Howdy fans. Staple here, Kat and Co. trying to stay warm and dry in The Bronx and a big, vocal group of you all out there, ready for some Sunday night ESPN baseball... Oh, and don't forget the other squad and its blog.
Yanks (20-23) could definitely use a win, and a strong performance, with A-Rod on the mend and Posada targeting a return in the next month or so. Wang (6-1, 2.90) is the right guy to have on the mound; so too, is Oliver Perez (3-3, 4.61), who is on schedule for his Mr. Hyde night after a good start in his last outing.
We'll get it going shortly...
Top 1: Pretty good start for Wang -- he barely needed any help, recording two outs on weak comebackers and a bouncer to Jeter. Need to jump on Perez early with some patience at the plate and this could be a good night. 0-0, middle of 1.
Bottom 1: Perez isn't wild yet, despite a two-out walk to Jeter. Damon, Abreu and Matsui are already struggling, and facing a tough lefty tonight won't make things easier. Come back, A-Rod! 0-0, end of 1.
Top 2: Another perfect inning for Wang, helped greatly by Cano's Jeter-esque backhand-and-leaping-throw to nab Carlos Beltran. Nifty scoop by Giambi too. 0-0, middle of 2.
Bottom 2: Yanks nearly get a gift run, with Giambi's leadoff walk, but two nice catches by Ryan Church keep the Yanks off the board. No hits through two, but Perez is already at 37 pitches. 0-0, end of 2.
Top 3: Eight of nine outs for Wang on grounders, and 26 pitches through 3. Just what the mediocre Yanks ordered. Now, time to make Perez work more and find some space in the defense for hits. I'll be it's coming shortly. 0-0, middle of 3.
Bottom 3: Boy, Perez is making Damon and Abreu look bad. Bad bad. Maybe one of them can get a ball into the outfield to set the table for Jeter. No hits for either side through 3. 0-0, end of 3.
Top 4: That was brutal... On many levels. Wang loses his control a bit, Giambi makes a poor decision and a poor throw and, even when the umpires give the Yanks a nice break on Delgado's HR, he still delivers a run-scoring single. Four runs, Wang throws 35 pitches and the offense is in need of a tuneup. Medic! 4-0 Mets, middle of 4.
Bottom 4: Matsui rips an inside fastball to cut the deficit in half, but the Yanks cannot capitalize more. Perez is at 63 pitches, so he could be pushed out with some more patient hitting. If the Yanks can, you know, actually do that. 4-2, end of 4.
Top 5: Good job settling down for Wang, against the heart of the Mets order. Even with the horrific fourth, Wang is still pitching better than Perez. Time for Wang's teammates to prove it. 4-2, middle of 5.
Bottom 5: Leadoff double by Jose Molina wasted... Abreu: 0-for-9, 5 Ks lifetime against Perez. Ick. Yanks offense continues to drag everything down. 4-2, end of 5.
Top 6: OK, so much for Wang's groove... More like the groove that Ryan Church is in. Zowie. Long, solo HR, and the Mets are up three. With the way the Yanks are hitting, might as well be 30. 5-2, middle of 6.
Bottom 6: Yanks are sleeping through this one. Giambi getting hit in the numbers is the best they have to offer at the plate now. Wang could make it to the eighth, so the bullpen can't mess this one up too early, but the bats, the bats.... 5-2, end of 6.
Top 7: Look at Giambi, diving and sliding all over the place. Where was that in the fourth, buddy? Wang at 94 pitches through seven; give him one more, Joe, and see if your hitters can make a dent. 5-2, middle of 7.
Bottom 7: OK, never mind that. Perez has gone more than six innings for the first time all season. He threw 37 pitches the first two innings and 65 the next five. He didn't get that much better. Yanks' bats are growing moss. 5-2, end of 7.
Top 8: Well now... Wang gets through 7 2/3, but even with limited mop-up duty, the Yanks pen is a mess. Ross Ohlendorf lets in two more runs credited to Wang and four of his own. Time for Girardi to have a closed-door meeting to clear the air. Worked for Willie and the Mets. 11-2, middle of 8.
Bottom 8: Two more good ABs by Damon and Abreu. Perez leaves and Jeter goes down to Joe Smith. Let it end. 11-2, end of 8.
Top 9: Hey, nice catch by the Melkman, robbing Church of extra bases. Not that the Mets need any more bases at this point. 11-2, middle of 9.
Bottom 9: Well, that was ugly. Mets fans have the crowing rights for a month, and you Yanks fans... Uh, well, you got some rings, right? Hard to say what else you've got right now. Except some indigestion. Catch you soon. 11-2, Final.
