Red, White, and Boo

After the Yankees lackluster performance in Thursday's 7-0 loss to the Red Sox, the Yankees held a team meeting. Joe Girardi, Johnny Damon, and Derek Jeter laid it on the line. Get better soon or a lot of us could be elsewhere. The Yankees played with a lot more fire on Friday, but the results were no different. The Red Sox rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees 6-4.

The game turned on a bizarre play in the 3rd inning. The Red Sox had pushed a run across and had two on with one out. Kevin Youkilis hit a deep drive to left field off of Darrell Rasner. Damon raced back to the wall, leaped, and had the ball in his glove. That was until he hit the wall and the ball popped out. But instead of going over the wall for a home run or falling immediately back into the field of the play, the ball laid precariously on top of the wall for a few moments. When it finally did roll back into play, it took the assistance of a fan to point out the ball to Damon, who was momentarily dazed and confused. Youkilis made it to 3rd base with a game tying triple and Damon had to leave the game with a sprained acromioclavicular joint in his left shoulder.

The Yankees had taken a quick lead against Josh Beckett in the 1st inning. Damon led off the game with a double and one batter later Bobby Abreu drew a walk. Alex Rodriguez then lashed a line drive to left field to score both runners as Abreu just beat the throw home. The relay enabled A-Rod to move to third and he scored easily on Jason Giambi's fly out to center field for a 3-0 lead. But the Yankees wouldn't do much against Beckett the rest of the day.

The Yankees did have a chance in the 4th, loading the bases with 2 outs, but Jose Molina grounded out to Mike Lowell to end the inning. Then Lowell took advantage in the top of the 5th against Rasner. Red hot Dustin Pedroia led off with a single and one out later Manny Ramirez followed suit. Then it was Lowell, the one-time Yankees prospect, belting a 3-run home run a few rows back in the left field seats for a 6-3 lead.

Boston set up man Hideki Okajima has not been lights out like he was last year and the Yankees built a rally against him in the 7th inning. Melky Cabrera singled and Molina followed with a base on balls. After Brett Gardner bounced into a force out, Derek Jeter walked to load the bases. But Okajima retired Abreu on a pop out and Manny DelCarmen came in to get A-Rod on an inning-ending ground out as the skies opened up with a torrential downpour.

The game resumed after an 88-minute rain delay and the Yankees would have one more shot after a botched call by the umpires. With a man on and 2 outs in the 9th, Jeter lined Jon Papelbon's pitch to center field. Coco Crisp made a diving back hand grab for the final out, only it wasn't. The catch was ruled a trap (TV replays would show otherwise) and Jeter had himself an RBI double. That gave Abreu a shot as the tying run and he nearly made it happen. But his deep drive to center field fell into Crisp's glove about five feet shy of the 408-ft sign in center field.


News and Notes

Mike Port, VP of Umpiring, said discussions would take place to figure out the proper rulings on Youkilis' ball.

“The guess is that if it had stayed there, it would have been a home run because it had broken the front plane, but we’ll discuss it with supervisors in the next few days,” he said. “The great thing about this game is that after 100 or more years, you still see things that may not have happened before.”

The Yankees and Red Sox wore alternate caps with the team's logos intertwined with red, white, and blue. It's thought to be the first time the Yankees have ever worn an alternate piece of clothing.

Jason Varitek wore a red, white, and blue chest protector that will be auctioned off for charity.

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Around the Horn - 6/6

"I was at a boxing match last night and a hockey game broke out". An oldie, but goodie. Last night a brawl broke out at the Rays-Red Sox baseball game. Sox centerfielder Coco Crisp became a marked man after his questionableslide into 2nd Baseman Aki Iwamura (yeah the same guy Shelley Duncan spiked) the night before (Crisp said it was in retaliation for Jason Bartlett blocking the bag earlier in the game). In the 2nd inning of last night's game Rays starter James Shields drilled Crisp in the leg and made no doubt about it afterwards that it was intentional.

"I think what (Crisp) did (Wednesday) was an absolutely dirty move, bush league and not supposed to be in the professional game of baseball... He’s not a professional player. I lost all respect for him... We’ve been getting stomped around the last 10 years and that’s not going to happen any more," said Shields.

Crisp charged the mound and ducked a haymaker from Shields before landing a punch of his own and was then tackled by Rays catcher Dionner Navarro. While on the ground, Crisp was pounded at by Rays DH Jonny Gomes (yeah, him again) while Shields was buried under another pile.

The Red Sox won the game 7-1 behind Manny Ramirez's 5 RBI, but Ramirez also got into it in the dugout with teammate Kevin Youkilis. The two had to be separated in the dugout 5th inning. Boston may have a big loss though. Jacob Ellsbury rolled on his wrist while making a catch and for the moment is day-to-day.

Chipper Jones slugged his 400th career home run in the Braves 7-5 win over the Marlins. He became just the 3rd switch-hitter, along with Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murray to hit the 400 mark. And in case you haven't noticed, he's still hitting .418.

C.C. Sabathia is definitely not making the most of his pending free agency. He allowed 4 earned runs in 6 innings in the Indians 9-4 loss to the Rangers last night. Sabathia is now 3-8, 4.65 on the season.

Jose Contreras has very quitely put together a solid season. He was on the winning end of the White Sox 6-2 victory over the Royals. The Cuban native is now 6-3, 2.76 and has allowed just 7 earned runs in his last 42 innings. Jim Thome hit career home run #519.

It was a "Land of the Rising Sun" showdown in LA last night when the Cubs met the Dodgers. Tied 2-2 in the 9th, Kusoke Fukodome singled in the game winning run against Takaski Saito.

The Cardinals and Nationals split a twinbill. Todd Wellmeyer went to 7-1 in the Cardinals 4-1 win in the opener. After blowing a 6-0 lead in the nightcap, the Nationals came back from a 1-run deficit on the 10th, winning it on Elijah Dukes' 2-run walk-off home run.

Scott Schoenweis had a night against the Padres he'd like to forget. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the 9th, the lefty hit Pete McAnulty to force in the winning run. Hard to pin that one on Willie Randolph.

Cole Hamels beat Homer Bailey and the Reds 5-0 in a complete game effort. Most of the post-game discussion though centered on reigning MVP Jimmy Rollins, who was pulled from the game by manager Charlie Manuel after not running out a pop up.

Garrett Olson improved to 5-1 and George Sherrill be came the majors 2nd closer with 20 saves in the Orioles 3-2 win over the Twins. Adam Jones' home run was the decisive blow.

Jason Michaels' 3-run home run propelled the Pirates over the Astros 4-3. Paul Maholm won his 3rd straight start.

In case you missed it, here's the Rays-Sox fisticuffs.

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Around the Horn - 4/2

Bad news for the Mets on just the 2nd day of season. Willie Randolph is expecting big things from Pedro Martinez this season, and he must have gotten a knot in his stomach last night when he saw Pedro pull up lame. Pedro was pitching ineffectively against the Florida Marlins when he pulled a hamstring muscle in the 4th inning. He'll go for an MRI today. The Mets rallied back from a 4-0 deficit before the Marlins won it in 10.

Joe Torre's Dodgers are a perfect 2-0 after defeating the San Francisco Giants for the 2nd straight night. The highlight of this one had nothing to do with the 3-2 score, hits or putouts. 3rd Base coach Larry Bowa and ump Ed Montague after Montague ordered Bowa to stay in the 3rd Base coach's box. A new rule is in effect this season that states the coaches must remain in the boxes. Except the rule was not enforced during spring training or in the Dodgers opener. Bowa got tossed and then tossed some tables in the clubhouse.

Brian Backe and Chris Young hooked up in a pitchers duel in the Houston Astros-San Diego Padres game. Scott Hairston's 2-run home run was the difference in the Pads 2-1 win.

No one would blame the St. Louis Cardinals for still being upset over the opening day washout when they had a 5-1 lead. Last night they could only manage a Yadier Molina home run in a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

Opening in Japan gave Dice-K the rare opportunity of starting 2 of the Boston Red Sox first 3 games. Unlike his shaky opener against Oakland, Dice had the A's number last night, striking out 9 and allowing just 2 hits in 6.2 innings. Joe Blanton took the tough loss as the Red Sox prevailed 2-1. Kevin Youkilis tied Steve Garvey's MLB record with his 193rd straight game at 1st Base without an error.

The LA Angels won their first game, topping the Minnesota Twins 9-1. John Garland went 8 innings in his Angels debut and Vlad Guerrero had a 3 hit, 3 RBI night. Former Twin Torii Hunter went for the collar for the 2nd straight night.

"Win a Game with Josh Hamilton". The Rangers new outfielder became an instant hero in Arlington, Texas with a walk-off 2-run HR off of Mariners closer J.J. Putz. Putz blew only 2 save opps all of last year. Rangers set up man Joaquin Benoit had blown a 3-1 lead in the 8th. "The King", Felix Hernandez allowed just 1 unearned in his 7 inning start for the M's.

The Rays picked up Carl Crawford's $8.25 million option for the 2009 season and not surprisingly, declined the '09 option on Rocco Baldelli. The Rays also signed set up man Dan Wheeler to a 3-yr, $10.5 million deal.

A's outfielder Travis Buck got the golden sombrero last night and is 0-14 so far this season with 7 strikeouts.

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Suh-Weep, Don'tcha Know

Robinson Cano hit a pair of opposite field home runs and Chien-Ming Wang dominated the Boston Red Sox for 7 innings as the Yankees completed a 3-game sweep with a 5-0 win this afternoon. One day after Roger Clemens threw 5 1-3 innings of no-hit ball, Wang tossed 6 innings of no-hit ball in front of a packed Yankee Stadium crowd. Mike Lowell finally broke it up with a single back up the middle. It came one batter after Derek Jeter committed his 16th error of the season on a ball hit by Kevin Youkillis. That would be the only true jam got into all day, despite walking 4 batters.

Meanwhile, Cano showed big time power, hitting a Curt Schilling deliver over the 399-ft. sign in left-center in the 3rd and repeating the feat in the 5th. His 2nd blast landed on the netting in front of the Yankees retired numbers, and was his career high, 16th HR of the season.

While Schilling seemed to be getting by on guts and guile all afternoon, Wang innings. When and his hard biting sinker dazzled the Red Sox. Twice he walked batters to start an inning, but got out of it easily, once with the help of a double play. He struck out David Ortiz twice, ending the 1st and 6th innings. Jeter's error and the Sox 1st hit of the day got him in trouble, but Wang relied on his friend, "the ground ball" to get him out of it.

J.D. Drew hit a bouncer to 3rd that Alex Rodriguez fielded, made a tag at Youkillis going by, and then fired to 1st to get Drew. But 3rd Base umpire Mark Carlson ruled Youkillis safe, saying that A-Rod missed the tag. Youkillis clearly ran out of the base path, on to the infield grass, sending Joe Torre out out to argue. The umpires finally gathered in an impromptu conference. The result - Youkillis was called out, sending him into a rage and resulting in Terry Francona's ejection from the ball game. Wang then struck out his final batter, Jason Varitek, to end the inning.

After Joba Chamberlain threw a scoreless 8th, that included a Dustin Pedroia double and no strikeouts, the Yankees busted the game open in the bottom of the inning against Hideki Okijima. Derek Jeter singled with 1 away, his 4th hit in 4 trips to the plate. Bobby Abreu ripped one up the alley in right-center for a double, with Jeter scoring all the way from 1st.

After an intentional walk to A-Rod, the 2 runners pulled off a double steal and both scored as Varitek's throw sailed into left field. With a 5-0 lead, Torre decided to leave Chamberlain in the game to finish, but that's when things got even more interesting.

After retiring David Ortiz on a fly out to start the 9th, Chamberlain buzzed a pair of 98 mph fastballs up high and tight on Youkillis. The 2nd one prompted home plate umpire Angel Hernandez to toss Chamberlain from the game. Torre was beside himself and nearly went ballistic. He was still fired up after the game, vehemently protesting Hernandez's decision and the thought processes that lead up to it.

Edwar Ramirez had to come out of the pen, and despite walking Youkillis (charged to Chamberlain) and throwing a pair of wild pitches, he escaped from the 9th unscathed. The Yankees had themselves a sweep that pulled them to within 5 games of Boston in the AL East, and maybe, just maybe, sent a message for the future via a pair of Joba Chamberlain fastballs.

...

As you would expect, Youkillis felt that Chamberlain was throwing at him considering how good the kid's control is. And as you would expect, Chamberlain denied it, complimented the type of player Youkillis is and was upset that he had let the team down by having to use another reliever. Perhaps Youkillis yelled "HA" as he ran past A-Rod. Nah.

Chien-Ming Wang has allowed just 15 hits and 4 earned runs in his last 21 innings pitched. It resulted in 3 wins, 2 against the Tigers and today's victory.

In addition to setting a career high in home runs, Robinson Cano is now just 2 RBI shy of the 78 he drove in last year.

With his 4-4 performance, Derek Jeter went 7-11 (with a walk) in the series. And that came after starting 0-2 in the 1st game.
Alex Rodriguez had his 1st non-successful series against the Sox this season, going 2-9 with 2 walks. Of course he didn't see many good pitches either.

This was the 1st game that Joba Chamberlain entered a 2nd inning without having 2 days off prior to it.




The latest in rally caps?







photos courtesy of AP

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