Andy Pettitte had his worst start of the second half on Friday night. Not that it mattered. By the time he got the hook with two on and none out in the bottom of the sixth, the Yankees had scored 15 runs and were well on their way to a 20-11 win. The Yankees scored six runs in four innings off Boston starter Brad Penny without the benefit of a home run, added six more in the fifth off Penny and just-recalled rookie Michael Bowden, and boasted a 12-1 lead before the Red Sox picked up their second hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Pettitte struggled from there on out, giving up three in the fifth (all of which the Yanks got back off Bowden in the top of the sixth), and one more in the sixth before getting pulled with men on first and second and none out. Brian Bruney came on and walked in a run and let another in on a double-play before finally getting out of the inning. The Yankees got one of those runs back off Manny Delcarmen in the top of the seventh. Bruney worked into another jam in seventh, loading the bases on two walks and a hit batter, but Damaso Marte, fresh of the disabled list, emerged from the bullpen and got David Ortiz to fly out and struck out Mike Lowell, hitting 94 on the radar gun in the process. Marte started a string of eight straight outs that was snapped when the two teams combined for eight more runs in the ninth, with Ramon Ramirez and Sergio Mitre, who had pitched a perfect eighth, taking the beating.
The specifics of how the runs scored were unimportant. Nearly every Yankee starter got a hit and both scored and drove in at least one run. The exception was Johnny Damon, who struck out in his first at-bat after fouling a pitch off the inside of his right knee and never took the field in the bottom of the first due to the resulting bruise (it was nothing more). Erik Hinske took Damon’s place and in his first at-bat he hit an RBI ground rule double down the right field line, then came around to score. Hideki Matsui hit the only Yankee home runs, both of them three-run shots, contributing to his seven-RBI night, though one came with the Yanks leading 16-7 in the ninth inning.
So the Yankees finally won a game at Fenway this year, but hidden behind all the scoring was a poorly played game, even by the victors. Pettitte needed 105 pitches to get through five-plus innings and gave up seven runs on seven hits. Just five of those runs were earned because the sixth inning began with a throwing error by Robinson Cano that pulled Mark Teixeira off first base on a ground ball by Casey Kotchman. That wasn’t the worst play of the night however. In the third, Eric Hinske misplayed a ball off the Monster into a would-be triple, only to have Derek Jeter range out to shallow left and gun out Dustin Pedroia at third; Hinske never touched the ball. The “hit” that drove Pettitte from the game was a pop up to the triangle in shallow left center by David Ortiz that Melky Cabrera should have had, but let drop expecting Hinske to move in. That drove in a run. Bruney’s inning and a third was flat-out dreadful. He faced eight batters, walked three of them, hit a fourth, and gave up a single to a fifth. He threw 37 pitches to get four outs (two on a double play), and just 14 of those tosses were strikes. After a 1-2-3 eighth, Sergio Mitre got torched in the ninth, retiring just three of eight batters, hitting one and giving up a pair of homers and four runs, putting him even further behind Chad Guadin in the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation.
Still, it was a good time for Joe Girardi and Dave Eiland to get a look at the inconsistent Bruney, the newly activated Marte, and the relief version of Sergio Mitre. It also kept the Yankee boot on the Red Sox’s neck. The Yankees have now won the last five head-to-head meetings, hold a 7.5-game lead in the AL East, and have A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia starting the final two games of the series.
You're saying Hinske had the worst play of the night? Well, maybe, but I didn't think it was bad - in fact when it happened I thought it was a good try.
I never, ever, ever want to see Mitre in relief again.
Anyway it's unnecessary and perhaps silly but I'm hoping for a sweep right now. Imagine that? The Yanks' record vs the Red Sox would be 7-8 with a chance to tie or even take the season series ... That's just crazy considering how bad they looked vs the Sox earlier in the season.
How great would it be if the Yankees win tomorrow and then Sabathia out-duels the Grinchette for the sweep?
[1] Actually, I thought the ball that Melky let drop was the worst play of the night.
I've just about run out of patience with Bruney. Those eight weeks or so in 08 were nice, but they were clearly an aberration and its time time to move on from the generic right hander who throws hard but has no clue where its going
[1] I'd like to see the Yankees sweep, but realistically, I think they did their job tonight. Taking one of three and leaving with a 5.5 game lead is a pretty good worst case scenario.
[2] My mistake then, but you did write:
"the sixth inning began with a throwing error by Robinson Cano that pulled Mark Teixeira off first base on a ground ball by Casey Kotchman. That wasn’t the worst play of the night however. In the third, Eric Hinske misplayed a ball off the Monster into a would-be triple, only to have Derek Jeter range out to shallow left and gun out Dustin Pedroia at third; Hinske never touched the ball. "
I think you can see why I drew that conclusion!
[5] Yeah, I see the confusion. I meant that wasn't the worst, there were several others that were worse, including Hinske, Melky, etc.
[2] Spirited debate on the game thread over who should take the blame for the fly ball to no one. I still think Melky had to make the catch.
[1] I never want to see Mitre pitch again in any capacity. I will burn my toast if they DFA him after demoting Peña for ten days (ostensibly to make room for Marte, but in reality to keep GAudin/Mitre on the roster).
I worry about this game, as the team generally took a mental vacation from the 5th onwards (Cabrera, Cano, all the pitchers apart from Marte), and I'm just about as mad as could be after walloping our arch enemy in their home park and putting another nail in their post-season coffin. *grin*
Worst play of the game - poor suckers who picked this game as a backdrop for their wedding. Not a good omen, even for pink sox fans
And am I the only one who thinks that even with a huge win tonight, the highlight of the game was Ken Singleton basically calling Jim Rice a bitter douche?
[9] Unfortunately (?) I had to watch the NESN feed tonight.
He did it very politely, but he got his point across. And he repeatedly pointed out that the only reason anyone cares about what Jim Rice has to say is that he finally got into the Hall of Fame.
[8] Good call on the wedding. I felt bad for those folks, but that's the risk they took. I hope it's a good omen for them, like rain.
Taking the first game of this series may turn out to be the most important win of any in the remaining games.
It's only slightly short of insanity that Melancon isn't on this roster.
[11] That's awesome! I want to go into the archived game just to hear that..remember the inning?
I'm thrilled that they scored 20 and won the opener but if I had to miss a game am glad it was this one. Got the 5am (local time) start tomorrow so will miss the first half at least..thankfully sunday night/monday morning game can catch in its entirety!
Oh yeah, 松井さん、お疲れ様でした！
[7] "burn your toast"? I like that!
According to Sweeny Murti: Last Yankee with 7 RBIs at Fenway before Matsui Friday night? Lou Gehrig in 1930.
Good company.
[15] Just a rustic, homespun turn of phrase from the Great White North!
[17] Haha, I thought it might be translate from viva le Francaise, something you picked up in Montreal!
Just read the whole Jim Rice story..what a complete and total butthead..
I don't get the outrage over the Rice thing. He's a grumpy old ex-jock who was never Mr. Personality in the first place. Is this such a big deal?
[19] Can't speak bad about the Cap'n round these parts.. :)
And say what you want about A-Rod but am damn sure he works harder on his game than Jim Ed did..
time to catch some of the archived game!
[19] Lumping Jeter in with two acknowledged PED users offends people.
[19][21] Exactly. Whether or not one agrees with his assessment of the "problems" (i.e., baggy pants, PEDs, etc ), it was internally consistent to lump Jeter in with the other two. ♪ ♬ Which of these things is not like the other...♫ ♩
[19] I admittedly took offense to the dreadlock crack; he was taking a shot at Manny with a scattergun. Most dreds would ridicule him for it if he was as important as he thinks he is.
[22] You're using a Windows keyboard, eh? Been trying to do that trick since I joined...
[23] Nope. Mac all the way, baby! The Character Palette is your friend (go to System Preferences/International/Input).
[22] My goodness...
"internally inconsistent..."
[22] a single eighth note with a flag and two eighth notes with a beam! sooo cool! my little laptop doesn't do that...
of course, i'm thrilled with the huge win!!! but i'm not pleased about giving up ELEVEN runs, wild pitchers and mental miscues in the field. at least we still have are big guns starting the next two and a fresh bullpen.
i'd LOVE a sweep, but would certainly settle for 2 outta 3. i'd be disappointed if we don't win either weekend game...
LET'S GO YAN-KEES !! !!!
So Jim Ed is the new Joe Morgan?
Good company indeed...
It's sure tough to get old.
He obviously got Derek Jeter confused with David Ortiz.
They also neglected to report Rice told the kids to "Get off of my lawn!"
He should have spent some of his millions on a few reality classes.
"Misquoted"...
Oy!
No Jim Ed, you weren't misquoted. You simply proved to all once again you are a complete idiot and deserved enshrinement about as much as Big Papi does! Maybe next time you'll stick to talking about the Red Sox and their hitting, but I doubt it...
: )
[4] Yes, way back to [4] - I feel the same way.
It appears LaTroy Hawkins has taken well to Houston
[26] In a blowout of this magnitude, there's usually a loss of focus resulting in an inordinate amount of runs from the losing team. No cause for concern there.
Didn't lose sleep last night but what to do about Bruney, what to do about Bruney, what to do about Bruney kept me awake for a few minutes before I nodded off smiling.
Anybody know what to do about Bruney?
Good piece in the NY TImes today comparing Cano to the lil squirt who plays 2b for the Red Sox. The hustle versus raw talent points are predictable, but I found the quotes from Jeter and ARod somewhat revealing:
"Derek Jeter has played beside Cano with the Yankees and has played beside Pedroia in the World Baseball Classic and in All-Star Games.
“The only similarity,” Jeter said, “is that they both play second base.”
While Alex Rodriguez would not rate Cano and Pedroia, he complimented both. If Rodriguez had a son, he said, he would tell him to “watch Pedroia because he plays the right way.” Rodriguez said Cano “has only touched the tip of the iceberg with how talented he can be.”
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Watching Cano last night several of us grumbled about him jogging to 1b. I hate to see players dawgin it, but I'd take Cano over Pedroia everyday of the week. I think he not only has a batting title in him, I think he has bonafide MVP power and talent.
[30] Especially when said runs were given up by our most recent incarnation of the run fairy, Sergio Mitre
i don't care how much Mitre pitches between now and the end of the season so much at this point. I think we'll win the division.
Today is a game I really want to win. Makes tomorrow's game virtually meaningless (although, seeing Beckett's face on top of the wins list in the AL would annoy me no matter how worthless the win stat might be).
I'd find something conveniently wrong with Bruney and send him on a magical mystery tour through "rehab". Ol' boy seems shook that he's not the eighth wonder anymore...
As for Cano vs. Strawberry Shortcake, they were being very polite, and if I were Cano I'd take a long, hard look at myself and make an effort to look like I enjoy playing the game. The biggest difference between those two is that Cano takes himself for granted, and Pedroia knows if he slides back a little, Theo will start looking for replacements. There's no one really pushing Cano for his job, so he's safe. Look at Melky; the reason he's stepped up his game was because Gardner was about to take his job. When Gardner's not around to push Melky, he starts losing some steam. Cano needs someone that can "replace" him as a lidr on an increasing basis to show him that his job should not be taken for granted.
[32] Kay said during the game that Teixeira told him the player who most surprised him upon joining the Yankees was Cano. The quote went something like "I knew how good Derek and Alex were, but I had no idea Cano was this good."
so, in reviewing some of the highlights, that play by Jeter where he throws out midget is just awesome. I love it!
[37] definitely a sweet play. The one missed play I would have loved to see them make was Ellsbury's first steal. Po made a great throw, but Cano pulled his glove a half second too quickly to make the tag and dropped the ball. Missed him by [this much].
Look at Melky; the reason he’s stepped up his game was because Gardner was about to take his job. When Gardner’s not around to push Melky, he starts losing some steam.
Nah, Melky isn't all that good. Gardner's presence doesn't motivate Melky as much as it doesn't allow him to get exposed, especially with the way Girardi uses him.
per Pete Abe no Damon today, maybe tomorrow
Jeter SS
Swisher RF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Hinske LF
Cabrera CF
Sox have Varischmuck behind the plate.
I say watch out for BoSox cheapshots and temper tantrums in this one. They're a cornered and wounded animal.
[32] I agree 100%. I also believe that Cano is not even close to his full potential, while Dusty Mc3rdoutat3rd has maxed out his.
[39] Melky is never going to get the respect that he deserves, but he has been a league average hitter and an above average defender in CF...all at the age of 24. That's not spectacular, but it is pretty good.
Pretty good game last night. Eli leading the Giants past the Patriots, only negatives were Nick Swisher missing that one PAT and the safety by NE at the end. Otherwise, 3TDs to 3 field goals, I'll take every time.
Good thing it wasn't a baseball game. That would have been ugly.
[41] "Respect" has little to do with stating the obvious about Cabrera as a player, especially when coming off the season he had in 2008, and even 2007, where he regressed from his 2006 season.
[39] It wasn't said that Cabrera is that good, just that he's made better by having Gardner's presence putting some pressure on him. Of course no one knows that so it's fair to say that's not the case, but no more fair that it is to say it is the case.
Cano is a lot more talented but I think Melky has more potential in the sense that he will get better. I'd be very surprised if the perceived potential of Cano is ever achieved; he is what he is.
[44] Cabrera has 2006-08 as a body of work. He regressed in 07, then again in 08. He had competition then as well, in guys like Damon, Matsui & Abreu, among others. Gardner's presence isn't putting pressure on Cabrera. Gardner's presence allows Girardi to use Melky as a hybrid starter/4th OF, which is a perfect role for him.