Phillips Screws Rays

Couldn't help myself. Andy Phillips was the offensive and defensive hero today as the Yankees came from behind twice to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 7-6. In doing so the Yankees won their 3rd straight series and cut Boston's lead to single digits for the first time since June 19.

Trailing 5-4 in the 8th, Alex Rodriguez lead off with a double and moved to the 3rd on Hideki Matsui's single to right. Casey Fossum (5-8) struck out Melky Cabrera, but Robinson Cano hit a drive to the warning track in left for a sac fly and an RBI. Matsui was heads up, advancing to 2nd on the play. That would prove to be huge as Phillips lined a single to left off of Gary Glover, allowing Matsui to score against the erratic arm of Carl Crawford. Phillips advanced to 2nd on the play. After Jorge Posada and Johnny Damon drew walks, intentional and unintentional, to load the bases, Derek Jeter hit a shot to the left side of the infield. Akinori Iwamura, a multiple gold glove winner in Japan, snared Jeter's hard grounder, but had trouble gripping the baseball, allowing Jeter to beat the throw to 1st. Phillips scored an important insurance run on the play as the Yankees went ahead 7-5.

That final run would prove to be huge because Kyle Farnsworth was ineffective again in the 8th. B.J. Upton hit a drive to deep right-center that appeared to have a shot of leaving the yard. But a fan reached beyond the fence and Upton had to settle for a ground rule double. One out later, Ty Wiggington doubled to left, cutting the lead to 7-6. That's when Phillips stepped up on the defensive end.

Dionner Navarro ripped a line drive in the hole between 1st and 2nd. but Phillips dove, fully extended, to his right to grab it and easily double Wiggington off of 2nd. The play saved the game and the series from possibly ending up in a split. More defense would help Mariano Rivera record his 13th straight save in the 9th.

Iwamura lead off with a single to center and Crawford reached when his bat hit Posada's glove for catcher's interference. With two on and none out, Rays manager Joe Maddon called for the bunt, but Brendan Harris was unsuccessful in getting it down. He eventually hit a chopper to 3rd that A-Rod snared, step on 3rd and threw to 1st to complete a back breaking double play. Mo then retired Pena on a pop out to A-Rod for the game's final out.

For the 2nd straight game, the Yankees starting pitcher dug himself an earl hole. Mike Mussina allowed a 1-out single to Crawford in the first. With the speedy Crawford on base, and Mussina and Wil Nieves one of the worst combinations in baseball at throwing base runners out, you knew a steal was imminent. Sure enough, Crawford stole his 1st of two on the day. Harris followed with a walk, which also started bickering between Mussina and home plate ump C.B. Buckner. Buckner appeared to be squeezing Mussina on some pitches, which was particularly odd after Alex Rodriguez got called on strikes in the 1st inning, on a pitch that appeared to be high and inside.

Carlos Pena continued to have a big series with a single to center. Crawford scored easily, but Harris rounded 2nd Base too far and Cabrera gunned him out as he retreated. It would prove to be a huge out as Mussina walked Delmon Young and allowed an RBI single to Upton. Mussina finally retired Greg Norton on a ground out.

The Devil Rays added another run in the 2nd on consecutive singles by Iwamura, Navarro and Crawford. It looked like it was going to be a long day, but Mussina settled down and the Yankees bats finally came to life in the 5th.

Rays starter Edwin Jackson, entered action with just 1 win in 10 decisions, but cruised through the first 4 innings. But the Yankees received a huge break after Cano lead off the 5th with a single. Phillips hit a deep drive to center that tailed back towards left. Upton overran the ball and reached back in vein and as the ball bounced to the wall. Cano scored easily and Phillips reached 3rd with a triple. The unlikeliest of batters then came through. Nieves doubled up the gap in left-center to cut the lead to 3-2. Two batters later, Jeter crushed a ball to right-center for his 7th home run of the season and a 4-3 Yankees lead.

The lead would hold until the 7th when Ron Villone, who entered with a 10.1 inning scoreless streak, surrendered a 2-out, 2-run HR to Pena. It was Pena's 22nd of the season and the 2nd in as many games. Luis Vizcaino (5-2) recorded the final out of the 7th and picked up the victory.

...

Melky Cabrera felt much better after Saturday's "intestinal disturbance". He went 1-4 to extended his hitting streak to a career high 11 games.

Hideki Matsui went 2-5, extending his hitting streak to 10 games in the process. He's hitting .359 during that stretch.

Wil Nieves' one hit left him 7-53 (.132) on the season. The Rays stole 3 bases in as many attempts against him. The Yankees really need to get Jorgie a better back up.

Mariano Rivera's ERA was 10.57 in his 9 May appearances. Since then he's allowed 5 earned runs in 29.1 innings (1.53 ERA) to lower his ERA to 3.41.

Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller threw out the first ball.

Share