Formula for the Season
The Yankees won a tight one against the Jays, eking out a 3-2 win against Roy Halliday. Melky the Clutch made two great plays in the field in the fourth, and hit a game-tying homer in the sixth. Joba and Mariano sealed the deal in the eighth and ninth, following up on Wang's very good start. Though the Yankees squandered chances, such things are much easier to address after a win. Great way to start the season, and the Yankees have set the major-league record with their eleventh straight home opening win. Also, Joe Girardi earned his first win as Yankees manager, showing good patience with Wang in the seventh.
Halliday was tough and efficient, throwing only 42 pitches through four innings. In the first with two outs, Abreu singled and A-Rod drove a ball to the wall in right-center, scoring Abreu to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Yet Wang surrendered the lead right away in the second, with back-to-back singles from Thomas and Overbay to start the second pinching Wang. Hill's fly ball to fairly deep right moved Thomas to third, and Scutaro's weak tapper for a 3-6 force tied it at one.
The Yankees had some chances against Halliday, but not nearly enough. Jeter singled in the third with two outs, but was caught stealing to end the frame. Wang worked a 1-2-3 4th with a little help from his friends, namely Melky who nabbed a deep fly to right-center off Overbay's bat, then made a terrific leaping catch to his right in left-center to rob Hill of at least a double, A-Rod's DP erased Abreu's lead-off single. The Jays took a 2-1 lead in the 5th when the pesky Scutaro walked and stole second (for the second time), Zaun singled to move him to third, Eckstein's tapper held Scutaro at third but made it second and third, one out, and Stewart's weak grounder to third scored Scutaro, 2-1 Jays. But Wang escaped with a good K of Rios. After Wang got three straight ground-outs in the sixth, Melky had a terrific at-bat. He got behind 1-2, took an off-speed pitch in for 2-2, fouled off four of the next five pitches with a ball in between for a full count, then drilled a fastball just over the right-field fence to tie the game. Melky the Clutch came through again, great moment for the kid. Even Damon's at-bat imemdiately following was useful, getting a fatigued Halliday to throw six pitches after allowing Melky's homer. They really turned around the pace of the game with those two at-bats in the Yankees favor.
With the pitchers back to rolling into the seventh, Wang got into trouble when Hill doubled to left-center past Melky's dive, apparently all out of heroics. Scutaro then scalded one to Big G, who made a terrific leaping snare as he was playing in, one down. Zaun's fairly weak grounder to Jeter pushed Hill to third with two outs. Girardi then came to the mound and briefly conferred with Wang, keeping him in the game to face Eckstein. Wang promptly got him on a 5-3 to end the top of the seventh. This was a huge moment. Wang got out of a big jam while holding the lead, and Girardi showed good guts and judgment by staying with his number one starter for his ninety-second and final pitch of the game. Great moment, rather definitive for the game, and perhaps telling for the season as it proceeds. I really like that Girardi showed presence, wanted to size up Wang as a catcher would, and made a bold and accurate call. Great non-move.
The Yankees took the lead for good in the seventh when A-Rod singled to right, part of a very good opening night for the reigning MVP. Big G worked a walk, Cano's ground out to Eckstein moved the runners to second and third, the Jays intentionally walked Jorge, and Matsui's hard grounder to Hill at second was difficult enough that the Jays could only force Jorge at second, scoring A-Rod for a 3-2 lead they'd never relinquish. Though Melky fanned to end the inning, the damage was done. They also made Halliday throw 53 pitches in his last three innigs after cruising through the first four with only forty-two pitches.
Joba entered for the eighth, getting Stewart on a 4-3. Though he walked Rios after having him down 1-2, Joba caught Wells looking on a slider up, though Rios stole second. Yet Joba showed his moxie, fanning Thomas on three pitches--foul ball, fastball painting the outside corner at 96 MPH, then fanning him with a 97-MPH heater down the pipe. Fist-pump, shout, classic Joba. The Yankees squandered a chance to pad the lead in the eighth, when JD hit a triple to right to lead off. Yet Jeter meekly tapped back to Downs for the first out, Abreu grounded out mildly to Overbay for the second, the Jays issued A-Rod an IBB, and got Big G to ground out. Terrible execution from the Yankees, not the least of which was Abreu of all people swinging at the first pitch. Yet Mariano nailed it down, getting Overbay looking over the outside corner, getting Hill on an F8 in deep center, and Scutaro on a 4-3 to end the game.
This was a big first win of 2008 for the Yankees, and it starts with pitching. In a terrific clash of top-flight righties who keep the ball down, Wang emerged victorious by allowing six hits, two runs earned, two walks, and fanning two on 92 pitches, fifty-six of which were strikes. Thirteen of his outs were via ground out, where he should be, and he was efficient by pitching just over thirteen pitches an inning. His pitching out of trouble in the seventh was as definitive a moment as there was tonight. Joba allowed only the walk in a twenty-one-pitch eighth, and Mariano was Mariano, setting down the Jays 1-2-3 on 12 pitches. That's easily something I can get used to--seven innings from a starter, Joba with the lead, and Mariano to put it to bed. Outstanding pitching tonight.
A-Rod was 2-3 with a run and an RBI, Abreu 2-4 with a run, Melky the Clutch with the game-tying homer in the sixth, Matsui with the game-winning RBI force, and Damon, Jeter, and Robbie C each with a single. The team did leave three on base in scoring position, but fared fairly well against the tough Halliday. This was a big game to win, a one-run game against a very good pitcher in Halliday. Pitching, defense, and clutch at-bats (not enough of the last, but enough to win). Great sign with the back end of the pen, showing why Joba must help solidify the late innings. I'd take Joba and Mariano up against anybody, any day of the week.
The Yanks and Jays go again tomorrow night on ESPN2 at 7:05 EDT, with A.J. Burnett facing Mike Mussina in a study in contrasting pitching styles. Burnett will be tough, throwing very hard and also sporting good off-speed stuff such as a good change-up. Big win, great way to start Girardi's tenure as Yankees manager, and very nice to see the pitching handcuff a potent lineup.
Halliday was tough and efficient, throwing only 42 pitches through four innings. In the first with two outs, Abreu singled and A-Rod drove a ball to the wall in right-center, scoring Abreu to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Yet Wang surrendered the lead right away in the second, with back-to-back singles from Thomas and Overbay to start the second pinching Wang. Hill's fly ball to fairly deep right moved Thomas to third, and Scutaro's weak tapper for a 3-6 force tied it at one.
The Yankees had some chances against Halliday, but not nearly enough. Jeter singled in the third with two outs, but was caught stealing to end the frame. Wang worked a 1-2-3 4th with a little help from his friends, namely Melky who nabbed a deep fly to right-center off Overbay's bat, then made a terrific leaping catch to his right in left-center to rob Hill of at least a double, A-Rod's DP erased Abreu's lead-off single. The Jays took a 2-1 lead in the 5th when the pesky Scutaro walked and stole second (for the second time), Zaun singled to move him to third, Eckstein's tapper held Scutaro at third but made it second and third, one out, and Stewart's weak grounder to third scored Scutaro, 2-1 Jays. But Wang escaped with a good K of Rios. After Wang got three straight ground-outs in the sixth, Melky had a terrific at-bat. He got behind 1-2, took an off-speed pitch in for 2-2, fouled off four of the next five pitches with a ball in between for a full count, then drilled a fastball just over the right-field fence to tie the game. Melky the Clutch came through again, great moment for the kid. Even Damon's at-bat imemdiately following was useful, getting a fatigued Halliday to throw six pitches after allowing Melky's homer. They really turned around the pace of the game with those two at-bats in the Yankees favor.
With the pitchers back to rolling into the seventh, Wang got into trouble when Hill doubled to left-center past Melky's dive, apparently all out of heroics. Scutaro then scalded one to Big G, who made a terrific leaping snare as he was playing in, one down. Zaun's fairly weak grounder to Jeter pushed Hill to third with two outs. Girardi then came to the mound and briefly conferred with Wang, keeping him in the game to face Eckstein. Wang promptly got him on a 5-3 to end the top of the seventh. This was a huge moment. Wang got out of a big jam while holding the lead, and Girardi showed good guts and judgment by staying with his number one starter for his ninety-second and final pitch of the game. Great moment, rather definitive for the game, and perhaps telling for the season as it proceeds. I really like that Girardi showed presence, wanted to size up Wang as a catcher would, and made a bold and accurate call. Great non-move.
The Yankees took the lead for good in the seventh when A-Rod singled to right, part of a very good opening night for the reigning MVP. Big G worked a walk, Cano's ground out to Eckstein moved the runners to second and third, the Jays intentionally walked Jorge, and Matsui's hard grounder to Hill at second was difficult enough that the Jays could only force Jorge at second, scoring A-Rod for a 3-2 lead they'd never relinquish. Though Melky fanned to end the inning, the damage was done. They also made Halliday throw 53 pitches in his last three innigs after cruising through the first four with only forty-two pitches.
Joba entered for the eighth, getting Stewart on a 4-3. Though he walked Rios after having him down 1-2, Joba caught Wells looking on a slider up, though Rios stole second. Yet Joba showed his moxie, fanning Thomas on three pitches--foul ball, fastball painting the outside corner at 96 MPH, then fanning him with a 97-MPH heater down the pipe. Fist-pump, shout, classic Joba. The Yankees squandered a chance to pad the lead in the eighth, when JD hit a triple to right to lead off. Yet Jeter meekly tapped back to Downs for the first out, Abreu grounded out mildly to Overbay for the second, the Jays issued A-Rod an IBB, and got Big G to ground out. Terrible execution from the Yankees, not the least of which was Abreu of all people swinging at the first pitch. Yet Mariano nailed it down, getting Overbay looking over the outside corner, getting Hill on an F8 in deep center, and Scutaro on a 4-3 to end the game.
This was a big first win of 2008 for the Yankees, and it starts with pitching. In a terrific clash of top-flight righties who keep the ball down, Wang emerged victorious by allowing six hits, two runs earned, two walks, and fanning two on 92 pitches, fifty-six of which were strikes. Thirteen of his outs were via ground out, where he should be, and he was efficient by pitching just over thirteen pitches an inning. His pitching out of trouble in the seventh was as definitive a moment as there was tonight. Joba allowed only the walk in a twenty-one-pitch eighth, and Mariano was Mariano, setting down the Jays 1-2-3 on 12 pitches. That's easily something I can get used to--seven innings from a starter, Joba with the lead, and Mariano to put it to bed. Outstanding pitching tonight.
A-Rod was 2-3 with a run and an RBI, Abreu 2-4 with a run, Melky the Clutch with the game-tying homer in the sixth, Matsui with the game-winning RBI force, and Damon, Jeter, and Robbie C each with a single. The team did leave three on base in scoring position, but fared fairly well against the tough Halliday. This was a big game to win, a one-run game against a very good pitcher in Halliday. Pitching, defense, and clutch at-bats (not enough of the last, but enough to win). Great sign with the back end of the pen, showing why Joba must help solidify the late innings. I'd take Joba and Mariano up against anybody, any day of the week.
The Yanks and Jays go again tomorrow night on ESPN2 at 7:05 EDT, with A.J. Burnett facing Mike Mussina in a study in contrasting pitching styles. Burnett will be tough, throwing very hard and also sporting good off-speed stuff such as a good change-up. Big win, great way to start Girardi's tenure as Yankees manager, and very nice to see the pitching handcuff a potent lineup.
great re-cap J...i'm too exhausted to write my own account of the game, but i will say it was one of the most exciting i've been to.
will write more later, but this was certainly worth the wait.
wow...
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Mike, you must feel like you've been put through the ringer. Thanks for kind words.
Thanks also for everyone stopping by the HDLR.
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Jason,
Excellent description of a great Yankee win....I had a fun time at the HDLR, but didn't get too much of a chance to keep my blog updated....All the action was at "The Heartland", so I made most of my comments during the game at your blog....So, thanks for having a very lively "live-blogging" session over here, and, also, for commenting over at BY&L.....I think after last night's game we all have to be very excited by the way the Yankees played, and can look forward to many more wins like the win in "Game Number One"....October looks a little closer now that the season is under way....also, the number, 27 [Joe Girardi's number, and the Yankees 27th World Championship] will be big numbers in 2008........Jimmy
http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/
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