Good afternoon Yankee enthusiasts! Chris Mascaro here to take you through today's game, as the Yankees (64-56) take on the Minnesota Twins (66-53) in the rubber game of a three-game set.
The Yankees needed a win last night after losing four in a row, and Alex Rodriguez provided a clutch 12th-inning homer after Mariano Rivera blew his first save of the season.
Today, the Yankees will try to win their first series since July 25-27 in Boston, as they send Darrell Rasner (5-8, 5.28) to the hill against young righty Kevin Slowey (8-8, 4.07), who actually pitches sort of slowey (fastball tops out at about 91).
The Yankees are 3-6 on their current road trip, which ends today. They'll have an off day tomorrow (their first since July 24) and then play host to Kansas City for three games starting Friday.
Last night, the Red Sox won a wild game at Fenway, in which they blew a 10-0 first-inning lead, but fought back behind a three-run shot by Kevin Youkilis in the bottom of the eighth inning. So the Yankees remain five games back in the wild card (they are eight back in the division).
Slowey could be fresh meat for the Yankees, as they have knocked him around for nine runs and 13 hits in his two starts against them this season. Though none of the Yankee hitters have more than seven at-bats against Slowey, most have favorable numbers against him.
Okay, here are this afternoon's lineups (sans Derek Jeter, who was the designated hitter yesterday and has a sore left foot, making it difficult for him to run):
Yankees
1. Damon, LF
2. Abreu, DH
3. A. Rodriguez, 3B
4. Giambi, 1B
5. Nady, RF
6. Cano, 2B
7. I. Rodriguez, C
8. Betemit, SS
9. Cabrera, CF
Rasner, P
*Joe Girardi said Jeter could probably play in a pinch, but most likely will be kept out all day to heal up.
Twins
1. Span, CF
2. Harris, SS
3. Mauer, C
4. Morneau, 1B
5. Kubel, RF
6. Young, LF
7. Buscher, 3B
8. Ruiz, DH
9. Punto, 2B
Slowey, P
*Mauer was held out of the lineup last night with a stiff neck, but is back in action today.
Okay, we're just minutes away from baseball on YES!
Top of the 1st: With two outs, A-Rod roped a double to right-center. He came in on Jason Giambi's single off the baggy in right that was a few feet shy of a home run to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead. Xavier Nady hit a broken-bat grounder to end the inning.
Giambi now has 68 RBIs on the season.
Bottom of the 1st: Rasner would have had a 1-2-3 inning had Wilson Betemit's throw on a Brendan Harris grounder not gone through Jason Giambi's glove at first (seriously). I've never seen a ball actually go through a glove before. But I guess that's the beauty of baseball, any day you can see something you never have before.
Anyway, Rasner looked sharp in the first and didn't let the miscue rattle him. He struck out Mauer and Morneau in consecutive at-bats to end the inning.
Top of the 2nd: A 1-2-3 inning for Slowey, who struck out Cano looking, and got Pudge and Betemit to fly out.
Bottom of the 2nd: Rasner worked around a one-out single to right from Delmon Young (Yankee killer?) by inducing a 6-4 double play off the bat of Brian Buscher.
So far, so good for Rasner, who has thrown 35 pitches through two innings.
Top of the 3rd: Fly outs by Cabrera (to left), Damon (to right) and Abreu (to center) spell a quick inning for Slowey, who has thrown 41 pitches through three innings.
Bottom of the 3rd: Randy Ruiz lined a single to lead off the inning, but he was doubled off by Melky Cabrera after he ran on a 3-and-2 pitch, which Nick Punto popped up. Bad baserunning.
Denard Span singled with two outs, but then Harris hit into his second peculiar play of the day. He had a swinging bunt, which Rasner fielded and fired to first. The ball hit Harris in what appeared to be his right elbow, and the home-plate ump ruled him out on batter's interference.
So Harris was safe in his first at-bat when he should have been out, and out in his second at-bat when he probably would have been safe. It all evens out, I suppose.
Top of the 4th: Slowey is dealing, having retired 10 in a row since Giambi's RBI single. In the 4th, he got A-Rod to ground out to third, Giambi to line out to first and Nady to pop out to second. Slowey has 57 pitches so far.
Dare I say we have a Rasner-Slowey pitcher's duel? I think the batters are still tired from a late night yesterday.
Bottom of the 4th: A leadoff walk to Mauer (plus a poor play in the field by Cano) led to Minnesota's first run. With Mauer on first, Morneau grounded the ball to A-Rod, who fired to second in an attempt to get the force.
But Cano left the bag too early and everyone was safe. It was Cano's 11th error of the season.
Kubel flew out, but Young made the Yanks pay, as he sent a 2-and-1 fastball over the fence in right-center to give the Twins a 3-1 lead. Young has seven homers on the season and two in this series.
Rasner ended the inning by striking out Buscher and Ruiz, both swinging. That inning was taxing on Rasner, he now has 82 pitches.
Top of the 5th: Slowey's consecutive outs streak reached 12, but Betemit singled with two outs to end that. However, Melky (who has become almost an automatic out lately) grounded out to end the inning. Slowey has 69 pitches through five.
Bottom of the 5th: Quick 1-2-3 inning for Rasner, as Punto grounded out, Span flew out and Harris popped out. Just what the doctor ordered for the Yanks.
Top of the 6th: Slowey worked around a one-out walk by getting A-Rod to pop out to second, and got some help from Mauer, who gunned down Abreu trying to steal second (an ill-advised move even if he was safe). Slowey has 91 pitches, and will probably pitch the seventh, considering the Twins used eight pitchers last night.
Dan Giese (1-3, 2.35) is in to pitch for the Yankees. Rasner went five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk. He threw 92 pitches.
Bottom of the 6th: After Giese loaded the bases on a single by Mauer and walks to Morneau and Kubel (on four pitches), Joe Girardi came out and lifted Giese, who appeared to be hurt (he grabbed his throwing shoulder twice in the dugout).
David Robertson came in and did a nice job. He struck out Young, then allowed a sacrifice fly to Buscher (after a long delay because the home-plate ump Mike Winter was hit by the ball) to give the Twins a 4-1 lead, and got Ruiz to fly out to end the very, very long inning.
Lefty Craig Breslow (0-1, 2.45) is on for the Twins. Slowey threw 91 pitches over six innings, allowing three hits and one run, striking out one and walking one.
Top of the 7th: Nice job by Breslow, who had a 1-2-3 inning on ground outs by Giambi and Cano and a pop out by Nady.
Bottom of the 7th: Another good inning for Robertson. Punto lifted a pitch to center, which Cabrera had a beat on, but Cano called for. Finally, Cano backed off, but not far enough, as the ball kicked off the heel of Melky's glove with Cano seemingly in the way. The play was ruled a single.
The Yankees worked their way out of that though, as Pudge threw Punto out trying to steal, before Span and Harris flew out.
Top of the 8th: Pudge and Betemit singled to lead off the inning, and then Girardi lifted Melky in favor of Richie Sexson, who faced the lefty Dennys Reyes. The move did not work out, as Sexson struck out swinging.
Damon grounded out to the pitcher, advancing the runners to second and third with two outs. Then came a strange play.
Abreu struck out swinging, but there was a wild pitch, allowing a Pudge to score (to close the Twins lead to 4-2) and Abreu to reach base safely.
That prompted Ron Gardenhire to bring in Jesse Crain (4-2, 3.28) to face A-Rod, who flew to center on a 3-and-1 pitch.
Bottom of the 8th: Lefty Billy Traber (0-0, 6.00) came in and gave up a single to Joe Mauer, but got Morneau to pop out to short.
Then it was Brian Bruney's turn. He got Carlos Gomez (who came in for Kubel) to strike out swinging, but not before Mauer stole his first base of the season (with neither Cano or Betemit really covering). Mauer advanced to third on a passed ball, but Young grounded to short to end the inning.
Twins closer Joe Nathan (0-0, 1.07, 31 saves), a Stony Brook product, is on to try and shut the door on the Yanks and make their road trip even more dreadful.
Top of the 9th: Nathan made quick work of the Yankees in the 9th, striking out Giambi, and getting Nady to ground out and Pudge to strike out after a Cano walk.
That's the ballgame, Twins win 4-2. The Yankees finish their 10-game road trip 3-7. They'll take the field next on Friday at home against the Royals.
Yankees: 64-57
Twins: 67-53
WP--Slowey (9-8)
LP--Rasner (5-9)
SV--Nathan (32)
HR: Young (7)
Three stars:
1. Young (2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs)
2. Slowey (six innings of one run ball)
3. Mauer (2-for-3 with a walk, stolen base and two runs scored)
That's it for today folks. It was my pleasure to bring you today's game. See ya'll real soon!
Comments (16)
3-7 road trip. OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!
sniff...sniff sniff.....Something stinks around here and it's THE YANKS!
Wow...another pathetic effort out of these guys. They are already thinking about their winter vacations, which are obviously getting extended by 30 days or so. This is very sad but I'm keeping a positive eye toward the future, I can't wait 'til November.
When does the mandatory drug testing on these guys begin? And I don't mean steroids. Too much nightlife has affected these guys and they need to be exiled to the Independent League if you ask me. Getting sick and tired of the same old garbage.
ARod stunk again with runners in scoring position. At least Girardi is starting to manage like he wants to win. He is just stuck with losers who have never won anything, who are mixed with some of our stars who are beginning to decline. It is a bad combination for sure.
Stinkin' up da joint! Bunch a bums!
Why do I still have season tickets to this mess?
I'm trying to give away my tickets and no one wants them.
Mike,
Because you love them.
Embarrassing!
Ok, I know the team is not playing well right now but totally bailing out as a fan right now is crazy. This team has given us 12 fantastic years in a row, not to mention tons of history before that so we have no reason to bail out now, especially when the owner says "we will do what we have to do to fix this".
This isn't the Royals....the Yanks will be back in '09!
They're not bailing Jim. They're just pissed right now.
Boss: Check your email. I sent you one yesterday about the tickets (the cox.net address). If you have a new email address, email me at wag279@gmail.com Thanks Chris!
Ah, the voices of sanity - Jim A and John G. Thanks, I almost jumped. Almost......
Guess we gotta do what Hank says and WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR!
Still can't stand seeing Gerty the Bosox troll smiling with that tooth of hers.
Will somebody think of somethin'?
Good grief!
Ah, the voices of sanity - Jim A and John G. Thanks, I almost jumped. Almost......
Guess we gotta do what Hank says and WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR!
Still can't stand seeing Gerty the Bosox troll smiling with that tooth of hers.
Will somebody think of somethin'?
Good grief!
Also, I wouldn't be dissin' the Royals right now. They're coming into the Stadium and they might sweep the Yanks.
I'm not giving up on this season until the Yanks are mathematically out. Until that happens, a nice winning streak will get them right back in the hunt. They have to get it to 3 games or less before Boston comes into town in a few weeks.
Remember all the discussions we had way back when about chemistry. Some bloggers believe that chemistry comes from winning. I stand in the gray area of winning and guys being comfortable with each other. Comfortable with each other is trusting in the guy to the left or right, front or back to do the job. Also are most of the guys playing up to potential. Many factors just a few mentioned. Their is no chemistry because of injuries and obviously some of the vets find it difficult to place trust in guys like Cano and Cabrera just to mention two. The roster picked in April has been so rearranged that Girardi has a tough time remembering his 25 man roster.
You can't play winning baseball if you can't bunt, no clue of the strike zone, run the bases like tee ball kids or just don't give a $hit. Look there is a rotation but its so far removed from what was planned that we are lucky to be 6 games over .500.
I keep hoping for a bolt of lightning but it won't be the worst thing in the world not to make the playoffs. It could bring real change to the new Yankee stadium plus we'll be shedding some players who do not belong in pinstripes. I'll give you two Cano and Melky stop screaming Cano is not Yankee material. He could bring some player who gives a damn to the stadium with desire to play all facets of the game. He's so noticeable on the field for his negativity, he glows like a beacon.
Wow, that's bad.
I hate to think that an adult wrote that, especially one who may be a parent.
Disgraceful.
Loved it...lmao.