"A New York Treasure" --Village Voice

Funny Business

Before Jonathan Niese started to locate his curveball, a sharp, breaking hook that he can throw on the black, the Yanks scored three first inning runs. Then Niese composed himself and didn’t allow another run through six. Ivan Nova, on the other hand, couldn’t get his fastball down, and wasn’t getting the Mets to hit harmless ground balls.

Both teams got hits and had runners on base but the score was 3-1 by the time the starters were done. They had help from their fielders–Alex Rodriguez made a sensational play, fielding a ball to his right and then throwing Ruben Tejada out at first; Robinson Cano made a difficult short hop look easy as he turned a double play, Daniel Murphy fielded a hard line drive by Cano, Brett Gardner made a lovely running catch, and Mark Teixeira saved Rodriguez from throwing errors with slick scoops in the sixth and ninth.

The most exciting play of the game involved Jose Reyes who led off the seventh inning with his second base hit of the game. Justin Turner flew out to deep center field before Reyes had a chance to swipe second, but the shortstop tagged up and advanced to second anyway. Granderson’s throw came in on a bounce to Eduardo Nunez, the cut-off man. Nunez fumbled the ball and Reyes kept running. Nunez went after the ball, picked it up and threw it on a bounce to third. Everything happened so fast. The third base ump was caught in the outfield, running back to third, while the home plate ump rushed to the bag too. Rodriguez caught the ball and made a swipe tag at Reyes. The home plate ump, shielded by Rodriguez’s body signaled that Reyes was out. Then, as Rodriguez shook his fist, Reyes was yelling and soon Terry Collins was yelling too, and he said enough to get himself kicked out of the game.

David Robertson pitched a scoreless eighth, the Yanks tacked on a few insurance runs and Mariano Rivera, in a non-save situation, came in to get the final two outs in the ninth.

Final Score: Yanks 5, Mets 1.

A satisfying win. Nunez had four hits. The last one was off a high fastball and he hacked at it like a lumber jack chopping wood. It made that crisp, hard crack that is as true a sound as you ever want to hear in baseball, and it was good enough to drive in a run. Nunez is a work-in-progress in the field and I hold my breath on every ball that is hit his way, but he’s hanging in there and contributing.

[Photo Credit: Chris (archi3d) and Nick Laham, Getty Images]

Categories:  1: Featured  Bronx Banter  Game Recap  Yankees

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12 comments

1 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 2, 2011 12:31 am

Nice win. Lots of Yanks fans at Shea, I mean Citi (Cliti?).

Nova wiggled, and pulled it out. This team is winning and should be playing even better.

Regarding the phantam tag, on slow motion replay on MLB, it seems that Arod grazed a flying dreadlock as Reyes slid by. See...there is an advantage to the Yankee grooming rules.

Beautiful plays in the field; that Arod pick and throw out of Tejada was all world, Cano's short hop and pivot on the DP was masterful. And Tex really scooped up many less than perfect throws at first. It seems he saves a run per game and how is that evaluated with fielding metrics.

Questions: Why is Mitre back, does Joe G have a man crush? How will the Yankees rotate six starters? Have the Yankees lost a game since Jeter's been out?

2 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 2, 2011 1:18 am

[1] Why is Mitre back, does Joe G have a man crush?
Dammit, now Girardi's gonna get all twitchy again when he turns the pages of his notebook... just the thought of Mitre back in pinstripes makes me itch.

3 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 2, 2011 1:20 am

[2] But Chyll, he bumped Buddy Carlyle off the 40-man, so that's, um (cough) something...

4 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 2, 2011 1:24 am

[3] Yeah, and if the roll of toilet paper in the bathroom ran out, would you replace it with a moist towelette?

5 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 2, 2011 1:28 am

[4] For you? I'd consider the Sunday edition of the NY Post...

6 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 2, 2011 1:34 am

[5] You should also consider a nice cold frosty glass of stfu, how does that sound?

7 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 2, 2011 1:49 am

[6] Chyll, just do as the good book say, ah'ight? Peace...

8 Mr OK Jazz Tokyo   ~  Jul 2, 2011 2:01 am

Fantastic game thread tonight people, you have me in stitches.
Nice win, let's keep the good times rollin' tomorrow!

9 monkeypants   ~  Jul 2, 2011 8:24 am

[1] How will the Yankees rotate six starters?

Easy. Take one of the more promising starters...say Phil Hughes...and move him to the BP so that he can pitch the EIGHTH INNING. Anyway, his stuff pays better there.

Have the Yankees lost a game since Jeter's been out?

Yes.

10 The Hawk   ~  Jul 2, 2011 8:44 am

The Yankees have also won quite a few while Jeter was playing short.

Hey-o!

I could swear that was Cano that bobbled the ball allowing Reyes to almost-advance. I distinctly remember the player moving in Cano-mo as Reyes blurred toward third.

I think that was a bad move by Reyes fwiw. Not a hanging offense but if you're fast enough to make it there, you're fast enough to score on a single from second. And I really think it changed the complexion of the game, let the air out of the Mets, who up to that point I thought would catch up.

11 Start Spreading the News   ~  Jul 2, 2011 10:35 am

[10] Agreed. I could have sworn it was Cano as well. I was already cursing the guy out for just watching the ball roll away as Reyes started running. But watching the replay it was definitely Nunez who deserved my short-lived ire.

Nunez, btw, is batting a 1000 in July. Jeter is Pipp'ed!

12 The Hawk   ~  Jul 2, 2011 10:49 am

I'm not really sure what to make of Nunez.

Nova on the other hand I am starting to like a lot. He hasn't got devastating stuff but I like his moxy. He seems to be toughening up and that can go a long way (just ask Burnett. Or don't.)

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