Credit where credit is due. Mike Mussina pitched a quality game tonight. He wasn't overpowering, he didn't have nasty stuff, but he still put five zeros on the board, and
got the win in his return to the rotation. Moose's final line: 5.2 innings, 0 runs, 5 hits, 3 walks, 1 K.
Edwar came in to bail Mussina out in the sixth, and worked out of a minor pickle. Then it was time for Joba. The big kid's scoreless-inning streak came to an end tonight. Thanks to an A-Rod error in the bottom of the eighth, an unearned run scored off Joba, and he wasn't able to finish the eighth inning (due to pitch count). The Joba/Gagne graphic has been updated to reflect tonight's game. Nothing to worry about here, Joba was fine, he gave up one double, but would've worked out of the jamb had A-Rod made that play.
Another good win for the Bombers, their 7th in a row, but their bats were silent. They managed only 4 hits, and the sense of urgency didn't seem to be there. Let's hope they regain it quickly and put up double-digits for Ian Kennedy tomorrow.
The Sox came back to beat Tampa, again, on a bullsh!t walk-off bomb by David Ortiz. If Delmon Young wasn't a horrible right fielder he would've caught the ball, and it looked to me like the ball wasn't even out of the park, but a fan reached over and brought it into the stands. Oddly, no commentary on SportsCenter about the play, just more false statements like, "The Yankees aren't winning the A.L. East," and Bill Belichick apologies.
The Yanks will go into the weekend series a minimum of four games back in the loss column, so they still don't control their own destiny. Disappointing, but if they extend this seven-game winning streak to 11, they'll be 1.5 games back, 1 game back in the loss column with 13 games to go. It all starts tomorrow, with Ian Kennedy going against the oft-injured A.J. Burnett. I expect the Yanks to make it a short night for Burnett.
Player of The Game: Robinson Cano, 1 for 4, 2 RBI. His two-run single gave the Yanks all the breathing room they'd need. He also notched 11 assists at second base, including a couple spectacular plays.
Credit where credit is due. Mike Mussina pitched a quality game tonight. He wasn't overpowering, he didn't have nasty stuff, but he still put five zeros on the board, and got the win in his return to the rotation. Moose's final line: 5.2 innings, 0 runs, 5 hits, 3 walks, 1 K.
Young might have had a play, but the ball was in the stands. I've watched it five times now, and there's no question about that. It's barely in the stands, but it's there. It looked like the people in the second row were grabbing at it, but it was over the wall when they touched it.
I've read a few sites where Yankee fans are bitching about the home run being too short and therefore a cheap walk-off win. When I mentioned it to my girlfriend, she said, "That's like complaining about the difference between paying for something with a dollar bill and paying for it with one hundred pennies. Either way, it's still a dollar."
The same fans were mad at the Devil Rays for rolling over for the Sox. You've got three chances later this month to make them do the same for you.
The D-Rays didn't roll over, they should've swept the series, but their pen just couldn't get the job done, which has been the case all year long.
A win is a win. That ball was not out of the park, but it counts just the same. I can't wait to see the Sox starters get their asses handed to them again this weekend. Here's to a fastball under Youkilis' chin, that pussy.
The ball was out of the park, because it was a home run. That's what they call it when a ball clears the fence, which it did. No video evidence proves otherwise. I have it on my TiVo, and I'm watching it right now. The ball was in the stands. Young could have reached back and caught it, but he blew it. Still, the ball traveled the required amount to clear the wall, barely, and did so, barely.
I, too, am looking forward to this series.