With their last series at the Trop after the break, the Yankees improved to a 4-4 record against the worst team in the league, Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The SatanFish are now in town for a four-game set including a day-night double-header on Saturday to make up for a rainout. Recent call-up Shelley Duncan will make his debut at DH tonight while Damon plays center and Melky gets a deserved break. It’s Moose on the mound against the incredibly hittable Edwin Jackson. Brief intro tonight as gerbs is on the fly to go get the young-un. Line-ups to follow; comment away.
| Tampa Bay | |
| A. Iwamura 3b | .282 |
| C. Crawford lf | .288 |
| B.J. Upton cf | .332 |
| C. Pena 1b | .293 |
| D. Young rf | .296 |
| B. Harris ss | .305 |
| T. Wigginton 2b | .280 |
| G. Norton dh | .181 |
| D. Navarro c | .179 |
| NY Yankees | |
| J. Damon cf | .233 |
| D. Jeter ss | .332 |
| B. Abreu rf | .266 |
| A. Rodriguez 3b | .309 |
| H. Matsui lf | .286 |
| J. Posada c | .331 |
| R. Cano 2b | .275 |
| A. Phillips 1b | .284 |
| S. Duncan dh | .000 |
Great. Damon in center.
Sure is a good thing the rays are a station to station team…
*punches a wall*
Mussina is pulled after TB goes up 5-0. Ramirez in to pitch.
Mussina lasts 4 2/3, 7H, 5ER, 3BB, 5K
Ramirez issues back-to-back two out walks.
Bases loaded.
Navarro takes the second pitch, belt high and smakes a grand slam over the right field wall for 9-0 TB lead.
Ramirez walks the next batter Imawura. he then promptly walks Crawford on 4 staright pitches.
Ramirez’s line so far
IP 0.0 PC 19 H 1 ER 3 BB 4
Myers comes in to put out the fire.
Ramirez works wonders trying to gain confidence from Torre.
Upton grounds out to end the inning.
Jeter singles in the bottom half of the 5th. This is the 4th hit tonight for the Yanks.
Again they are facing a poor record pitcher who is owning them early. Will be interesting to see if they can overcome this deficit.
Yanks still down 9-0.
Jackson who is 1-9 w/6.65 ERA has limited the Yanks to 4 hits (plus 4 walsk) in 6 innings.
Matsui with an error that allows Imawura to score from 2nd.
10-0 Devilfish.
Phillips with an inside the park homer.
10-1
Jeter/Posada and ARod pulled.
TB scores again. 11-1
Bruney has managed to let the bases get loaded again. 1 out.
Villone pitching now.
Villone gives up a single. 2 more runs score. Gomes flies out to end the inning.
13-1
Yankees pitching staf tonight has allowed 12 hits and issued 10 BB’s.
Nieves doubles to right scoring Cairo.
Cano singles scoring Nieves.
13-3
Duncan singles scoring Cano.
13-4
Congrats Duncan, your first official RBI.
Damon singles.
Cabrera comes in to PH and promptly strikes out stranding two guys on base.
BJ Upton with another HR in the game in the T9th. 14-4
Matsui reaches on an error in the B9th.
Abreau/ARod and Matsui 0-11 tonight w/ 1 BB
Nieves strikes out to end the game.
14-4 final.