Yankees Win 3-2, Take Opening Series
In another well-pitched game, the Yankees pulled one out late against a tough Jays staff to win 3-2. Abreu was 2-3 with the game-winning RBI on a bloop single to center in the eighth, the Yankees played some "small ball" to get runners in scoring position in the eighth, and they got very good pitching to pull out their second 3-2 decision--and second one-run win--of the season.
Hughes and Dustin McGowan locked up in a terrific battle of young, talented right-handers, compiling nearly identical statistical lines through six even innings. Hughes buzzed through the first three innings without allowing a base runner, using only 30 pitches. McGowan allowed only a walk in the second and finally surrendered a single to Molina in the third, when it looked as though the Yankees would push across a run. Melky followed Molina's single with a walk, first and second with no outs. But Damon scalded a ball right to Rios for the first out, and Jeter ended the threat when he grounded into a 6-4-3 DP, yet they started to make McGowan work by forcing him to throw 19 pitches in the third--though it should have been more with some damage done.
The Jays scored a run in the fourth, forcing Hughes to labor a bit. Eckstein led off with a bloop double down the left-field line, Stairs's slow-rolling 4-3 moved him to third, and Rios stroked an RBI single to center to give the Jays the first run. Rios ran on the first pitch and would have been thrown out had Cano caught Molina's great throw. Instead it bounced off his glove and into center, giving Rios third. Yet Hughes buckled down well, fanning Wells on a 3-2 curve for the second out, and getting Thomas looking on a 3-2 fastball off the plate inside, inducing a temper tantrum that got Thomas ejected. It was a ball, and was part of an ethereal strike zone from home plate umpire Bill Miller--here one minute, gone the next. Hughes struggled in the fourth, throwing 26 pitches, but showed good grit, stuff and maturity for a kid. I also distinctly saw Hughes flexing the knuckle on curve balls a few times, perhaps tinkering with Mussina's patented knuckle curve.
The Yankees again put the lead-off man aboard in the fourth when Abreu smoked a single to right. After A-Rod popped out to second, Giambi's 4-3 into the shift allowed a heads-up Abreu to go all the way to an uncovered third. Yet Cano flew out to shallow left to end that threat. The Jays tacked on a second run in the top of the fifth with two outs. Hughes walked Scutaro, then Zaun doubled to right off the tarp, second and third. Eckstein on cue, just after Kay said he hit under .200 last year with runners in scoring position, got an infield hit to third when A-Rod couldn't handle a tough play, 2-0 Jays. Matsui singled to left in the third to start the fifth, but Molina popped out to second and Melky chased a low pitch and hit into a double-play, making it the third straight inning that the Yankees put the lead-off man aboard but didn't plate him, terrible execution.
Hughes worked a quick, 1-2-3 eleven-pitch sixth, his last. Tonight he was very good and he had to be--6 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs earned, a walk and four K's, including the two of Wells and Thomas to escape the fourth. Importantly, he spotted his fastball well and commanded his breaking pitches with maturity. Conversely, the Yanks worked over McGowan in the sixth to tie the game, making him throw 29 pitches. Damon doubled to right in a seven-pitch at-bat, Jeter was reached on a HBP, Abreu assembled a great eight-pitch at-bat for a walk to load the bases for A-Rod. At this point, McGowan had thrown 20 pitches in the sixth without recording an out. A 1-2 wild pitch in the dirt scored Damon, 2-1 Jays, but A-Rod fanned for the first out. Giambi hit a sac fly to right to score Jeter, but Abreu committed a cardinal sin by making the third out on his way to third, leaving the game tied and letting a laboring McGowan off the hook. I have to say I really felt the Yanks would come back in the sixth, that they'd finally break through. It took time and was a bit frustrating to watch, but they did it.
Traber came into the seventh to face the lefty Overbay and looked good, fanning him on I believe a curve. It was a risky move for Hughes had only thrown 87 pitches, but it paid off for Girardi. Bruney then got Hill on a 4-3 (but not before his 2-2 fastball on the outside corner should have retired Hill) and got Scutaro to fly to shallow right on a terrific running catch by Abreu. After the Yankees went down 1-2-3 in the seventh, Joba entered and promptly caught Zaun looking on a fastball, retired Eckstein on a 4-3, allowed a single to Stairs, but got Rios to fly to right to end the eighth. He ended up with his first win of the year when the Yankees scored in the eighth. Melky the Clutch lined a single to right, Damon laid down a great bunt that Downs couldn't handle for a sac bunt and E1, first and second no outs, Jeter also bunted and may have been safe at first on Zaun's double-clutch, but it was still second and third with one out. Abreu blooped a single to shallow center, repaying the Jays for their bloops singles this series, to give the Yanks the 3-2 lead. A-Rod struck out looking as part of his tough night, Giambi was HBP to load the bases, but Cano started with a very low strike, fouled one off, then flew out to center to end the threat and leave three on.
But Mariano shut it down, just not right away. Wells led off with a single up the middle, went to second on Stewart's slow 5-3, went to third on Overbay's hard-hit 6-3 with Jeter well-positioned, and Mariano got Hill looking on a fastball on the inside corner. Yankees win 3-2.
Abreu was clutch with his 2-3 night with the GW RBI, Damon had a double and the great sac bunt, Matsui, Molina and Melky (the M&M&M boys) went a combined 3-8 from the 7th, 8th and 9th spots with a single apiece and, though the Yankees squandered some chances from the third inning onward, they cleverly manufactured runs even with A-Rod and Cano going 0-8. Count on people singing Girardi's praises for his bullpen decisions and willingness to use the bunt to play for the winning run. He made really good decisions, and the players made them pay off. As important and good as Hughes was tonight, so was the bullpen, with Traber, Bruney, Joba and Mariano combining for two hits, no walks, three strikeouts, and most importantly no runs in three innings. Well-pitched, well-coached game, even if the Yankees didn't execute enough. I'm not worried. The Jays have a very good staff, and there is no doubt the Yankees will hit this year. They scored eight runs in three games and have a 2-1 record. Wait until they DO score. Two one-run wins to start the year is also huge, especially after how poorly the Yankees fared in close games in 2007 before the all-Star break. Teams must win close games to be successful, and the Yankees have now won two. With the exception of Cano's error, the defense was better, especially Giambi.
Very good start, terrific bullpen work, finally scoring runs in a pinch. Good win tonight. It wasn't easy on the stomach, but ultimately was worthwhile.
Hughes and Dustin McGowan locked up in a terrific battle of young, talented right-handers, compiling nearly identical statistical lines through six even innings. Hughes buzzed through the first three innings without allowing a base runner, using only 30 pitches. McGowan allowed only a walk in the second and finally surrendered a single to Molina in the third, when it looked as though the Yankees would push across a run. Melky followed Molina's single with a walk, first and second with no outs. But Damon scalded a ball right to Rios for the first out, and Jeter ended the threat when he grounded into a 6-4-3 DP, yet they started to make McGowan work by forcing him to throw 19 pitches in the third--though it should have been more with some damage done.
The Jays scored a run in the fourth, forcing Hughes to labor a bit. Eckstein led off with a bloop double down the left-field line, Stairs's slow-rolling 4-3 moved him to third, and Rios stroked an RBI single to center to give the Jays the first run. Rios ran on the first pitch and would have been thrown out had Cano caught Molina's great throw. Instead it bounced off his glove and into center, giving Rios third. Yet Hughes buckled down well, fanning Wells on a 3-2 curve for the second out, and getting Thomas looking on a 3-2 fastball off the plate inside, inducing a temper tantrum that got Thomas ejected. It was a ball, and was part of an ethereal strike zone from home plate umpire Bill Miller--here one minute, gone the next. Hughes struggled in the fourth, throwing 26 pitches, but showed good grit, stuff and maturity for a kid. I also distinctly saw Hughes flexing the knuckle on curve balls a few times, perhaps tinkering with Mussina's patented knuckle curve.
The Yankees again put the lead-off man aboard in the fourth when Abreu smoked a single to right. After A-Rod popped out to second, Giambi's 4-3 into the shift allowed a heads-up Abreu to go all the way to an uncovered third. Yet Cano flew out to shallow left to end that threat. The Jays tacked on a second run in the top of the fifth with two outs. Hughes walked Scutaro, then Zaun doubled to right off the tarp, second and third. Eckstein on cue, just after Kay said he hit under .200 last year with runners in scoring position, got an infield hit to third when A-Rod couldn't handle a tough play, 2-0 Jays. Matsui singled to left in the third to start the fifth, but Molina popped out to second and Melky chased a low pitch and hit into a double-play, making it the third straight inning that the Yankees put the lead-off man aboard but didn't plate him, terrible execution.
Hughes worked a quick, 1-2-3 eleven-pitch sixth, his last. Tonight he was very good and he had to be--6 IP, 4 hits, 2 runs earned, a walk and four K's, including the two of Wells and Thomas to escape the fourth. Importantly, he spotted his fastball well and commanded his breaking pitches with maturity. Conversely, the Yanks worked over McGowan in the sixth to tie the game, making him throw 29 pitches. Damon doubled to right in a seven-pitch at-bat, Jeter was reached on a HBP, Abreu assembled a great eight-pitch at-bat for a walk to load the bases for A-Rod. At this point, McGowan had thrown 20 pitches in the sixth without recording an out. A 1-2 wild pitch in the dirt scored Damon, 2-1 Jays, but A-Rod fanned for the first out. Giambi hit a sac fly to right to score Jeter, but Abreu committed a cardinal sin by making the third out on his way to third, leaving the game tied and letting a laboring McGowan off the hook. I have to say I really felt the Yanks would come back in the sixth, that they'd finally break through. It took time and was a bit frustrating to watch, but they did it.
Traber came into the seventh to face the lefty Overbay and looked good, fanning him on I believe a curve. It was a risky move for Hughes had only thrown 87 pitches, but it paid off for Girardi. Bruney then got Hill on a 4-3 (but not before his 2-2 fastball on the outside corner should have retired Hill) and got Scutaro to fly to shallow right on a terrific running catch by Abreu. After the Yankees went down 1-2-3 in the seventh, Joba entered and promptly caught Zaun looking on a fastball, retired Eckstein on a 4-3, allowed a single to Stairs, but got Rios to fly to right to end the eighth. He ended up with his first win of the year when the Yankees scored in the eighth. Melky the Clutch lined a single to right, Damon laid down a great bunt that Downs couldn't handle for a sac bunt and E1, first and second no outs, Jeter also bunted and may have been safe at first on Zaun's double-clutch, but it was still second and third with one out. Abreu blooped a single to shallow center, repaying the Jays for their bloops singles this series, to give the Yanks the 3-2 lead. A-Rod struck out looking as part of his tough night, Giambi was HBP to load the bases, but Cano started with a very low strike, fouled one off, then flew out to center to end the threat and leave three on.
But Mariano shut it down, just not right away. Wells led off with a single up the middle, went to second on Stewart's slow 5-3, went to third on Overbay's hard-hit 6-3 with Jeter well-positioned, and Mariano got Hill looking on a fastball on the inside corner. Yankees win 3-2.
Abreu was clutch with his 2-3 night with the GW RBI, Damon had a double and the great sac bunt, Matsui, Molina and Melky (the M&M&M boys) went a combined 3-8 from the 7th, 8th and 9th spots with a single apiece and, though the Yankees squandered some chances from the third inning onward, they cleverly manufactured runs even with A-Rod and Cano going 0-8. Count on people singing Girardi's praises for his bullpen decisions and willingness to use the bunt to play for the winning run. He made really good decisions, and the players made them pay off. As important and good as Hughes was tonight, so was the bullpen, with Traber, Bruney, Joba and Mariano combining for two hits, no walks, three strikeouts, and most importantly no runs in three innings. Well-pitched, well-coached game, even if the Yankees didn't execute enough. I'm not worried. The Jays have a very good staff, and there is no doubt the Yankees will hit this year. They scored eight runs in three games and have a 2-1 record. Wait until they DO score. Two one-run wins to start the year is also huge, especially after how poorly the Yankees fared in close games in 2007 before the all-Star break. Teams must win close games to be successful, and the Yankees have now won two. With the exception of Cano's error, the defense was better, especially Giambi.
Very good start, terrific bullpen work, finally scoring runs in a pinch. Good win tonight. It wasn't easy on the stomach, but ultimately was worthwhile.
hey there, happy to be reporting in with my second win.
i'm at my friend zack's apt ( the baseball collector)
he got 11 balls tonight BTW.
let me start off by saying that i was getting pretty frustrated at the game. my buddy that i was planning to go with got sick at the last minute AND he had our tickets so i had to buy one at the game. a nice guy gave me one for 5 bucks BUT i was sitting surrounded by a bunch of obnoxious young teens-from toronto no less. i guess they were there on a field trip. luckily i was able to move into a better section filled with drunk, but friendly yankee fans.
when jeter grounded into that DP i almost flung myself out of the upper deck and onto the field...in fact there were so many frustrating leadoff baserunners with nothing to show for it. the bats and the crowd were totally dead...the crowd DID wake up for big hurt's ejection. so it was a ball after all J?
i couldn't tell.
when we teid the game i felt sure we would win and i really liked girardi's move of going to joba with the score tied. all in all pretty satisfying. i had run into zack during batting practice so here i am blogging on his girlfriends laptop while he is writing up his blog entry for the night...
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Hey Mike. It was indeed a ball, inside a few inches, but Miller called a terrible game all around. He squeezed Hughes more often than not, and was generous with high strikes all night. The wasted opportunities probably made it tough for people to get into the flow of the game, because there was so little offense. Girardi managed the game very well I thought. I too liked the move to go to Joba, and given that he only threw 11 pitches, I wondered if he would use him for a second inning if the game stayed tied.
How on earth did Zack get so many balls?
The Yankees have grounded into way too many DPs that series, and scored eight runs, yet still won the series. The pitching for both teams was excellent.
Way to bring back the "W" Mike.
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he gets so many balls because he's there the instant they open the gates, he's very good at grabbing, scrambling and begging players. he always brings two hats; one for the home team and one for the visiting team.
he some times gets a game ball ( he caught bond's 724 in san diego)
the umpire last night was also all over the place and you could see moose's frustration. bad crew i guess, huh?
great to see we won the series against really good pitching. phil hughes is a total stud
as is joba.
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Great recap. Hughes in my opinion was awesome. Those runs were a little on thr bogus side, but hey, that's the game. I'm a big fan of Girardi's style of play. As long as the staff can keep it close, they'll win more of the close ones than they'll lose. Traber looked good. a nice additions to the pen, which I feel much better about this year than in years past. It was definitely a good series win considering the offense was pretty lackluster.
J-Boogie
http://boogiedownbaseball.blogspot.com
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*Homophobic, pathetically stupid comments deleted by blog owner*
dvd.porter1, I KNOW that you are the same person who was banned from another blog that I frequent for trolling, and now you're banned from here, as will your other aliases should you use them. Funny for you to refer to me as "gutless" when I and others were blogging during the game last night, yet you used an alias and chose to avoid direct confrontation and post a comment in a separate blog entry. Talk about cowardly! Thanks for the laugh, ZERO!
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