Randy Johnson was solid last night despite what some think may have been a late pull. Mariano Rivera, whose right arm injury was described as a “mild muscle strain” closed out the game. Unfortunately, Mo is not going to be available for the next week. Álex Rodríguez had a superb night at the plate with a single, a double, and a home run to power the Yankees to a 6-4 win. The victory gave New York a 5-2 record on the season against the Tigers.
The Minnesota Twins, a half-game behind Chicago for the WC and five games out of first in the Central, have a starting rotation that has what many think to be the best 1-2 punch in the American league in Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano. Fortunately, New York will not face either of those pitchers as Santana pitched last night and Liriano may or may not come off the DL this season. Carlos Silva, Corey Lidle and recent call-ups Jeff Karstens and Darrell Rasner will try to prove their merit as we will soon witness what may be a preview of the ALDS.
Silva is winless in his last four appearances and has given up 19 runs in 22.2 innings over that stretch. Lidle was knocked around in his previous start against LAA but has a 4.15 ERA in 26 innings pitched that has resulted in two wins and three losses for the team since his arrival. Line-ups in the extended. This is your place to comment on tonight’s game.
Minnesota
J. Tyner lf .314
N. Punto 2b .307
J. Mauer c .350
M. Cuddyer rf .278
J. Morneau 1b .315
T. Hunter cf .269
P. Nevin dh .216
L. Rodríguez 3b .234
J. Bartlett ss .342
Yankees
J. Damon cf .300
D. Jeter ss .340
B. Abreu rf .357
J. Giambi dh .260
A. Rodríguez 3b .279
J. Posada c .268
R. Cano 2b.332
A. Guiel 1b .222
M. Cabrera lf .287
Tyner grounds out to first (called out on leaving the path it seemed).
Punto Ks.
Mauer grounds to Robi’s right; he scoops and throws Mauer out to end the first.
Good inning.
Damon lines out to third.
Jeets singles to right. Attaboy, Capn.
Abreu ks. Was outside by a few inches.
Giambi takes to 3-1, then a misses on a big cut to make it full. The payoff pitch: K. Nice pitch. End of the inning. Cuddyer, Morneau, Hunter due for TCT.
ARod handles a hard shot from Cuddyer; 5-3 for the first out.
Morneau hits a comebacker for the second out.
Hunter takes away for ball one. He then rips a curve foul up third, and a foul off right. The 1-2 is low. The next pitch is a check swing that Hunter couldn’t hold up on for the K and the end of the inning.
ARod, Posada, Cano coming up.
Álex! First pitch home run into the seats in left.
Posada grounds out to Punto.
Cano grounds out 6-3.
Guiel reaqches on a bobble by Punto.
Another E4 as Punto can’t handle a grounder from Melky. Damon up.
Damon hits a roller to Punto who keeps it in front of him and throws Damon out at first to end the inning.
Nevin walks to lead off the TCT third.
Swinging bunt advances Nevin to second as Guiel tags out Rodriíuez.
Barlett works the count full. The payoff: fouled. Another: fouled up third. The next pitch is lined straight to Damon for the second out.
Tyner takes a ball, then hits a comebacker to end the inning, 1-3.
Jeter takes inside to lead off the Yankee 3rd. The next pitch is fouled off right. The 1-1 is a fastball just inside. The next pitch is hit back up the middle for Jeter’s second single on the night.
Jeter swipes second. Mauer made a perfect throw and I think he got him. Yup, he did. Bad call.
That was a truly exceptional throw. Right on the tag.
Abreu singles to center and scores Jeter.
Abreu went down below his knees to golf the ball into center. The steal (with some help from Blue) manufactures the second Yankee run.
Giambi takes strike one after a throw to first to rein in Abreu, who is taking a sizable lead. Another throw to the bag. Then Giambi lines out to Hunter for the first out. ARod up.
ag- any thought on the idea that alex is starting to hit due to the fact that the sox have dropped out of contention making these games meaningless?
ARod takes two balls. The 2-0 is inside but called a strike. Another throw back to first. The 2-1 is hit sharply to third for the 543 to end the inning.
sf rod: It’s a good question as to what changed he is doing differently as of yesterday, if anything. He was player of the month in May when the games “meant something”.
Lidle punches out Punto on a pitch that looked a bit inside. Mauer up.
these games are meaningless to the Sox maybe, but to the Yanks, well they’re trying to grab homefield advantage.
Mauer behind 0-2. He takes away/low. The 1-2 is fouled in the dirt. The next pitch is a… slider?.. that Mauer loops foul just off the third base line. Then inside and low to make it deuces. The 2-2 is lined to shallow center. Johnny had the ball in his glove, but it squirts out when he hits the ground. On the replay, it looked like he had full control before it popped out. Thought it would be an out. It’s ruled a single, but it should be E8.
Good point, Nck. I was trying to figure out how to phrase that thought without responding too much to rod’s taunt. ;)
yeah but even in his “MVP” year he pulled his dissapearing act in the playoffs. he was pretty much in tears on the feild during the last game of the tigers series. maybe this year joe can trick him into thinking october is may.
Cuddyer lifts hit to deep left center where Johnny makes the catch. Mauer retreats to first. Two away.
it’s funny, I was juts checking in while hanging out at a friend’s and the first comment I read is rod’s point. It’s been a mostly peaceful thread and here I am on a hit-and-run flame attack;) Have a good night, AG.
In tears? I don’t think he was that emotionally distraught. He looked pissed, to be sure.
Morneau is way in front of a change for strikeone. The next pitch is roped to left for a single, advancing Mauer to second.
ARod fields a ground ball from Hunter. He out-runs Mauer to the bag for the third out.
Heh. I don’t think that was a flame. Sounded like a reasonable response, Nick. Take it easy.
nick- ag was all alone tonite. just wanted to spice it up.
ag- there was red in his eye’s as he was spitting at the thrid base bag after popping up to kill a rally. maybe he was stoned, but my guess was tears.
Posada works a five-pitch walk from Silva to lead off the Yankee 4th.
sf rod: I didn’t see that. Interesting if he was that emotional.
If you are correct that he was getting weepy, Jimmy Dugan would not approve.
It’s a wide plate tonight.
Nick: When I said take it easy, I meant have a good night, not tone it down. :)
Very wide strike to Guiel makes it 1-2.
Guiel Ks on a slurve moving out and away. He set that pitch up well.
Melky pops out to left on the first pitch to end the inning.
Lidle Ks Nevin on a wicked breaking pitch for the first out in the TCT fifth. LRod flies out to right center where Damon makes the catch for the second out.
Lidle gets up 0-2 on Bartlett with a big curve. Then a ball. The 1-2 is fouled in front of the plate and kicks back to bounce off the batter. Lidle misses the next two pitches to make the count full. The Payoff: lined foul off third.
Another foul. Then a roller to ARod fielded cleanly and a rifle to first to get the speedy Bartlett by half a step. Nice play.
sfrod, nick, thanks for the company. I have to sign out for a bit. Maybe I’ll be back on, maybe not. Let’s go Yan-kees.
I come back, it’s 6-0 NY, but Mauer is up with two down. Let’s see what he can do against the resurgent Corey Lidle.
Lidle is pitching his curve for a strike. It’s a bit of a generous plate, but just the same, it looks rilly rilly good.
Mauer walks on a pitch that must have been a bit high for the ump. Looked quite good. Doesn’t matter as Cuddyer pops out to Cano to end the inning.
Jeets up to lead off the bottom 6. He grounds out sharply to first. 3-4 on the night.
Johnny makes a great snag on a ball getting blown all over by the wind.
TJ Beam ruins the shutout….