Do it. Do it. Do it.
Swing — hard hit — oh, it's a hit — a good one — it's moving — Yankees ahead — A-Rod's for real — A-Rod's for real — A-Rod's for real!
Cannot believe it. The 1-for-13 batter just got it done.
A Jorge Posada single followed, scoring Teixeira and Rodriguez to put the game away (well, until Rivera's eight-pitch shut-down that blew away the three Phillies who'd had the air sucked out of them).
And there we go. A 7-4 win. A postseason edge.
27 outs away from No. 27.
Whew, I'm sure glad those 39 pitches Mo threw two games ago didn't let the Phillies figure him out like they said they would. Give me a break, Phillies. You're problem isn't Mo. It's not Sabathia. It's not even A-Rod, or Jeter, or Damon, or a rejuvenated bullpen.
You've met a collection of men called the New York Yankees, and they want this one.
Other Yankees Posts
Game Recap
Notables: Jeter was 2-for-4 with a walk, run, and RBI in a game where his stat line didn't reveal how insanely clutch this tight-pants-clad man is. ... Damon was 3-for-5, and officially absolved of the accusations that he brought the curse with him from Boston. ... A-Rod's double was his only hit of the night, and Teixeira was hitless again. ... Posada had just one hit but 3 RBI; he knows how to pick his spots. ... Cabrera may have pulled his hamstring after running out that grounder. He had to leave the game. ... Chamberlain got the win, with hopes it won't go to his head since his hat is already stretched to the seams (both literally and figuratively). He's also credited with a blown save, which is abbreviated "BS" in statistic-keeping. ... Rivera's save was his fifth of this postseason. ... The runs Lidge allowed were the first this postseason. Until now he was the last pitcher to not allow a run in the 2009 playoffs. ... Jimmy Rollins said the Phillies would win in five games.
It was the New York Yankees. The Bronx Bombers, the boys in pinstripes, the Evil Empire. The team that resides in New York, N.Y., collectively won Game 4 of the World Series tonight, and it was beautiful.
The action began in the first inning, as it always should, with Yankees captain Derek Jeter up to bat. He struck the second pitch of the night and ran for a single, and Johnny Damon followed behind with a pounding double.
Mark Teixeira, who has one hit to his name in the World Series so far, took a step in the right direction by lacing an RBI grounder down the right-field line. Teixeira was tagged out by first after a great Ryan Howard dive, but the Yankees were up 1-0 after six pitches.
(Irony: Teixeira and Howard are both first baseman and their team's leading sluggers, and both haven't been hitting in the Series but have played incredible defense.)
Alex Rodriguez came to the plate with his own redemption at stake. Since torching the American League Division and Championship Series, Rodriguez has been horrific against the Phils, striking out six times and getting just one hit (although it was a beauty, a two-run round-tripper). Clearly in the zone, A-Rod got in his stance and stared toward Philadelphia pitcher Joe Blanton, ready to send the runner on third home.
Blanton's first pitch skewed out of his hand and flew straight into the back of A-Rod's rib cage, a pitch so off the mark you had to think he was more shaken at the prospect of the ensuing at-bat than trying to plunk the hard-hitting cleanup man. A-Rod turned away, visibly angry — not so much at the pain, though. This man wanted to drive 'em in.
It was the third time Rodriguez had been hit in the last two games, with the two times he was beaned yesterday the first time since the 1960s that a player had been hit twice in a World Series game.
Jorge Posada came through with a sacrifice fly, putting New York up 2-0, and then it was time for CC Sabathia to get to work.
Sabathia looked rough early, allowing back-to-back doubles for a run, but he buckled down to strike out two and escape the innings. It appeared that the game might dissolve into a pitcher's duel, but in the bottom of the fourth, Sabathia allowed another run.
The Yankees' batters were ready.
Nick Swisher drew a four-pitch walk from the leadoff spot, a big feat for a guy who's been hitting nothing lately, sans yesterday's outburst. (Swisher ended up drawing two walks, a mix of hilarity and greatness.) Then, in a scene all Yankees fans could smile at, the camera cut to the on-deck circle to show Sabathia lopping his bat around, stretching/practice swinging, looking like a fat kid trying to imitate his father.
Melky Cabrera was up next, though, and he provided the Melky special with a man on first. Cabrera doesn't always hit it strong, but he finds ways to get on base, such as his legging out a bunt a couple games ago or his hit tonight, a grounder he outran.
Sabathia arrived at the plate wanting to pull a Pettitte and put his team ahead after letting the Phils catch up, but he came up short. No worries: Mr. November will take care of it.
Jeter hooked an RBI single to put the Yankees up again, 3-2, in the top of the fifth.
Damon followed, absolutely plopping the ball in the gap, and alert running by Cabrera helped him come all the way home once he knew the ball would drop, scoring a 4-2 run in a game that proved to hang on each run's importance.
With the Yankees bats finally, officially, unflukishly alive, all Sabathia had to do was hold the Phillies. The big man worked into the seventh and was an out away from sewing up the frame when Chase Utley came to the plate. Utley had already hit a first-inning RBI double off Sabathia to get Philly within one, and he was the one responsible for Philadelphia's Game 1 win, thanks to his two quads off of Sabathia while Cliff Lee held New York at bay (until the bullpen imploded, and New York destroyed itself).
Chase Utley did it again, chasing Sabathia with a solo homer that brought the Phillies, once again, within a run. 4-3 Yankees.
Sabathia left with six-and-two-thirds innings pitched, 107 pitches tossed, and six strikeouts. It wasn't a flawless game, but it was enough — just what the Yankees needed. New York didn't need dominance; it just needed him to work out of enough jams to let a decent bat effort win the game. You know, have him be part of the team rather than carrying everyone.
The bottom of the eighth brought a pitching change for the Yankees necessitated by a pinch batter, and manager Joe Girardi summoned Joba Chamberlain. Once the fireballing pride of the Bronx, Chamberlain has been caught in management's yo-yo routine between being an average starting pitcher and a dominating setup man to the point that he can barely do either now. But he seemed to have found his form again when he took the mound, striking out two and loading two strikes on Pedro Feliz.
Chamberlain was close to redemption, then boom, Feliz ripped one over the wall. In a game the Yankees had been controlling, with just one inning left, it was all evened up, 4-4.
Out of Philadelphia's bullpen, with the game on the line, came the Phillie with the biggest need of his own redemption: Brad Lidge. A year after being Philadelphia's savior, winning the town its first championship since 1983 by saving game after game with Mariano Rivera-like perfection, Lidge had imploded in the regular season, posting unsightly numbers and losing games.
But come October, he was the old Lidge, not allowing anything past him and closing out the tight Phillies games as the men in red recorded more of their vaunted comebacks.
It was the Yankees' first test against Lidge, and at first it looked like they were failing. Hideki Matsui went down on a popup, and Jeter struck out ugly on seven pitches. Damon came to the plate as the Yankees' final chance before an extra innings (or comeback) mess and worked up a nine-pitch, full-count single to put a man on first with two out and the American League's most prolific hitter in 2009 coming to the plate.
Problem is, the American League's most prolific hitter in 2009 has been one of the Yankees' worst postseason hitter. Teixeira has one hit so far in the Series, and his only other good stat (that first-inning RBI) was inches from being another chopped foul.
The pressure was on, and Teixeira — Sesame Street-face seriousness and all — was ready for it.
But the baseball gods wanted someone else to have a try at it. With a 1-0 count, Damon took off running for a steal of second, and the throw — while wayward — barely went to the right side of the bag as Damon slid in for an easy swipe. But Damon, realizing that the throw had drawn the second baseman away, and seeing that no Phillies were on the left side of the diamond due to the shift they'd put on to quell Teixeira, decided he'd take third.
At first, it looked like a blunder. Had Damon not seen that the fielder had the ball? Was he trying to be a hero? Why did he need third? Where was he going?
Moments later, when sneaky Damon had taken third, all was clear, and the Yankees were in prime position to close out the game.
The pressure was still on Teixeira, but Lidge took it off when his next pitch plunked Tex, putting men on first and third for the man the baseball gods have been summoning since last Wednesday.
Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez, come forth.
(Word play to not be taken seriously: Doesn't Emmanuel mean "God with us"?)
We've been saying it in June, in July, in the final days of September, that this A-Rod is the real deal. He's a team player; he's focused; he's ready to just play; he's firing on all cylinders. October showed up, and A-Rod bashed seven RBI in his final regular-season game to snatch 100 RBI and rev the motor for the playoffs. The postseason arrived, and he arrived with it, carrying the Yankees past the Twins and the Angels, breaking records and erasing years of terrible play.
But the World Series brought an 0-for-8 start, including six strikeouts. And even the two-run blast yesterday to pull the Yankees into the game wasn't a solace as A-Rod came to the plate against Lidge, who despite his foibles, had looked very good in striking out Jeter three batters before.
Strike looking. A-Rod is calm, serene, stepping back, then moving into the box again.
Nervousness grips the pinstriped faithful, for as much as they've hated him before, they don't want to hate him anymore. They want this one. They want it bad.
Take back what is rightfully our's. K-O the Phillies. Three games to one. Championship No. 27. Do it. Do it. Do it.
Swing — hard hit — oh, it's a hit — a good one — it's moving — Yankees ahead — A-Rod's for real — A-Rod's for real — A-Rod's for real!
Cannot believe it. The 1-for-13 batter just got it done.
A Jorge Posada single followed, scoring Teixeira and Rodriguez to put the game away (well, until Rivera's eight-pitch shut-down that blew away the three Phillies who'd had the air sucked out of them).
And there we go. A 7-4 win. A postseason edge.
27 outs away from No. 27.
Whew, I'm sure glad those 39 pitches Mo threw two games ago didn't let the Phillies figure him out like they said they would. Give me a break, Phillies. You're problem isn't Mo. It's not Sabathia. It's not even A-Rod, or Jeter, or Damon, or a rejuvenated bullpen.
You've met a collection of men called the New York Yankees, and they want this one.
Other Yankees Posts
Game Recap
Notables: Jeter was 2-for-4 with a walk, run, and RBI in a game where his stat line didn't reveal how insanely clutch this tight-pants-clad man is. ... Damon was 3-for-5, and officially absolved of the accusations that he brought the curse with him from Boston. ... A-Rod's double was his only hit of the night, and Teixeira was hitless again. ... Posada had just one hit but 3 RBI; he knows how to pick his spots. ... Cabrera may have pulled his hamstring after running out that grounder. He had to leave the game. ... Chamberlain got the win, with hopes it won't go to his head since his hat is already stretched to the seams (both literally and figuratively). He's also credited with a blown save, which is abbreviated "BS" in statistic-keeping. ... Rivera's save was his fifth of this postseason. ... The runs Lidge allowed were the first this postseason. Until now he was the last pitcher to not allow a run in the 2009 playoffs. ... Jimmy Rollins said the Phillies would win in five games.
10.30.2009
Yankees articles
A CBS Sports writer gives a fair assessment of A.J. Burnett, including some juicy Jimmy Rollins quotes.
10.29.2009
The right medicine
A.J. Burnett was just what the Yankees needed tonight, and I'll credit the uneven No. 2 pitcher for New York for this Game 2 win.
After sporadic pitching performances throughout the postseason (not just winning some games and losing some, or letting a lot of runs in during one and not the other, but throwing more pitches in the dirt in some than some pitchers throw all year), Burnett was excellent tonight.
He pitched hard and kept his head in the game even after the Phillies went ahead. With nine strikeouts and seven innings pitched, he didn't just get the guys in red out, he also saved the New York bullpen (which had no right coming into this game) and sent a message to a hard-hitting Philly lineup. And by allowing just four hits, he reasserted that although he may not be an ace, he can still hold down that second-pitcher spot.
After allowing that one run, Burnett didn't let any runners get past second.
On Saturday Andy Pettitte, the Yanks' postseason veteran, gets to take his stab in enemy territory, but tonight, the Yankees are happy for the win.
This series has already turned into a National League showdown, and that's not a good thing, especially since the first two games were in New York. After sporting perfection at the new Yankee Stadium, the Yankees were no-shows in the first game, excluding the bullpen, which showed up to throw meatballs and let the Phillies run away with the 6-1 Game 1 win.
That all changed tonight. There was no New York bombing (the good kind), but there was gutsy Yankees playing, which is exactly what the Pinstriped Faithful needed to see their boys get back in the series.
After falling behind 1-0, Mark Teixeira showed up with a fourth-inning homer that evened the game. He had been batting .182 in the postseason so far.
Two innings later, Hideki Matsui (who has had middling postseason numbers) sent one into the right field porch with two outs to put New York up 2-1.
The seventh inning was a well-crafted Yankees onslaught, with Jerry Hairston Jr. (of all people) making good on his promotion into Nick Swisher's spot (finally) singling. Melky Cabrera provided another timely hit, putting guys on first and second without an out.
In a scene that is a great part of the 2009 Yankees' postseason, Jorge Posada came up to pinch-hit for Jose Molina, who was catching Burnett, as is usual of late. Posada has been able to come in fresh and inject some life into the late inning for the Yankees, and tonight was no different, with the New York catcher lacing an RBI single to put men on first and second with one out and the leadoff hitter coming to the plate. Yankees 3, Phillies 1.
But remember how I said this was a National League showdown? Yeah. On top of the ludicrous starting pitching and Joe Girardi's hyper hook with the bullpen, the manager who holds the American League pennant started managing his tuchis off again. And that's not a good thing because, remember, his team is in the American League. American League. With hitters, and designated hitters. Not the National League, where you managed the Florida Marlins. American League. American.
Nope, we've got Derek Jeter bunting. Not just bunting, but bunting three times in a row, for a strikeout. Derek Jeter. Mr. November. The guy who has more clutch, postseason hits than most people have years they've lived. The guy who hits a dozen home runs in a year then cranks half a dozen over the wall when it comes to the fortnight that is the playoffs.
Men on first and second, and Jeter is bunting. Oi, Girardi.
Stack another blown call by the playoff umps on the next play (a one-hopper into Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard's glove was ruled a lineout), and the inning was over. But not even Girardi could derail the rest of the Yankees' day.
In a change from his six-relievers-for-two-innings approach, Girardi called on Mariano Rivera to take care of the last two frames. Mo didn't have to pitch in last night's debacle, and after letting guys reach first and second, a dark horse factor for the Yankees showed up. Robinson Cano turned a great double play to Derek Jeter, who fired, legs splayed over a sliding Phil, to Mark Teixeiera at first just in time to save the inning. The Yankees x-factor defense had made the difference.
Rivera was out for the ninth, of course, and Cano caught a lazy liner for a phenomenal second out before Rivera took down way-too-heavy Philly DH Matt Stairs on strikes for the win.
It wasn't a pretty night, with plenty of Yankee problems, but the goal is a win, and New York got that. Alex Rodriguez had another rough night, whiffing three times for the second day in a row to increase his World Series drought to 0-for-8 through two games. Let's hope it doesn't take him as long to get on track in the Fall Classic as it has in the postseason of recent years.
Phillies slugger Howard struck out four times.
Jeter had an uncharacteristic three strikeouts and a double, and aside from the aforementioned hits, there was only singles by Cano and Matsui, leaving the Yankees with eight hits on the night.
Rivera's fourth save of this postseason was his 10th World Series save and 38th playoff save of his career. Burnett got his first win of the playoffs after three no-decisions.
Game Recap
Other Yankees Posts
After sporadic pitching performances throughout the postseason (not just winning some games and losing some, or letting a lot of runs in during one and not the other, but throwing more pitches in the dirt in some than some pitchers throw all year), Burnett was excellent tonight.
He pitched hard and kept his head in the game even after the Phillies went ahead. With nine strikeouts and seven innings pitched, he didn't just get the guys in red out, he also saved the New York bullpen (which had no right coming into this game) and sent a message to a hard-hitting Philly lineup. And by allowing just four hits, he reasserted that although he may not be an ace, he can still hold down that second-pitcher spot.
After allowing that one run, Burnett didn't let any runners get past second.
On Saturday Andy Pettitte, the Yanks' postseason veteran, gets to take his stab in enemy territory, but tonight, the Yankees are happy for the win.
This series has already turned into a National League showdown, and that's not a good thing, especially since the first two games were in New York. After sporting perfection at the new Yankee Stadium, the Yankees were no-shows in the first game, excluding the bullpen, which showed up to throw meatballs and let the Phillies run away with the 6-1 Game 1 win.
That all changed tonight. There was no New York bombing (the good kind), but there was gutsy Yankees playing, which is exactly what the Pinstriped Faithful needed to see their boys get back in the series.
After falling behind 1-0, Mark Teixeira showed up with a fourth-inning homer that evened the game. He had been batting .182 in the postseason so far.
Two innings later, Hideki Matsui (who has had middling postseason numbers) sent one into the right field porch with two outs to put New York up 2-1.
The seventh inning was a well-crafted Yankees onslaught, with Jerry Hairston Jr. (of all people) making good on his promotion into Nick Swisher's spot (finally) singling. Melky Cabrera provided another timely hit, putting guys on first and second without an out.
In a scene that is a great part of the 2009 Yankees' postseason, Jorge Posada came up to pinch-hit for Jose Molina, who was catching Burnett, as is usual of late. Posada has been able to come in fresh and inject some life into the late inning for the Yankees, and tonight was no different, with the New York catcher lacing an RBI single to put men on first and second with one out and the leadoff hitter coming to the plate. Yankees 3, Phillies 1.
But remember how I said this was a National League showdown? Yeah. On top of the ludicrous starting pitching and Joe Girardi's hyper hook with the bullpen, the manager who holds the American League pennant started managing his tuchis off again. And that's not a good thing because, remember, his team is in the American League. American League. With hitters, and designated hitters. Not the National League, where you managed the Florida Marlins. American League. American.
Nope, we've got Derek Jeter bunting. Not just bunting, but bunting three times in a row, for a strikeout. Derek Jeter. Mr. November. The guy who has more clutch, postseason hits than most people have years they've lived. The guy who hits a dozen home runs in a year then cranks half a dozen over the wall when it comes to the fortnight that is the playoffs.
Men on first and second, and Jeter is bunting. Oi, Girardi.
Stack another blown call by the playoff umps on the next play (a one-hopper into Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard's glove was ruled a lineout), and the inning was over. But not even Girardi could derail the rest of the Yankees' day.
In a change from his six-relievers-for-two-innings approach, Girardi called on Mariano Rivera to take care of the last two frames. Mo didn't have to pitch in last night's debacle, and after letting guys reach first and second, a dark horse factor for the Yankees showed up. Robinson Cano turned a great double play to Derek Jeter, who fired, legs splayed over a sliding Phil, to Mark Teixeiera at first just in time to save the inning. The Yankees x-factor defense had made the difference.
Rivera was out for the ninth, of course, and Cano caught a lazy liner for a phenomenal second out before Rivera took down way-too-heavy Philly DH Matt Stairs on strikes for the win.
It wasn't a pretty night, with plenty of Yankee problems, but the goal is a win, and New York got that. Alex Rodriguez had another rough night, whiffing three times for the second day in a row to increase his World Series drought to 0-for-8 through two games. Let's hope it doesn't take him as long to get on track in the Fall Classic as it has in the postseason of recent years.
Phillies slugger Howard struck out four times.
Jeter had an uncharacteristic three strikeouts and a double, and aside from the aforementioned hits, there was only singles by Cano and Matsui, leaving the Yankees with eight hits on the night.
Rivera's fourth save of this postseason was his 10th World Series save and 38th playoff save of his career. Burnett got his first win of the playoffs after three no-decisions.
Game Recap
Other Yankees Posts
10.28.2009
Everything I feared, and more
Game 1 of the World Series was everything I feared, and more. The bats didn't show up (4 total hits; 2 by Derek Jeter). The bullpen blew it (Phil Hughes got another 2 earned runs, and Damaso Marte and David Robertson were the guys who let them score; then Brian Bruney and Phil Coke couldn't put a cap on it). And worst of all, CC Sabathia was Chased -- not chased from the game (that didn't happen until the eighth inning), but slammed twice by Chase Utley, whose two solo home runs were the difference for most of the game.
Argh.
It was a wet, chilly night in the Bronx, a night that had most thinking the game shouldn't be played. The poor Yankees probably wish it hadn't been played, because the non-pretty loss was an almost must-win for them. Oh, and they didn't win it, by the way.
The game was at home, and Sabathia was on the mound -- two factors that the Bombers have hung on throughout the postseason while their bats haven't exactly been bombing.
But without even half an inning in the books, it already looked bad.
After Jimmy Rollins gave the Phils a whimpering start to the series by bunting (bunting?!?!) the first pitch of the game, Sabathia allowed Philadelphia to load the bases and went through six batters on 24 pitches.
He escaped that jam, but in the top of the ninth, Utley worked him for a nine-pitch at-bat then sent one out of the park.
Cliff Lee was unhittable in the bottom half of hte frames, seeming to get stronger as the game went on. He tossed a complete game, in fact, which was the only sensible thing for an unstoppable pitcher to do with these made-of-china bullpens.
Lee struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth and had seven strikeouts through the first four innings. He ended the night with 10.
Sabathia retired eight straight, but in the top of the sixth, Utley got him again to put the Phillies up 2-0. Sabathia got a big, three-pitch strikeout on Raul Ibanez to end the inning, but the damage was done.
And then the bullpen made it worse. Hughes has been the loose linchpin since October began, but manager Joe Girardi called on him again. Sure enough, he walked leadoff batter Jimmy Rollins (of all people) then let him steal before walking Shane Victorino. That brought in Marte, who surprisingly, didn't blow the game, but Robertson couldn't hold the men on. In the next inning, Bruney encouraged more carnage and saw the Phillies' margin move to 5-0.
Coke let another in on a Ryan Howard double.
6-0? Pitcher's duel? Well, it was, until the Yankees tapped that cesspool they've been calling their bullpen.
Ugh. Ugh. Ugly.
The Yankees' vaunted bats went out with little more than an error-aided whimper in the bottom of the ninth, and that was it.
There's always tomorrow, but I think we know what needs the tweaking before 7:57 Thursday evening.
Game recap
Other Yankee Posts
Argh.
It was a wet, chilly night in the Bronx, a night that had most thinking the game shouldn't be played. The poor Yankees probably wish it hadn't been played, because the non-pretty loss was an almost must-win for them. Oh, and they didn't win it, by the way.
The game was at home, and Sabathia was on the mound -- two factors that the Bombers have hung on throughout the postseason while their bats haven't exactly been bombing.
But without even half an inning in the books, it already looked bad.
After Jimmy Rollins gave the Phils a whimpering start to the series by bunting (bunting?!?!) the first pitch of the game, Sabathia allowed Philadelphia to load the bases and went through six batters on 24 pitches.
He escaped that jam, but in the top of the ninth, Utley worked him for a nine-pitch at-bat then sent one out of the park.
Cliff Lee was unhittable in the bottom half of hte frames, seeming to get stronger as the game went on. He tossed a complete game, in fact, which was the only sensible thing for an unstoppable pitcher to do with these made-of-china bullpens.
Lee struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth and had seven strikeouts through the first four innings. He ended the night with 10.
Sabathia retired eight straight, but in the top of the sixth, Utley got him again to put the Phillies up 2-0. Sabathia got a big, three-pitch strikeout on Raul Ibanez to end the inning, but the damage was done.
And then the bullpen made it worse. Hughes has been the loose linchpin since October began, but manager Joe Girardi called on him again. Sure enough, he walked leadoff batter Jimmy Rollins (of all people) then let him steal before walking Shane Victorino. That brought in Marte, who surprisingly, didn't blow the game, but Robertson couldn't hold the men on. In the next inning, Bruney encouraged more carnage and saw the Phillies' margin move to 5-0.
Coke let another in on a Ryan Howard double.
6-0? Pitcher's duel? Well, it was, until the Yankees tapped that cesspool they've been calling their bullpen.
Ugh. Ugh. Ugly.
The Yankees' vaunted bats went out with little more than an error-aided whimper in the bottom of the ninth, and that was it.
There's always tomorrow, but I think we know what needs the tweaking before 7:57 Thursday evening.
Game recap
Other Yankee Posts
10.27.2009
World Series schedule
The World Series schedule is out.
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, October 28, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, October 29, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Saturday, October 31, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Sunday, November 1, 8:20 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Monday, November 2, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, November 4, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, November 5, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, October 28, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, October 29, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Saturday, October 31, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Sunday, November 1, 8:20 p.m. (FOX)
New York at Philadelphia, Monday, November 2, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Wednesday, November 4, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Philadelphia at New York, Thursday, November 5, 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
10.10.2009
Too chilly for baseball
The Phillies-Rockies game has been postponed because a cold front is apparently moving through Denver, bringing snow and 18-degree weather. My favorite part of the story? Colorado's manager knew it was a bit too cold to play baseball when his beagles didn't want to go out in the morning.
5.22.2009
Home Run Derby
There was another home run derby at Yankee Stadium tonight, but it didn't go the Yankees' way this time. New York dropped its opening contest to the defending champs, falling to Philly 7-3.
New York management: Next time they ask you which Blue Jays pitcher you want, the answer is Roy Halladay, not A.J. Burnett.
More New York Yankees posts
New York management: Next time they ask you which Blue Jays pitcher you want, the answer is Roy Halladay, not A.J. Burnett.
More New York Yankees posts
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a.j. burnett,
new york yankees,
philadelphia phillies
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