They waited two-and-a-half hours to play tonight and when they began Derek Jeter singled up the middle. He took off for second base just before Ichiro lined one into the gap in left center field. Jeter scored easily. Then Ichiro took off for third on the first pitch to Alex Rodriguez and was thrown out. It wasn’t a bright play and killed the inning.

Couple of innings later another mistake on the bases cost them, too. Rodriguez worked an impressive walk to start the third, laying off a couple of nasty breaking balls. He took off for second just before Robinson Cano hit a sharp line drive down the first base line. It was speared by Mark Reynolds who tagged first. Nick Swisher walked and then Mark Teixeira hit a long fly ball to right. More of a line drive, really, and it missed being a home run by a couple of feet, maybe less. Rodriguez scored to tie the game but Teixeira was thrown out at second on a nice throw by Chris Davis. Difficult play to judge for Teixeira but considering he can’t run probably not a wise gamble.

The RBI hit was enough to tie the game though. The Orioles got a couple in the third when CC Sabathia hung a slider to Nate McClouth with runners on second and third. McClouth slapped it into right field. Otherwise, Sabathia looked crisp, 76 pitches through six innings. He gave up a few bleeders, some dunkers but was in control. Sabathia got into a jam in the fifth and was saved by some nifty defensive work from his catcher Russell Martin, who blocked several pitches in the dirt and made an athletic play on a bunt, as well.

Real time, now. Martin leads off the seven inning by drawing a walk on a full count pitch against lefty reliever Troy Patton. The raucous crowd in Baltimore turns pensive when Raul Ibanez gets ahead 3-1. They stir when Ibanez checks his swing for strike two and groans when Patton misses outside to walk him. Buck Showalter sprints to the mound to summon the sidearming Darren O’Day to face Jeter.

Jeter squares, the pitch sails outside for a ball.  Again, he squares, pulls the bat back, and takes a strike. Then, he stabs at another pitch tailing away, good for a strike. Don’t see that often. You also don’t see a guy bunt with two strikes but that’s precisely what Jeter did, laying down a fastball, right down the middle for a successful sacrifice, 5-3.

They don’t walk Ichiro and he takes a called strike and backs off at a ball inside. Crushes the next pitch foul, way ahead of it–Nertz. Now, the crowd is up, waving their orange towels again. Ground ball right at Andino at second. Throw comes home and is low, but Weiters picks it and tags Martin out.

Rodriguez got a pitch, first pitch, he got a pitch, and he fouls it off. Tries to check his swing on the next pitch and couldn’t. Down 0-2, any Yankee fan with confidence? Hardly. Towels waving. Another side-arming floater, outside corner, Alex holds up. Gets the nod. No strike. Next pitch, even further outside, lays off again. Waves at the next pitch.

Fail.

Bottom of the inning, Spark Iron Lew Ford leads off against Sabathia and grounds out on a 3-2 off-speed pitch. He hit a slow, steady roller to second. Cano raced for it, fielded and scooped it over to Teixeira to nick Ford by a half step. Robert Andino is next, works the count even at 2-2, fouls off a fastball, then a breaking ball, looks at a heater outside for ball three, and takes Sabathia’s 90th pitch of the night. He starts to walk to first when he hears that he’s been called out on strikes. Andino hops, twirls and walks back to the dugout. Nate McClouth takes a few borderline pitches then grounds out to Cano.

Past tense. Here’s out it panned out.

Brian Matusz was effective in the eighth working around a two-out walk to Teixeira and striking out Curtis Granderson to end the inning.

Sabathia returned for the eighth and promptly fell behind J.J. Hardy, 2-0 and then gave up a double. The pitch was outside and Hardy went with it, a nifty piece of hitting. First pitch to Adam Jones was right over the plate, and Jones almost came out of his shoes swinging at it. Sabathia and the Yanks were lucky he fouled it back–straight back–and didn’t deposit it over the wall in center. The next two pitches were inside for balls but then Sabathia came back and got him swinging–nice breaking ball.

One hundred and four pitches for CC and the next one was a fastball in Matt Weiters’ kitchen, good for a foul out to Teixeira.

Mark Reynolds, that late season Yankee Killer: changed up (84 mph) for a called strike; fastball (92), just misses inside for a ball; change up (86), low but good enough for called strike two. Sabathia walks off the mound, meets Martin half way to home, puts the glove over his mouth, and then returns to the hill. Another change up, inside (84), and Reynolds hangs in to foul it off down the right field line. He can’t do much with the next change up but ground it softly to Jeter.

Phew. And some game from the Poppa Large.

So the ninth gave the O’s closer, Jim Johnson. Ball one, and ball two and then Russell Martin skied one to left. A High Fly. About five rows deep and the Yanks had the lead.

Ibanez singled to right and after a botched bunt attempt Ibanez took off for second, Jeter got jammed but fisted one into right for a cheap shit base hit.  Eduardo Nunez replaced Ibanez at third. So Ichiro has a swinging bunt, little dribbler not fifteen feet up the first base line. Johnson fielded it but had no play. Nunez slid home head first and the Yanks had a two run lead and Rodriguez at the dish.

Rodriguez missed one pitch to hit and then K’d for the third time on the night. But Cano, who hacked at almost every pitch he saw tonight, nailed a double to left, scoring Jeter and Ichiro. A poor throw allowed Cano to move to third and Johnson was done, the score now 6-2. He came home when Swisher hit a deep fly ball against Tommy Hunter.

Many of the home town fans left by the time Sabathia returned and got the first two outs in the ninth. Lew Ford doubled and Joe Girardi replaced Sabathia with David Robertson. Camden Yards has been a haven for Yankee fans for a long time now but they were drowned out by the home faithful. Which was appropriate. But when Robertson got the last out the only cheers heard were those of the Bronx variety.

Final Score:  Yanks 7, O’s 2.

[Photo Credit: John Munson/N.J.com]

Over at Sports on Earth I recapped last night’s game between the Tigers and A’s. After that, the Reds outlasted the Giants, 5-2.

[Photo Credit:  Damian Strohmeyer, SI]

10/2 11:48 PM
Alex Belth:

Holy shit that was great.

Hey, I don’t mean to be greedy but in name of superstition and not fucking with a good thing if you are available to recap tomorrow’s game that’d be awesome. If not, totally understand and no problemo.

10/3 8:35 AM
Jon DeRosa:

I can do it.

That was probably the most calm extra inning Red Sox game I’ve ever experienced. I just never felt like they were a threat to score.

10/3 8:55 AM
Alex:

I wish I could have felt the same.

Dude, such a HUGE game for our man Hiroki tonight. I want so badly for him to do well.

10/3 9:02 AM
Jon:

Not to jinx him, and he might be a little gassed right now, but he’s going to rip through these guys pretty easily. They really have few decent hitters in that lineup. And the Yankees are going to destroy whatever comes their way.

This is going to be an 8-1, 9-2 type game like Monday.

10/3 9:28 AM
Alex:

That would make me very happy.

***

I had one of those nights tonight. Laundry and the Yankee game is a full slate at this time of year. A visit from the sore throat fairy, weird and time consuming things happening with credit cards, and then to top it all off, at 9:30 PM my wife gets an email that her very important 8:30 AM flight (she’s presenting at a conference) has been cancelled and she’s been rebooked to Friday. All the turmoil and panic floating around here, and not one ounce caused by the Yankees.

After a season on the brink, the Yankees gave us one night off. And it was glorious. Take a couple of days now and watch the Orioles and the Rangers in Stress Fest 2012, ie the Wild Card game. There sure was a lot of stress involved trying to avoid the stress of that game.

Another 95 win team. Another American League East Division crown. We’ve criticized this team more than most other Division champions, and often deservedly so, but there were times when they deserved more praise than we gave them I think. Like we were holding it back because we weren’t really sure how good they were. Turns out they were pretty damn good.

Top Photo via AP/ Frank Franklin II, Bottom Photo via Getty Images / Al Bello 

It isn’t love if it’s easy. Home-run binges, clutch hits and flawless closers put happy bubbles in the brain.

It isn’t love if it doesn’t hurt. A division clincher in mid-September is a breezy balm.

It isn’t love if your eyes are dry. It’s just a game, after all.

It isn’t love if your pulse is flat and blood is settled. The level head is free of passion.

It isn’t love if you never want to give up.

It isn’t love if you give up.

***

I thought I wrote all that for us when they were going to lose. To help us get psyched for tomorrow. But now after watching him draw one of the grittiest walks I’ve ever seen, Paul O’Neill 2000 World Series gritty, I think I wrote it for Francisco Cervelli.

The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox in a game that tested the very fabric of fandom, 4-3, in 12 innings. The Orioles also won. They beat the Rays in a tough-as-nails 1-0 duel in Tampa, so that means the Yankees have clinched at least a tie for the American East crown. Even if everything goes to pot tomorrow, the Yanks get to go head-to-head with the O’s in Baltimore on Thursday to decide things once and for all.

But everything is not going to go to pot tomorrow.

This game served as an unpleasant reminder of every single RISP frustration we experienced as fans this season. Mark Teixeira would have earned a place next to Javy Vazquez in Yankee infamy had they lost this game. He came up with a man on third and less than two outs three times. He registered five outs in those at bats and drove in zero. I felt awful for him, even as I cursed him to burn for eternity. The Yankees left runners on all game. Much like their loss in Toronto, but with more on the line, they came up small when even medium would have done the job.

Joe Girardi deemed Ivan Nova too risky to start this game and wisely opted for David Phelps instead. Phelps put in 5.3 solid innings before giving way to the bullpen. He left down 2-1 thanks to Teixiera’s woes with RISP. It stayed that way through many torturous innings. The Yankees seemed sure to break through almost every inning, and then they wouldn’t.

After Brett Gardner got picked off / caught stealing to end the eighth, the Yankee closer came on to pitch the ninth. We’re not expecting Mariano Rivera anymore, and that’s sad in itself, but when Soriano coughed up a looping homer to James Loney to push the bulge to 3-1, Mo’s absence was shining.

Curtis Granderson led off the ninth with a single off Sox closer Andrew Bailey. Girardi sent up Raul Ibanez to bat for Eduardo Nunez. Ibanez, who has only 91 hits this year, but about 40 HUGE ones, lashed a 1-2 fastball into the short seats in right. Bailey caught too much of the plate, but it was mostly a fantastic job by Ibanez of staying down through the ball and yanking it just high enough to be a homer.

With one out, Derek Jeter doubled and the Red Sox intentionally walked Swisher to get to Arod. Alex put up a wonderful at bat, even got jobbed on a call, and still worked a walk. Bases loaded. Bobby Valentine called on Mark Melancon, owner of a 6.44 ERA, to get Teixeira. I never, for one second, entertained the thought that Teixeira would fail to drive in the winning run. It was the perfect redemption to his horrid night.

Melancon worked carefully, but after several pitches and another questionable call (the ump was wide all night long according to Cone), Melancon threw the kind of pitch that is no doubt responsible for his 6.44 ERA. It was right down the middle, belt high, and Teixeira saw it clearly. But his timing was off. He swung too late and extended too far and what should have been devastating contact was broken lumber. His bat exploded and the ball popped into shallow center. Robinson Cano followed, failed to hit, failed to hustle and the threat was over. Raul Ibanez’s inspirational homer seemed like it happened a year ago and I felt like the Yankees were losing a game they had just tied.

It stayed tied for a few more innings. Rafael Soriano may not be Mo, but it was damn gutty of him to come out for his second inning and hold the line. Derek Lowe chipped in with two good innings. The Yankees didn’t do much for awhile, but Swisher’s two-out hit in the 11th brought Alex up again with a chance to win it. Alex crushed a ball to the gap, but as we have well noted, those shots fall short these days and Ellsbury did a heckuva job to run it down. Kay was fooled, but I doubt the fans watching on TV were.

I got up from the living room and retreated to the kitchen to pack tomorrow’s lunch. It was the top of the order for the Red Sox and Derek Lowe is not good. I took extra care cutting off the crusts and washing the apple. I packed it away in the fridge and knew it was time to face the music.

The game was still knotted at 3, Cervelli was up, down 0-2 in the count with two outs. Michael Kay talked about what a tough year it had been for Cervelli. He had been the “forgotten man” – left to languish in AAA all season as another guy took his job backing up Russell Martin. Chris Stewart might be a little better than Cervelli, but by not by enough to make that an easy situation to accept. I thought about a homer, but it didn’t seem possible.

Cervelli fought all the way back to work a walk. Curtis Granderson followed by taking four straight balls. And Raul Ibanez deflected a fastball into left field. It was a harmless roller and if Boston had an infielder anywhere near it, they would have thrown the lead footed Ibanez out by plenty. But there was no one there. If Francisco Cervelli did not touch home plate I would have forgiven him. He was flying.

Photos by AP & Getty Images via ESPN.com

I spent much of the weekend being pissed off at the Red Sox, who couldn’t win a single game against the Baltimore Orioles. Not one. In my irrational state of mind I even wondered if there might be some foul play at work. After all, what better way for Boston to get at the Yanks than by rolling over three days in a row in Baltimore?

With this poison still working its way through my system, I sat down to watch the Yankees and Red Sox on Monday evening, and it all became clear as soon as the Boston lineup flashed onto the screen: Pedro Ciriaco, Daniel Nava, Cody Ross, Mauro Gomez, Ryan Lavarnway, Jarod Saltalamacchia, Danny Valencia, Che-Hsuan Lin, and José Iglesias made up the Red Sox starting nine, and three of those guys ended the night hitting less than .200.

CC Sabathia was on the mound for the Yanks, and he showed no mercy. As he was slicing and dicing through Boston’s makeshift lineup (Dustin Pedroia was out with an injured hoof, and Jacoby Ellsbury was on the bench suffering from the 24-hour-lefty-on-the-mound flu), I missed the old Red Sox. Do you remember what an event these series were? Do you remember how every pitch carried with it the weight of the world and a world of possibilities?

I miss the swagger of Pedro Martínez, the horror of Manny Ramírez and David Ortíz, the robotic fierceness of Jonathan Papelbon, the impossible smugness of Josh Beckett, and even the nauseating arrogance of Curt Schilling. I miss the way Jason Varitek would tuck his batting helmet beneath his arm as he crossed the plate after hitting a home run, and the way Kevin Youkilis would slide his hand up and down the shaft of his bat as if he were, well, you know.

I hated all of that, but now I miss it like crazy. These Red Sox? About as compelling as milk. So even as CC was busy dismissing one anonymous BoSock after another, I couldn’t help wondering what this series might’ve been like. Worse than that, when the Yankees sent 13 men to the plate in the second inning to score nine runs and put the game on ice, my heart didn’t beat any faster.

Robinson Canó led off the inning with an absolute monster home run that ricocheted off  the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar a mere 446 feet from home plate, becoming just the second player in four years to turn the trick. Three batters later Curtis Granderson laced a two-run homer into the second deck in right, and before the cheering stopped, Russell Martin backed him up with a homer of his own for a 4-0 Yankee lead.

Canó came up later in the inning and rocked a double to right center, scoring two more runs. A quick word about Canó. Even though some have criticized him this season and accused him of playing below his ability, it should be remembered that people whispered the same things about Roberto Clemente, probably for the same reason. Canó finished the game 3 for 5 with a home run and two doubles, giving him a total of 48 two-baggers and 31 homers on the season. Not bad.

Following Canó was Mark Teixeira, playing in his first game in weeks. He had struck out in his first at bat against Boston starter Clay Buchholz, but he liked something he saw from the new Boston pitcher, Alfredo Aceves, and quickly jumped on it. It was a no-doubter; the ball leapt off Tex’s bat and settled in the second deck. If Teixeira can get his swing together in time for the playoffs (or keep it together), the Yankee lineup is suddenly much more formidable.

Nothing much happened the rest of the way — a solo home run from Nava and a sacrifice fly from Saltalamacchia accounted for the Boston scoring — save for the bottom of the eighth. I’ve always loved watching players get their first hit, so I was thrilled for Melky Mesa when his two-hopper found its way into center field for his first career hit and RBI (Eduardo Núñez scored easily from second). Mesa started clapping and smiling half way down the line, and the Yankee dugout exploded behind him as they officially welcomed him to the major leagues with their cheers and good natured ribbing (Eric Chávez jokingly yelled for him to be sure to touch first base). The smile never left his face during that eighth inning.

The 10-2 Yankee win combined with a Baltimore loss gives the Bombers a tie with Texas for the best record in the league and a luxurious one-game lead in the American League East. I expect that they’ll take care of business on Tuesday and Wednesday. You can count on it.

[Photo Credit: Kathy Willens/AP Photo]

When Rafael Soriano got the final out of today’s ball game he untucked his jersey. This is his signature move but he didn’t do it with any vigor after his 3-1 pitch was grounded to Robinson Cano to end the game. He untucked it as if he’d just dragged his ass home at six in the morning–six in the morning–after a long night out.

It was a long, uneasy inning for him as the Jays loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Two ground balls later, it was over and the Yanks completed a much-needed come-from-behind win to keep pace with the Orioles who beat the Red Sox again.

Things didn’t look good a few hours earlier. Phil Hughes and his peach-fuzz mustachio got chased from the game in the fifth, the score Jays 5, Yanks 1. The mood for Yankee fans was as glum as it’s been all year, fury giving way to resignation. Though since it’s football Sunday, prime time for the blood to be angried-up, I’m sure many fans were plenty pissed off too.

How were the run-challenged Yankees going to win this one? Well, they got a run in the sixth and then Eduardo Nunez hit a line drive single to start the seventh. He went to third when Derek Jeter dunked a ground rule double to right and scored on a sac fly by Ichiro. Alex Rodriguez had a good pass at a fastball and then waved at a slider and was in the hole. He worked the count full though and didn’t whiff. He walked.

A pitching change brought in a lefty and Robbie Cano also fell behind. But he wouldn’t go down and finally got a pitch to drive. He hit a liner to right and two runs scored. 5-4. Nick Swisher was next and a passed ball brought home Rodriguez to tie the game. Then Swisher hit one on the screws. Yunel Escobar, playing in, made a diving catch and Cano drifted too far off third and was doubled off to end the inning.

In the eighth, Curtis Granderson walked and Raul Ibanez singled. They were sacrificed over by Russell Martin and Granderson scored on a sac fly by Nunez. Then our man Jeter got busted inside with a fastball but muscled it passed the second baseman to an RBI hit. An inning later, Granderson doubled home a pair, and the four run lead was useful when Soriano looked far from stellar in the bottom of the ninth.

So, to recap. Most of the afternoon was spent being angry. Then hopeful, then happy, then tense again, and finally: relieved.

This was one enormous win. Yanks 9, Jays 6. Good for the boys.

“Good for the Wife!” says The Wife.

A split in Toronto was lousy but all considering it could have been worse. Three games left. It’s all tied up.

Yanks-Sox; O’s-Rays. Made to Order.

[Photo Credit: Libbre]

I had a root canal this afternoon and can safely say it was a more pleasant experience than today’s Yankee game. The Bombers scored twice in the first and then left 632 men on base, got guys picked off and thrown out trying to steal on the way to a 3-2 loss to the Blue Jays that is their worst defeat of the season. And there have been plenty of tough ones. But in a game they needed to have their season-long problem of hitting with runners in scoring position bit them the in the ass, knuts, and face. Did I mention it bit them in the balls? Right. How do you think it felt for us watching at home?

You got any silver linings, feel free to chime in.

They’ll be tied for first after the Orioles spank the Red Sox tonight. And you can take that to the bank.

The Yanks scored a couple of two out runs in the first inning on a double by Nick Swisher. Might have been more but Curtis Granderson’s line drive was snagged by the pitcher Chad Jenkins. Actually, the ball hit his mitt and the glove popped straight up in the air. He caught the mitt with the ball stuck in the webbing, good for one of those I’ve-never-seen-that-before moments.

Down in Baltimore the Red Sox scored a run in the first inning, too. In the second, the Yankees loaded the bases and managed just a single run. Meanwhile, the Orioles scored six in the bottom of the first.

The Blue Jays were sloppy, got a runner nailed off second base in the first inning, another picked off third an inning later. They hung around and closed the score to 3-1. In the sixth, the Yanks put the first two men on base then Curtis Granderson and Raul Ibanez whiffed. Looked like another wasted opportunity. But Russell Martin worked the count full and then yanked a 3-2 slider over the wall in left for a homer.

Bombers didn’t look back. Martin, Cano, Swisher, and Ichiro each had a couple of hits. Eric Chavez hit a homer. Rafael Soriano came in to get the final out on the count of he hadn’t pitched in a week. Brett Gardner played left field in the ninth inning. Hiroki gets his 15th win of the season.

Final Score: Yanks 11, Jays 4.

O’s cruised too so nothing’s changed. Yanks still ahead by one.

[Photo Credit: food addict]

Photo: AP

The Yankees took a break from the chaotic American League playoff race with a leisurely 5-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. In a game played with as much intensity and crowd interest as you’d expect in the early Spring, the Yankees frittered away an opportunity to take a two game lead in the A.L. East.

Considering the lopsided pitching matchup, the Yankees seemed to be playing from behind before the first pitch. Unfortunately, Ivan Nova did little to dispel that impression. The right hander allowed a two-run homer in the third and two-run double in fifth, which not only put his team behind 4-0, but also set a new franchise record for most extra bases hits allowed in a season. The 87 extra base hits allowed by Nova surpassed Andy Hawkins’ previous record of 86, which was set in 1989. Needless to say, that’s not the kind of anchor the Yankees were hoping Nova would become.

To be fair, it probably wouldn’t have mattered whom the Yankees pitched because Brandon Morrow continued his string of dominance over the Bronx Bombers in Toronto by throwing seven shutout innings. In five career starts against the Yankees at Rogers Centre, the hard throwing righty is now 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA in 34 2/3 innings. Maybe by throwing Nova to the wolf, there was a method to Girardi’s madness after all?

Although Morrow was efficient, he wasn’t overpowering. In fact, the Yankees had a base runner in every inning but the second, but could never break through against the right hander. For the most part, Morrow seemed to bear down with runners on base, but in the fourth inning, he needed a great running catch by left fielder Anthony Gose to escape unscathed.  Otherwise, it was lackluster performance by the Yankee bats, who were shutout for the sixth time this season.

With a one game lead and six remaining, the conclusion to this season promises to be memorable. Unfortunately, a very forgettable game got in the way. Then again, if the Yankees lose the division by that game, it could be the one that haunts them.

The Yanks washed away last night’s loss with a swift ass-whippin’ of the Twins this afternoon. They scored six runs in the third inning, highlighted by a bases loaded double from Robinson Cano and a two-run triple by Curtis Granderson. Chris Dickerson later jacked a two-run bomb well over the high wall in right field. CC did his thing, allowing just a couple of runs over eight innings. Cody Eppley pitched a scoreless ninth and the Yanks head to Toronto sporting a two-game lead over the Orioles.

Final Score: Yanks 8, Twins 2.

Today was a good day.

[Photo Credit: SP Photos; Hannah Foslien/Getty Images]

The Yankees weren’t hitting much but Phil Hughes was cruising through the Twins’ line-up. The Orioles had lost to the Blue Jays by the time Russell Martin hit a lead off home run in the seventh inning giving the Yanks a 3-1 lead. It was difficult not to start thinking ahead, calculating, fantasizing, but that was the last moment of pleasure for the Yankees on this night.

Hughes had a low pitch count but loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning. Still, he got two men out before he was pulled in place of Boone Logan despite having handled the batter Denard Span all night. Logan threw the first pitch in the dirt. It got away from Martin and a run scored. Span then dumped a fly ball into center, good for a double and Joe Mauer followed that with a single and just like that, the Twins were ahead 5-3. Logan’s sliders were flat and that, as they say, was that.

Well, almost. Andruw Jones, who hasn’t had a hit since Christ was a Cowboy, cranked a solo home run with two outs in the ninth. But Jayson Nix whiffed to end the game, end of report, good night.

Final Score: Twins 5, Yanks 4.

You want to nominate this one for worst loss of the year, go right ahead. Other games have been more brutal but given the circumstances, a chance to take a two-and-a-half game lead on the Orioles, and this one really smarts.

The Orioles have the day off tomorrow. It’ll be CC to try and push the Yankees’ lead to two. If they lose, it’s down to one game with seven left.

[Featured Image Via It’s a Long Season]

During his post game interview following his second start back from the disabled list in Minnesota on Monday night, Andy Pettitte shook his head and laughed. “I’m definitely a work in progress,” he admitted. If you missed the game and just caught that self-deprecating response, you might’ve assumed Pettitte had struggled, something like four runs in five innings and maybe a loss. Not quite.

Pettitte threw 88 pitches over six strong innings, allowing just seven hits and a walk while striking out three. He didn’t allow a run.

Looking at those numbers on the morning after, Pettitte looks brilliant, but he struggled in the first inning. He gave up consecutive singles to open the game, walked Josh Willingham to load the bases with one out, and momentarily fell behind the dangerous Justin Morneau. But he did what we’re used to seeing from Andy Pettitte, what we saw as far back as Game 5 of the 1996 World Series. He battled. He eventually retired Morneau with a 91-MPH fastball dotted on the outside corner, then induced a ground ball from Ryan Doumit to end the inning. It had taken 22 pitches, but he had escaped.

That first inning had been tenuous, but Pettitte had actually been working with a 3-0 lead. Derek Jeter had opened the top of the first with a walk, then raced around to third on a double from the blistering hot Ichiro. Robinson Canó brought one run home with a ground out to short, but then Nick Swisher crushed a ball off the facing of the upper deck in right center field for a muscle-flexing homer and a three-run Yankee cushion. As it turned out, that would be all that Pettitte would need.

Even so, Curtis Granderson gave him another run in the fourth as he rocketed his fortieth homer high into the right field stands. Granderson has become a disturbingly one-dimensional hitter this season, but as frustrating as his all-or-nothing approach can be, it’s hard to criticize a guy who’s hit forty home runs in consecutive seasons, a feat accomplished by only four other players in the long and homer-filled history of the Bronx Bombers. There was Jason Giambi in ’02-’03, and then the three usual suspects: Mickey Mantle (’60-’61), Lou Gehrig (’30-’31), and a guy named Babe Ruth (’20-’21, ’23-’24, ’26-’32). Is it just me, or is it kind of shocking that Alex Rodríguez isn’t on that list?

Pettitte, meanwhile, was straight dealing. After that shaky start, he set down the side in order in the second, used a double play ball to to escape a two-hit inning in the third, watched as Granderson and Russell Martin combined for a phenomenal play to throw out Doumit at the plate to end the fourth, yielded a harmless single in the fifth, then set down three straight in the sixth to finish his scoreless evening. Pettitte just might be the best September call-up in Yankee history, and he definitely looks ready to assume his usual spot starting Game 3 in the playoffs.

Raúl Ibañez and Eric Chávez added solo home runs in the frame after Pettitte’s departure, giving the Yanks a 6-0 lead in the seventh inning and enough of a cushion that the rest of the game seemed unnecessary. There were really just two things of note: things got a bit messy for the bullpen as they yielded three runs in the final two innings, and Derek Jeter singled with one out in the ninth to keep his hitting streak alive at 18 straight games.

At this point in the season, any win makes for a good day, but this 6-3 win meant more than just a half game in the standings. Pettitte has thrown eleven shutout innings since his return from the disabled list, and suddenly the Yankee rotation of Sabathia, Kuroda, Pettitte, and Hughes looks ready to carry the team through these final nine games and into the playoffs. The Yankees won’t clinch the American League East until the weekend, but I think we’ll look back on this game and realize this was the night it was won.

[Photo Credit: Jim Mone/AP Photo]

Yeah, the Twins aren’t all that but they’re enough to have swept a double-header from the Tigers yesterday. No sleeping allowed.

It’s old man Andy in his second start since returning from the disabled list.

Never mind the standings: Let’s Go Yank-ees!

[Photo Credit: TS Flynn via It’s a Long Season]

The A’s played another sloppy game in the field today but Hiroki Kuroda had a bad outing and while the Yankee bullpen picked him up, the bats did not. Boy, Kuroda was disappointing but a familiar theme did the Yanks in as they just couldn’t get hits with men on base. In the ninth, Alex Rodriguez missed a game-tying home run by two feet and Robinson Cano fouled off a hanging slider that had second deck written all over it.

In the end, the A’s survived and won 5-4. A blown opportunity for the Yanks (and an enormous win for the A’s) as the Orioles finally lost in Boston, 2-1. But in a way, the outcome was fitting with the way things have gone with the Orioles. It’d be unfair if either team took more than a one game lead.

This thing is going to try our nerves until the final days of the season.

Eh, forget about it, folks. It’s still a beautiful day. Go out, stretch those legs, have something good to eat. This was a good weekend, as aggravating as today’s game was.

Come back in the morning. We’ll be here.

[Photo Credit: Elevatedencouragement ]

You know, it’d be easy for us to curse those Baltimore Orioles who have won six-in-a-row and who seem to have forgotten how to lose in extra innings. However, I wonder how the Orioles–and their fans–felt last night, after having won, after seeing that the A’s went ahead by four runs in extras against the Yanks only to have the Yanks pull it out.

With more than a little bit of luck.

Reading this description by Zach Schonbrun in the Times makes me wish I’d been there:

When the game seemed over, Ichiro Suzuki led off the bottom of the 13th inning with an infield single. A misty rain had begun to fall, like the soft spray in a carwash. The low sun through the clouds covered the stadium in a strange orange glow.

The game had started just after 1 p.m., before the long September shadows had started their slow march across the infield, but by the 13th, the stadium lights were on, and the scoreboard shined, and the game took on a surreal feel.

What a wild game it was. Did I mention Steve Pearce’s diving catch? And Raul Ibanez, not only with the two homers but a hustle double that brought Paul O’Neill to mind and a tough collision at home plate to boot.

Course the O’s could win again today, Yanks could lose and we’d end the weekend on a down note. But let’s face it, this is some good shit.

The Orioles won their 16th straight game in extra innings this afternoon in Boston.

The Yanks and A’s went to extra innings again. Cut to the end of the game when Raul Ibanez was gunned down at the plate trying to score on a ground ball to second base with one out in the 12th. Derek Jeter popped out to right to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. The Yanks had gotten through three innings of Freddy Garcia killing ’em softly (Steve Pearce made a beautiful diving catch to rescue Garcia out of one jam) but gilded the lily bringing him back for a fourth. Jonny Gomes hit a two run jack, Yoenis Cespedes hit a bomb and even after Freddy left Chris Carter crushed one too.

The Yanks had used 16 position player and eight pitchers as they went to the bottom of the 13th. Ichiro singled against Pedro Figueroa and Alex Rodriguez followed suit with a base hit of his own. Robbie Cano got ahead in the count, 3-0, took a strike and another (the second one right down Broadway), then lined a single to left to load the bases.

Pat Neshek, a side-arming righty came in for Figueroa to face Eduardo Nunez. The first ball sailed wide, about a three feet outside as rain started to fall. Nunez waved at it but it got away from the catcher and Ichiro scored. He took a ball inside and then a strike and hit one to deep center. Cespedes made the catch and threw a bullet to third keeping Cano at second while Rodriguez scored.

Ibanez got ahead 2-0, then 3-1. Ibanez walloped the next pitch into the second deck in right field and the game was tied again.

Goodness.

Russell Martin grounded out and then Curtis Granderson launched the 0-1 pitch foul. It had the distance but he got out too far ahead of it. He fouled off three more pitches on a the way to a full count before grounding out. But the game was tied.

Now, the question was: who would pitch the 14th?

The man I suspected we wouldn’t see again this year. Cory Wade. Would you believe he got two weak ground outs and a fly ball to the warning track in center to work a scoreless inning?

A giant gasoline-throwing kid named Tyson Ross, wearing number 66, came on in relief for the A’s. The ninth pitcher of the day for Oakland. Eric Chavez fouled off a number of pitches, worked the count even and singled through the right side. Melky Mesa, making his major league debut, replaced Chavez at first. Hey, no pressure, kid.

Jeter bunted the first pitch in the air but it dropped in front of Ross and the sacrifice worked. The A’s had no intention of pitching to Ichiro–who had another three hits today–which put runners on first and second for Rodriguez.

First pitch, a change up or a slider, taken for strike one. Next pitch, he lines into center. And that’s the game.! Right? Wrong. Because Mesa missed the bag at third. He put on the brakes and went back. Bases loaded.

You.

Have.

Got. To. Be.

Shitting.

Me.

Course Cano took some weak hacks, before he grounded a ball to Ross who got the force at home.

A loud Yankee Stadium was suddenly quiet.

Nunez hit a ball off the end of his bat to first. Brandon Moss reached for it and it kicked off his glove. Ichiro scored and the Yanks had their most improbable win of the year.

Excuse my French but: Fuck Yes. Grueling? Sure. But this one ended in pure elation.

Final Score: Yanks 10, A’s 9.

Boys: “Happy” The Rolling Stones

[Photo Credit: Kateopolis]

CC Sabathia was as good–no, he was better–than expected. He was an Ace. Going into the eighth inning he’d given up just one hit. The A’s did make solid contact a few times: Eduardo Nunez made a nice snag on a line drive, Robinson Cano fielded a sharp ground ball, Curtis Granderson caught another line drive, otherwise, this was the CC of old.

Jarrod Parker, his counterpart, was just as good, almost. Granderson waved at a pitch in the dirt in the fourth inning and lifted it into left field, good for a sacrifice fly.

Alex Rodriguez had a couple of hits and Ichiro also got two more hits, including one we’re not likely to see again, a ground ball back to Parker that the pitcher fumbled down his jersey. Ichiro ran safely to first with the ball trapped inside Parker’s shirt.

The score remained 1-0 until the eighth. With a man on first and two out came an infield single before CC hit Johnny Gomes. But he got JJ Reddick to fly out to left on one pitch to escape trouble.

Rafael Soriano was not as fortunate. He got the first out in the ninth and got pinch-hitter Brandon Moss, a lefty, to foul off a slider. Paul O’Neill, on the YES broadcast, said that was a dangerous pitch to throw to a lefty but Soriano doubled-down and the next one wasn’t low enough and Moss cranked a moon shot into the right field seats. Forget the shutout, forget a “w” for CC.

Soriano got out of the inning thanks in large part to a wonderful catch by Russell Martin next to the Oakland dugout. David Robertson pitched well in the tenth which set up one of the great moments of the season.

Russell Martin got a fastball up and over the plate and he launched the 1-0 pitch into the left field seats for a home run.

Mr. Coltrane, indeed.

Final Score: Yanks 2, A’s 1.

[Photo Credit: NewY-rk; Kathy Kmonicek/AP Photo]

The Yankee offense broke out for seven runs in the fourth inning against the Blue Jays tonight. Ichiro led the way. He hit a solo homer in his first at bat and then in the fourth slapped a double to put the Yanks ahead 3-2. By the end of the inning, Nick Swisher had hit a grand slam and it looked like the Yanks would finally enjoy a laugher.

Not so fast. Phil Hughes wasn’t all that good despite striking out nine hitters. He walked three and gave up four runs over five. A few innings later, Corey Wade took a dump on the mound–the poor bastard, we won’t likely see him again–giving up a home run and then allowing two more base runners, who both came around to score after Joba Chamberlain replaced Wade (infield hit, ground out). Adam Lind just got under a fastball from Joba to end the inning. If he’d squared it up the game would’ve been tied. Then again, if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his ass a hoppin’.

Still, the score  was 10-7 and both Dave Robertson and Rafael Soriano were forced to get loose in the Yankee bullpen. What could have been a relaxing night turned into a tense one. But we’re used to that. The game moved along slowly, the elation of the fourth inning faded, boredom offset by aggravation.

It was Robertson in the ninth, the Hammer struck out the side, and the Yanks moved a full game ahead of the Orioles with thirteen remaining.

Final Score: Yanks 10, Jays 7.

[Featured Drawing by Frank Miller]

The Yanks won another nail-biter this afternoon, the one, 4-2. They scored three runs in the first and then were shut down by Henderson Alvarez. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte had more than a little rust on him but worked out of three jams and pitched five scoreless innings.

Ichiro had a big day for the Yanks with three hits and Nick Swisher had a huge RBI base hit in the eighth. It was critical because the game almost slipped away in the top of the inning. The Jays greeted Dave Robertson with three straight hits (double, single, single) and after a strike out, Omar Vizquel hit a double that put runners on second and third, score, 3-2. One out.

Then Robertson got another strike out–killing us softly in the process–before being lifted for Rafael Soriano.

Who walked the number nine hitter to load the bases. Yeah, it was one of those. He got Raja Davis to line out and after the insurance run worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save. He earned this one.

No style points on this one, plenty of sweaty moments for us, but I ain’t complaining as the win is the thing.

[Photo Credit: Story Road; Jason Szenes/Getty Images]

The first nine outs today were strikeouts. Hiroki Kuroda (six) and Matt Moore (three), both dealing.

The Yanks scored first. Here’s out how it went down. Eduardo Nunez lead off the third with a walk, stole second and scored on a base hit by Derek Jeter. B.J. Upton missed the cut-off man and Jeter advanced to second. Small ballin’ Nick Swisher sacrificed him to third and down in the count, Alex Rodriguez lined a base hit to center. He moved to second on a wild pitch and then stole third as Robinson Cano walked.

Russell Martin fell behind, laid off a couple of nasty breaking balls, worked the count full and then popped a fastball over the fence in right field for a three-run home run.

With a five run lead, the usually luckless Kuroda had a cushion to work with. And when he gave up a solo home run to Ben Zobrist in the fourth, the Yanks scored a run in the bottom of the inning. But strange things awaited Kuroda and the Yanks in the sixth.

It began when Kuroda walked the ninth place hitter on a full count pitch to start the inning. Then, Desmond Jennings hit a slow grounder to third. Rodriguez charged, fielded it and made a nice throw to first but it wasn’t in time to get Jennings. So, Zobrist. Looked like Kuroda had him when he popped a ball in foul territory. Pearce tracked it and leaned into the stands. He brushed against a Mook in a Nick Swisher jersey who was trying to catch the ball, too. And the ball knocked off Pearce’s glove. The fan didn’t help but it was on Pearce–he should have made the catch.

Instead, Zobrist walked and the bases were loaded for Evan Longoria. Kuroda got him to hit a ground ball. It bounced toward Rodriguez and then took a high hop and went over his head. Runners on the corners, nobody out and the score was 6-3. But Kuroda didn’t break. He got a double play–which scored another run, and then a strike out.

And that was it for the scoring today. Dave Phelps worked into and out of trouble in the seventh, Robertson and Soriano did the voodoo that they do so well in the eighth and ninth to close it out.

Final Score: Yanks 6, Rays 4.

Yanks now five up on the Rays. The O’s and A’s game just started…

[Photo Via: Pug King]