Yankees Taiwan On

Bad puns aside, the Yankees bounced back nicely from Friday night's defeat to win a slugfest on Saturday. Last night was an even more complete game. Pitching, offense, and defense each took their turn in the Yankees 8-2 drubbing of the Mets before a nationally televised audience. The win was the Yankees 11th in their last 12 games, while the Mets have now droppped 7 of 8.

Chien-Ming Wang got the start for the Yankees and was completely dominant. My boy (I'm proud to say I correctly predicted that Wang would have a major impact for the Yankees during spring training in 2005. It's nice to be right now and then.) mixed in his ever more reliable change up with a slider, a great fastball, and his bring-you-to-your-knees hard sinker to strike out a career high 10 batters. And of course he had his ground ball game going as well.

Once The Wanger has the lead he rarely gives it back and Alex Rodriguez gave it to him early last night. Having already allowed a single to Derek Jeter (extending his hitting streak to 12 games), El Duque left a two-out hanger over the plate for A-Rod, who destroys them like a dry cleaners. The blast, his 27th, landed in the back left corners of the visitors bullpen. It was career HR #490 for A-Rod, who has been hitting one tape measure shot after another these days.

The Yankees added two more off of Duque in the 2nd. Miguel Cairo's two-out double to left scored Hideki Matsui, and Cairo came home on Johnny Damon's single. In the 3rd, the Bombers made it 5-0. Bobby Abreu hit a shot into the left field corner that eluded Carlos Gomez for a lead off triple. A-Rod brought him home with a deep sacrifice fly for RBI #73.

Meanwhile, Wang was breezing through the Mets lineup. He didn't allow a hit until Jose Reyes' single in the 4th. But the Yankees quickly erased that one, correctly calling a pitch- Jorge Posada's throw arriving well ahead of a sliding Reyes.

A solo HR by Damon, an Abreu HBP, and a walk to A-Rod finally drove El Duque from the game. An appreciative Yankee Stadium crowd has never forgotten how Orlando Hernandez contributed to 3 World Series championships and gave the fan favorite a nice round of applause.

The Mets finally reached Wang in the 7th when his strike 3 pitch to David Wright bounced well in front of Posada. Instead of the side being retired, Wright reached safely and scored on Carlos Delgado's double to right. With the lead cut to 6-1, Wang retired Jose Valentin on a ground out to quickly snuff out any idea of a rally.

Wang looked even stronger in the 8th, striking out the side. That included a strike 2 swing and miss by Reyes, on a Wang change up, that nearly screwed him into the ground.

The Yankees made sure there would be no doubt about the outcome, when in the 8th A-Rod lined a double to left-center and Posada followed with a line drive home run off of Aaron Heilman into the right field seats. It was Posada's 9th of the season and his 207th as a Yankee.

Wang came within 1 out of a complete game in the 9th before Joe Torre decided that 113 pitches was enough. Ramon Castro doubled and Carlos Beltran singled him home for the Mets 2nd run of the night. But David Wright grounded sharply to A-Rod who started an around the horn double play. That's when Torre opted for Mike Myers. The lefty specialist struck out Delgado looking to end a very enjoyable Sunday night.

~~~

Defense is always an important part of the game, but especially when you have a ground ball pitcher like Wang going. After homering in the 2nd, A-Rod dove to his left on a sharply hit ball by Delgado and threw him out to take away a base hit. In the 6th the Yankees doubled up the lightning fast Reyes as Miguel Cairo turned a sweet 3-6-3 double play, scooping out Jeter's throw as he got back to the 1st Base bag.

Speaking of A-Rod's defense, its been completely overlooked because of the tremendous offensive season he is having. But in case you have noticed, he's been playing an outstanding 3rd Base.

Jeter has gone 19-45 (.422) during his 12 game hitting streak, raising his average from .326 to .342.

Wang is now 6-1 in his last 7 starts with a 2.25 ERA. He's averaged more than 7 innings in those starts.

Share

Get Out Your Tape Measures

It didn't take Alex Rodriguez long, but the ball sure went a long way. A-Rod pounded an El Duque hanger into corner of the Met's bullpen.

Home run #27 for 2007, #491 for all-time.

Oh, and moments later he robbed Carlos Delgado of a base hit.

Share

Tonight's Lineups (6/17)

Mets

Reyes SS
Lo Duca C
Beltran CF
Wright 3B
Delgado 1B
Valentin DH
Green RF
Gotay 2B
Gomez LF

Yankees

Damon DH
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Posada C
Matsui LF
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Cairo 1B

Share

It is High, It is Far, It is Gone

Yanks outslug Mets 11-8

The Yankees were in mid-April form today with poor starting pitching and shaky relief by Mariano Rivera. But the offense, lead by A-Rod slugged through way through to an 11-8 win. Tyler Clippard earned himself a ride by to Scranton with an awful 3 1-3 inning performance. The Mets touched him up for runs in the 1st two innings, Ruben Gotay providing the second with his 3rd home run of the season. The Yankees tied it up in their half of the 2nd, but the Mets got the go ahead run back across home plate in the 3rd, courtesy of the Jose Reyes show.

Reyes drew his 2nd walk of the game and promptly stole 2nd base (his 2nd steak of the day and his 5th steal in 2 days). A Carlos Beltran ground out moved him to 3rd where he proceeded to dance down the line. When Carlos Delgado signaled for time out, Clippard broke from his stretch position and was called for a balk by home plate umpire Bruce Froemming. Jorge Posada and Joe Torre argued, but Froemming had never granted the time out.

The Yankees got Clippard off the hook again in the bottom of the inning when Alex Rodriguez tattooed a Tommy Glavine delivery into the back of the Met's bullpen for a 2-run shot. It was A-Rod's 26th of the season and number 490 for his career.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, Clippard threw the lead away immediately. After issuing a 1-out walk to Shawn Green, Clippard served up a gopher ball to Ramon Castro. Castro's 4th of the year put the Mets back in front 5-4. For whatever reason, Torre kept Clippard in the game for one batter. That turned out to be a single for Gotay.

Clippard's removal turned out to out to be the turning point of the game. While Glavine continued to struggle, Luis Vizcaino and Scott Proctor finally stopped the bleeding. Then the Captain stepped up.

Derek Jeter crushed a Glavine pitch and drove into the runway between the left field seats and the bleacher for a 6-5 Yankees lead. It was Jeter's 5th of the season on a day when he would go 4-5 and extend his hitting streak to 11 games. He fell a triple short of hitting for the cyle.

Glavine, who has been stuck on 295 career wins since May 19th (5 starts), exited the game after giving up a lead off double to Posada. Robinson Cano's single off of Scott Schoeneweis brought home Posada, with Cano advancing to 2nd on the play. He would later score on a Miguel Cairo base hit as the Yankees scored 2 runs for the 5th straight inning.

The Mets bullpen finally stopped the Yankees from scoring in the 7th, but Cano doubled in a big insurance run in the 8th off of Aaron Sele for an 11-6 lead. The Yankees would need those runs because Mo was hit like the Mo of April.

Delgado lead off with a ground single through the left side and Paul Lo Duca followed with a rope to right. Green flied out, but Castro singled to left to load the bases. Rivera struck out Gotay looking for the 2nd out of the inning and it appeared he may escape unscathed. But rookie Carlos Gomez ripped one back up the middle that ricocheted off of the closer's ankle for an infield single. A run scored and the bases remained loaded for the hot Reyes.

Rivera got ahead, but Reyes eventually lined a single to center to bring home 2 runs. That brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the person of Beltran. But Mo bounced back, getting the cold centerfielder to pop out in foul territory to Posada for the final out.

It certainly was written up as a game plan, but the Yankees will take the 'W'.

~~~

Clippard was demoted after the game and replaced by outfielder Kevin Thompson. After tomorrow night's game, the Yankees play the next 6 in National League parks so they can use the extra non-pitcher. In 6 starts, Clippard was 3-1, 6.33. He only had 1 effective start after his debut victory against the Mets on May 20th.

Kei Igawa will most likely be recalled to start Friday night in San Francisco. Igawa was 1-1, 2.00 in 2 starts for Tampa, and 2-2, 2.88 in 4 starts for Scranton. More importantly, he has a 27/7 strikeout to walk ratio and has gotten command of his change up.

Jorge Posada has only played 1st Base one time in the last 6 years, but Torre plans on putting him out there a couple of times this week to keep his bat in the lineup while Wil Nieves catches.

The Yankees remain 8.5 back in the east as Boston beat San Fran 1-0. The Yanks do move back to 3.5 out in the wild card after Detroit's loss to Philly, 6-3.

Share

Reyes Shoots Down the Rocket

Roger Clemens threw a very effective 6 1-3 innings and the Yankee bullpen was solid. But Clemens couldn't get out Jose Reyes and the Yankees offense went into a slumber against Mets starter Oliver Perez (7-5). The outcome was a 2-0 Mets win that snapped their 5 game losing streak and the Yankee's 9 game winning streak. The Yankees also dropped a game in the AL East and the wild card as both the Red Sox and Tigers won.

Tonight's game was the Jose Reyes show. Reyes was 3-3 with a pair of singles, an upper deck home run, 3 stolen bases, a walk, and drove in both Mets runs. He showed why is he is so dangerous once he reaches base.

Carlos Gomez also showed a lot of speed and he ignited the Met's first run in the 3rd inning. Clemens (1-1) had escaped a two-on, no out jam in the 1st, but when Gomez bunted his way on and stole 2nd, the Rocket had to face Reyes again. Having already singled in the 1st, Reyes took a pitch back up the middle for an RBI and a 1-0 lead.

The Yankees had early chances against Perez, but couldn't capitalize. Derek Jeter singled in the 1st and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, but Perez struck out Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez. The Yankees loaded the bases with two down in the 2nd, but Melky Cabrera flied out.

Abreu was stranded at 2nd in the 3rd, but the Yankees came right back again against Perez in the 4th. Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano drew back-to-back walks, but free swinging Josh Phelps chased some bad pitches and flew to right. Miguel Cairo also became the hero when he drove one to deep left, but a leaping Gomez took away, at the very least, an extra base hit, and doubled off Matsui who apparently had a brain cramp.

In the 5th Reyes struck again and struck hard, hitting a Clemens offering off the facing of the upper deck in right. It was Reyes' 3rd HR of the season and 30th RBI. Clemens started the 7th by retiring Julio Franco, who is actually older than the Rocket, but he was pulled after Gomez's 2nd bunt single of the game. Luis Vizcaino, Mike Myers, and Brian Bruney combined for 2 2-3 scoreless innings, but the Yankees still couldn't push a run across.

Perez, who got the Yankees to swing at bad pitches all night, was finally knocked from the game with one out in the 8th when Derek Jeter doubled to right. But Pedro Feliciano retired Abreu on a deep drive to center, and Joe Smith got A-Rod to ground out sharply to 3rd. Billy Wagner came on and breezed through the 9th, striking out a pair for his 15th save.

~~~

David Wright extended his hitting streak to 16 games, while Abreu's streak ended at 13. Derek Jeter has hit in 10 straight, the 3rd time this season he has reached double figures.

Clemens' final line - 6.1 IP 7 H 2 ER 1 BB 8 K

Share

Team Immodium...

...because they don't get the runs.

I would say bad jokes aside, but this team is a very bad joke right now. Another excellent start for Andy Pettitte went to waste as the Yankees managed just 6 hits against Oliver Perez and the Mets' bullpen. Hideki Matsui provided the Yankees only offense with a 2-run HR in the 4th that temporarily gave them a 2-1 lead. Matsui reached on a 2-out infield single in the 9th, but Mets closer Billy Wagner struck out pinch-hitter Jason Giambi to end the game.

Endy Chavez ripped a 2-run shot off of Pettitte in the 5th to put the Mets back ahead for good, 3-2. The Yankees had base runners in the 6th and 7th, but none advanced past 1st base.

The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the first when Jose Reyes singled and Damon Easley followed with a walk. Carlos Beltran's ground out moved the runners up, and Reyes came home on Carlos Delgado's fly out to center.

~~~

Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter both singled to extend their hitting streaks to 13 games.

With Boston rained out, the Yankees dropped to a full 10 games out of 1st place.

Share

Yankees vs. Mets Preview

For the first time since interleague play began, the Mets are the heavy favorites as the two teams meet out at Shea tonight. The results of Thursday's games against Chicago's teams are a good indication of what the state of both teams are right now. The Mets rallied from 5 down in the 9th to beat the Cubs 6-5. Meanwhile the Yankees had another lackluster showing in a 4-1 loss to the White Sox.

The Mets are 26-14 and lead the Atlanta Braves by 1/5 games in the NL east. The Yankees are a mediocre 18-21 and trail the Boston Red Sox (coincidentally the Braves and Red Sox meet this weekend) by 9.5 games. Former Yankees player and coach Willie Randolph is in his 3rd season as Mets manager, while Joe Torre is in his 12th and possibly last season in the Bronx.

Pitching Probables

Friday - Andy Pettitte vs. Oliver Perez
Saturday - Darrell Rasner vs. Tom Glavine
Sunday - Tyler Clippard vs. John Maine

Share