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Fear not Yankee fans. Thanks to a bribed cab driver I made home in plenty of time for the first pitch. Also, the Bombers will have an extra advantage when the first pitch is thrown 15 minutes from now. I broke out the lucky Giambo t-shirt and shorts combo. This seemed like the appropriate time to call in the artillery. No scorecard tonight, bad juju after last night's disaster. There will be a scoreboard image on the front page (below). It will be updated at the end of every half inning, or more frequently. The live blog will take place after the jump. As always, leave your thoughts in the comments and enjoy the game. Andy Pettitte vs. Fausto Carmona.
Lineups
| Yankees | Indians |
| 1. Damon (LF) | 1. Sizemore (CF) |
| 2. Jeter (SS) | 2. Cabrera (2B) |
| 3. Abreu (RF) | 3. Hafner (DH) |
| 4. A-Rod (3B) | 4. Martinez (C) |
| 5. Matsui (DH) | 5. Garko (1B) |
| 6. Posada (C) | 6. Peralta (SS) |
| 7. Cano (2B) | 7. Lofton (LF) |
| 8. Melky (CF) | 8. Michaels (RF) |
| 9. Doug (1B) | 9. Blake (3B) |
- Joe swapped Matsui and Posada. Not sure I like that move. Whoever's batting behind him needs to get hot fast. I might've gone with Cano there.
- Here we go. How 'bout a repeat of last night's first at bat here Johnny?
- Top First: Damon flies out on a 1-2 change. He didn't look fooled on it. Carmona is going to win or lose this game on his sinker. Sager's jacket is an understated purple tonight, very classy. Jeter Ks on a 96 MPH sinker down and in. Abreu dribbles one back to the box.
- Bottom First: Sizemore singles up the middle. Does it seem to anyone else like Chip Carey is actively rooting for the Indians? Cabrera grounds into a 4-6-3 DP. Hafner Ks looking. Good inning for Andy, and efficient.
- Top Second: A-Rod pops out on the first pitch. Carey immediately remarks that he's been anxious, except the time he walked, of course. Fausto is painting corners. Matsui works the count full, and finally walks. Good patience there. Jorge is turning in a nice at bat here too. Make Fausto work. 4-6-3 double play for Posada.
- Bottom Second: Victor Martinez fouls out to Posada. Sager is interviewing Queen Latifah, riveting stuff. Garko grounds to short on a 3-0 pitch. Peralta walks on a full count. I hate Kenny Lofton. Peralta steals second, pretty easily. ADIOS!!!! Melky just absolutely hosed Peralta at the plate. Lofton singled to center, Melky charged it and threw an absolute laser to Posada. Peralta was meat.
- That's two outfield assists in 2 games for Melky, by the way. It's also another 2-out hit with a runner in scoring position for Lofton. God, I hate that guy.
- Top Third: Nice play by the Indians' Cabrera at second to rob Cano of a single. HOME RUN MELKY!!!!!!!! Good call Neil (see comments for relevance) 1-0, Yanks. Doug flies out to shallow center. Damon grounds back to the pitcher.
- Bottom Third: Lead-off double for Jason Michaels. Come on, don't give the lead up right away. Blake moves Michaels over to third with a grounder to the right side. Good, fundamental baseball. Doug saves the Yanks a run with a nice play on a grounder by Sizemore. Clutch work by Petttite. Cabrera strikes out looking to end the inning.
- Top Fourth: Single up the middle for Jeter on the first pitch. Hit-and-run, Garko makes a great play on a hard-hit grounder by Abreu. Jeter moves to second. A-Rod has an RBI opportunity here, but there's an open base, so they may pitch around him. A-Rod down on strikes. The 2-1 change made the at bat. We need a two-out hit from Matsui here. Ground-out to first, Jeter stranded on second.
- Well, the third was the first inning the Yanks have completed with the lead, so we've got that going for us.
- Bottom Fourth: Single to center for Hafner. Fielder's choice for Victor Martinez. The ball was off Pettitte's glove, Cano bobbled, but still got Martinez at first. Garko grounds out to short. Man on second, two outs. Peralta Ks. I love the understated call when Pettitte throws huge pitch after huge pitch from Carey. He practically sh!ts himself whenever Cabrera gets an out.
- One more "Frank TV" commercial and I'm going to lose my mind.
- Top Fifth: Posada works the count full, fouls off one pitch, and takes a walk. Nice AB there. Cano hits a rocket right at Peralta for the double play. Melky grounds out to second to end the inning. Carey's pumped up about Fausto's sinker.
- Bottom Fifth: I hate Kenny Lofton. Single to right. Pick him off, Andy. Michaels moves Lofton to second with a sacrifice bunt. Blake flies out to left. Two out, runner on second with Sizemore coming up. Bonehead move by Lofton. Pettitte pick him off second to end the inning.
- Top Sixth: Doug grounds out to first. Damon grounds back to Carmona. They may not get into the pen at all at this rate. Jeter grounds out to short to end the inning.
- The only good thing about TBS is that they've done a horrible job of selling commercials. They send it back to the studio instead of taking commercial breaks from time to time.
- Bottom Sixth: Lead-off double (or triple) by Sizemore. I think they had a shot at him if Abreu hits Cano with the relay throw. Let's see if Andy has one more escape left in him. Cabrera grounds back to the pitcher, the run doesn't score. Infield in for Hafner. Got him. Hafner Ks. Two outs, Sizemore still on third. One more, Andy. Let's go. Holy F*cking Sh!t! He struck Martinez out too. That inning right there was worth the $16M the Yanks gave Pettitte for this season.
- If you're Joe, do you get Joba up now? He can go 2, then Mo can go the ninth. I'm not sure if I would.
- Top Seventh: Abreu reaches on an error. He doesn't wind up on first if he isn't busting it out of the box. A-Rod Ks on a nasty 0-2 sinker. Carey called it a slider, but he's clueless, it was 95 MPH. Matsui grounds into a fielder's choice. Sizemore robs Posada with a diving catch in center. Posada hit it right on the screws.
- Bottom Seventh: Garko pops out to Doug in foul territory. The TBS guys are debating whether Joe should go to the pen. I'm on the fence. Posada hits one off the top of the wall in left center for a double. I'll answer the bullpen question now, get Joba up. This is what you wanted. If the starter can get through six with the lead, you have Joba for 2 and Mo for 1. 3-0, he's pitching around Lofton, and I don't blame him. Lofton walks, and here comes Joba. This is a good move by Joe. Gutierrez pinch-hitting for Michaels. Three pitch K on three of the nastiest sliders you've ever seen. Runners on first and second, two out, Casey Blake at the plate. Blake flies out to right. Inning over. What a job by the kid. WHAT A JOB!!!!
- How about a couple insurance runs here?
- Top Eighth: Cano grounds back to the pitcher. Melky grounds back to the pitcher. Anyone notice a theme here? The bugs are doing more damage to Carmona right now than the Yanks have all night. Full count on Doug. He hits a rocket, but right at the second baseman. End of inning.
- Bottom Eighth: Sizemore walks on 4 pitches to lead off the eighth. These bugs are unbelievable. Wild pitch sends Sizemore to second. They just showed a close-up, Jaba has about 50 bugs on his neck. The kid needs to fight through it. Cabrera sacrifices Sizemore to third. Hafner up, one out, Sizemore at third. DOUG!!!!!!!!!! A laser hit right at Doug, he catches it on the fly. Man on third, two out, Victor Martinez at the plate. F!ck me. Sizemore scores on a wild pitch. 1-1, tie. Martinez hit by a pitch. Garko walks on a full-count pitch. 1-2 to Peralta. Come on kid, get him here. Big K there, to get out of the inning.
- God hates the Yankees, by the way.
- Top of the order coming up in the 9th. Fausto just sat for about a half hour, plus he has the bugs to contend with. Let's go to work here.
- Top Ninth: Damon grounds out. Jeter Ks. Abreu infield single. Here comes A-Rod. Abreu steals second, 2-2 count on A-Rod. Full count, two outs, Abreu on second. Come on A-Rod. K.
- Bottom Ninth: In comes Mo, and I have to think he's in for 2 innings minimum. Lofton flies out to lead the inning off. Mo is throwing HARD, 96 MPH on the last two-seamer. Gutierrez Ks, badly. Blake flies out to center. Another day at the office for Mr. Postseason.
- Matsui, Posada, Cano coming up in the 10th. Who will they face?
- Top Tenth: It's Rafael the Lefty. Matsui pops out to third. I think Joe should've used Shelley there for Matsui. Posada lines out to the wall in right. Cano pops out.
- We need another quick one from Mo here.
- Bottom Tenth: Full count to Sizemore. 12th pitch of the at bat coming up. 13th. Unbelievable. Mo strikes Sizemore out, Posada drops the ball, then throws the ball away. Runner on first, no one out. Here comes a bunt. Successful sacrifice bunt by Cabrera. Sizemore on second, one out for Hafner. Hafner grounds out to second. Man on third, two down for Victor Martinez. Intentional walk to Martinez. Garko will bat with men on first and second. Last night, Garko hit an opposite-field HR. He's going to be looking for the cutter away. Bust him in with the two-seamer early in the count. Jesus Christ. Garko gets hit. He didn't move a f!cking inch. Just let it hit him on the elbow pad. Unreal. Peralta with the bases loaded and two out. Thank God! Mo strikes Peralta out. We head to the 11th.
- Who the hell is going to pitch the bottom of the 11th? Joe wouldn't send Mo out for another inning after throwing 38 pitches in 2 innings, would he?
- Top Eleventh: Let's go Melky. Leche flies out to right. Frankenstein, baby. If he hangs one of those hooks Shelley is going to lose it. Duncan grounds out to deep short, he almost beat it out. Damon K's on a check swing.
- Who does Joe turn to now? The Viz is my bet.
- Bottom Eleventh: The Viz it is. Lead-off walk for Lofton. Gutierrez is going to be bunting here. He couldn't get the bunt down, then singled to left with two strikes. First and second, no one out. Blake will be bunting here. Blake got the bunt down, 2nd and 3rd, 1 out for Sizemore (who they will walk). Joe just pulled Damon for Sardinha in left. Good move, Sardinha has a cannon. Bases loaded for Cabrera, one out, this is the ball game folks. 0-1 on a foul ball. 0-2, another foul. 1-2, slider outside. 2-2, low and away. Holy crap, he popped out. 2 Outs, bases loaded for Hafner. 1-0, pitch was outside. 1-1, swing and a miss. 2-1, just missed the outside corner. 2-2, swing and a miss. 3-2. Single for Hafner. Game over. This one stings.
Players of The Game: Andy Pettitte and Melky Cabrera.
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Unfortunately, can only watch on Gameday, but for an 11-pitch inning, Carmona must be looking pretty good. Or are our guys not looking good?