Hey everyone! Katie here to blog the final game of a four-game series against Boston tonight. Haven't scoped the radar, but I heard there's some bad weather in Philly....we'll see how that plays out. Joba Chamberlain (2-2, 2.22) on the mound tonight for the Yanks. Tim Wakefield (5-6, 3.72) gets the start for Boston. Back after the top of the first!
Top 1st
Two down, and Joba gives up a walk to Drew. Lowell grounds into the force for the third out.
0-0
Bottom 1st
Yankees go down in order as Wakefield begins with a quick 1-2-3 inning.
0-0
Top 2nd
Youkilis singles to right, and as Casey goes down on strikes, gets caught stealing second. Crisp grounds out for out No. 3.
0-0
Bottom 2nd
A-Rod leads off with a solo shot to left to put the Yanks on the board. Wakefield retires the next three.
1-0 NY
Top 3rd
Another 1-2-3 for Joba.
1-0 NY
Bottom 3rd
Three up, three down for the Yankees.
1-0 NY
Top 4th
Pedroia grounds to short, and is out on a close call. Francona went out to voice his displeasure on that one. Joba retires the next two batters to remain hitless through 4.
1-0 NY
Bottom 4th
Yankees go down in order, as this is turning out to be a pitching duel.
1-0 NY
Top 5th
Joba gives up back-to-back base hits, and with runners at the corners and no outs, Youkilis scores on a wild pitch. Joba receives a visit to the mound and responds by fanning the next two batters. Bases loaded and Pedroia's base hit scores Casey and Crisp. Joba fans Drew to prevent Boston from carving out any more runs.
3-1 Boston
Bottom 5th
Giambi leads off with a walk but Wakefield retires the next three.
3-1 Boston
Top 6th
Youkilis on first and Casey's grounder is turned in a great 3-6-3 double play by both Giambi and Jeter.
3-1 Boston
Bottom 6th
Molina is called out on strikes, which he is clearly not happy about. Girardi comes out to discuss things with Home Plate umpire Laz Diaz and gets ejected from the game. Gardner then singles to center and steals second with Jeter at the plate. Jeter drops one in to center and Gardner scores to pull the Yanks within one. Jeter advacnes to second after Wakefield throws wildly in a pickoff attempt at first, but Abreu lines into a double play.
3-2 Boston
Top 7th
David Robertson replaces Joba. One away and Lugo reaches second on a Jeter throwing error. Cash rips one down the leftfield line to score Lugo and restore the Red Sox lead to two.
4-2 Boston
Bottom 7th
A-Rod leads off with a single on a soft line to right. Javier Lopez in to replace Wakefield and Posada drops one into center to put the winning run at the plate. Cano triples off the wall at center to tie the game. Cabrera reaches on fielder's choice as Pedroia throws out Cano at home after he fails to touch the bag. Cabrera steals second, but Molina goes down swinging to end the 7th
4-4
Top 8th
Farnsworth in to replace Robertson and he retires the Red Sox in order.
4-4
Bottom 8th
Gardner goes down swinging, and DelCarmen retires the next two.
4-4
Top 9th
Mo in to pitch and Casey leads off with a single to shallow center. Casey advances to second on a sac bunt from Crisp. Varitek breaks his bat on a ground out to Rivera. Two down with Manny at the plate, and Mo strikes him out to give the Yankees a shot to win it.
4-4
Bottom 9th
Three up, three down for the Yankees and we are heading into extra innings.
4-4
Top 10th
Mo's holding strong with another 1-2-3 inning
4-4
Bottom 10th
Cano singles to center and Cabrera's sac bunt moves him to second. Two down and Gardner singles to drive in a run and win it.
5-4
Comments (18)
Nice to see Girardi stick up for his boys and fire 'em up! Way to fight back and great to have Brett Gardner doing the little things then driving in the big run!
Haven't been watching this thing long, folks, but I've seen enough to know what's entertaining and what's just a pee-stall for jerks. It's been interesting at times, but tonight was really poor. If this is what you're gonna come up with, why bother doing it at all?
Great win....
I think Gardner is going to get some serious confidence from last night and hopefully start hitting a little more.
These two games against the Rays are pretty huge, it would be great to take two of them and gain some ground before we head into the All Star Break.
And everyone: Vote as many times as you can for Giambi to go to the All Star Game so we have someone representing us in the Home Run Derby!
Why Jason Varitek does not deserve to be an All-Star.
(Besides the horrible numbers he has put up offensively).
In a game winning situation, he gave in to Brett Gardner last night and called for a cutter low and away after Gardner did nothing better than foul off any pitch on the inside of the plate.
Garder burned Varitek, Papelbon and the Bosox.
Good for Gardner.
Keep it up kid. (But ya better figure out a way to handle inside pitches better--hit the cage).
Varitek's catching abilities have been and continue to be overrated.
I have maintained for awhile that the reason Varitek wears a "C" on his jersey is so he can remind himself what position to go play every inning.
.
A solid win, and much needed win, last night. Diaz's strike zone was spotty for everyone but Wakefield. both teams had resonable comlaints.
Yanks can't reort to the HR as much as in the past. I like gardner's speed...and with Matsui / Damon out, they have to resort to hit and runs, steals, etc. If on base, Gardner can be a force (i.e. Ellsbury, Reyes).
I'd like to see Yanks play with some fire with the Rays in town tomorrow and Wed. Knock them down a notch or two.
Hopefully, this Yankee team is simular to those in the past. An all -star break that rests and rejuvanates them for a solid 2nd half.
Finally, has there ever been a week, let alone a day, that Alex isnt on the front page? C'mon Alex, do you really need this much attention?
Islander505: I believe young Mr. Gardner will improve his game over time with opportunity to play. It appears that he'll get the oppts. with Damon/Matsui on the DL. To me he appears to have the mental smarts to force issues and take advantage of his skills. He has hit into some hard luck over this weekend and may had 3/4 hits more but bounces and great plays robbed him of the hits.
The last at bat with Pabalbon throwing upwards to 97 mph fastballs inside and out and the kid having 2 strikes was fouling off pitch after pitch showed me something. In time he will adjust to the speed of the big league game especially from the pitchers and their ability to throw to spots. It would be great if he could pull his hands in and shoot the ball to LC and run all day then we'll have ourselves a real good leadoff man with the occassional mistake pitch hit into the RF stands. I like this kid. He makes Melky expendable not because of his physicalness but his mentalness. IMHO
Larry M..
"The last at bat with Pabalbon throwing upwards to 97 mph fastballs inside and out and the kid having 2 strikes was fouling off pitch after pitch showed me something."
It was a good at bat by Gardner
"I like this kid"
I do to. I would like to see Girardi start using his speed a little more. And I am talking about something more than stealing bases. Saturday Gardner got up in a 1st and 2nd situation no one out.
I was hoping that Gardner would "bunt for a hit/settle for a sac" there (a bunt to 3rd). Put some pressure on the defense and force some mistakes.
Yes the more Gardner improves the more expendable a Melky becomes. It's too bad our biggest trade chip is on the DL.
Tampa Bay is searching the market.
Islander,
I was checking out GameDay and breaking down Gardner’s ABs last night and you would be wrong that the approach or “book” on him is to keep pounding him inside. The evidence suggests something much different.
Gardner saw a total of 30 pitches by himself last night in 5 ABs - which is pretty impressive for anyone, much less a rookie in his first week in the bigs.
The actual breakdown and location of said pitches are as follows:
Inner third of the plate: 9
Middle of the plate: 8
Outer third of the plate: 13
Now I know these are major league pitchers and even the pros don’t always locate each pitch exactly where they want. But there’s little evidence, based on last night’s stats, that the so-called “book” on Gardner is to simply bust him inside. Even rookies can make adjustments and figure that out.
Just like any other hitter, the pitchers’ approach to him last night was to mix it up and throw to both sides of the plate.
I’m certainly no hitting instructor, but the one thing of concern to me about Gardner is that he seems like he’s swinging the bat with all arms and no legs - meaning he doesn’t seem to be driving the ball at all. Hopefully, Long can work with him and he can improve on that.
Gardner doesn’t need home run power to be a deadly weapon. Just having gap power at spacious Yankee Stadium would make him a doubles and triples machine with his lightning speed.
The ironic thing about Gardner this weekend is that he probably had the most consistent ABs of anyone in that lineup. You know you’ve had a good night when you average 6 pitches drawn per AB.
It’s too bad the veterans have forgotten how to do that.
I only saw his final AB last night Viper.....so I will defer to your stats.
Although from what I have seen so far of Gardner...I hope you are correct.
"Gardner doesn’t need home run power to be a deadly weapon."
I think we saw that the other night in the Texas route.
Gardner's speed was responsible for an extra 4 runs in the final big inning by the Yanks.
Scoring from 2nd (drawing a throw home) on a weak base hit to left that allowed runners behind him to move up an extra base extended the inning when Jeter subsequently grounded out, in what otherwise might have been an inning ending DP.
Giambi (or Abreu? I forget) followed up with a 3 run dinger.
Little things (BIG things) that speed brings to the game.
I am all for giving the job to Gardner right now (despite the BA)
Consistently good AB's (I am reserving final judgement on the "inside pitch" thing until he shows me he can hit 'em), outstanding speed, and exceptional Defense so far are good enough for me.
Thanks for the e mail Isles505, will get back to you at Islander1955@aol.com. Do you still have those All Star game tickets for next week, I placed a bid. Thanks, V.
"I only saw his final AB last night Viper.....so I will defer to your stats."
Just know that I was surprised when I saw Varitek line up on the outside part of the plate for the last pitch (and 2 others prior) after getting 2 quick strikes on the hands.
I could understand a setup pitch outside earlier after 2 strikes, but I gotta wonder (and armchair second guess, of course) about that last one. (I'd a been smoking him inside-until he hit one).
But good for us
Vipes ...
I have to agree with you on the above
People was looking at me saying why you positive on a .063 hitter? and my reply was"because he probally the smartest .063 hitter which caused huge laughter, I was like I'm serious his at bats is of positive nature and is better than most who do get a hit that has been batting leadoff.
People questioned me by saying so you would take brett over Melky in the leadoff spot?
Yes
Yes because his at bats even in put outs is quality even when a melky gets a hit Gardner's at bats sp far is more quality as a leadoff because his prolong at bats allows the on deck hitter to view the pitches .
think about when jeter's number two numbers slipped was when Knobby slipped and the over anxious sori took over leadoff
Islander,
Again, though, even rookies would make adjustments and figure out that pitchers were only pounding him inside.
And if Gardner couldn't figure it out on his own, there's an entire bench and coaching staff full of professional hitters (past and present) who would notice that.
Simply busting him inside is not the approach with him. They are clearly throwing to both sides of the plate.
I didn't look at the stats, but I bet Saturday would have similar results.
Bomber,
He's been robbed a few times as well.
A .143 BA doesn't sound impressive, but those balls will start finding holes if he keeps doing what he's doing right now and continues to have good ABs.
And I'd like to see him drop down a bunt every now and then. He's got wheels like a '69 Camaro, so it doesn't have to be a perfect bunt for him to get on base.
"And I'd like to see him drop down a bunt every now and then. He's got wheels like a '69 Camaro, so it doesn't have to be a perfect bunt for him to get on base."
Inside fastballs are perfect pitches to drag bunt.
;)
I just heard the audio of the confrontation between the New York Post's Joel Sherman and Joe Girardi. Sherman was WAY out of line.
He wanted to know what was said in the closed door meeting Girardi called after Thursday's game. Girardi said "that's staying between me and the team." Sherman pressed, "well I'm sure that the 4.5 million ticket holders feel they have a right to know." Girardi again said that it was staying in house - and Sherman continued to press, even saying that "you're obviously not interested in letting us do our jobs."
Seriously - some times you get the feeling that the people writing the stories think they are the stories.
Last time I read the conditions of contract on the back of a ticket stub it only guaranteed me admission to and a seat for the game.
Don't remember anything about getting into the locker room.