The Sommer Frieze

The Yanks won 5-2 last night, dropping their magic # to 29.

Robbie Cano’s 3-run HR (21) in the bottom of the 10th was the game-winner.

The Yanks got a homer by Jeter leading off the bottom of the first. The HR, #17 for the season by the Captain, was the 223rd of his career—passing Don Mattingly. The hit was #2705— 16 behind the “Yankee hit king”, Lou Gehrig.

JD hit #23—one behind his career high—in the 3rd to make it 2-0.

For six innings, CC was cruising. A shutout through six, with 10 K.

In the 7th, I got mad at Girardi’s managing, and would stay mad through the end of the game and even now.

CC gave up two in the 7th. I was wondering why he left CC in to face some righties instead of going to Bruney or Hughes. Two plays at the plate saved CC and the Yanks. With 2nd and 3rd, one out, Alex fielded a grounder and came home to get the runner. After a walk, bases loaded and two out, one run in (and CC still on the mound to face a righty) a single tied the game, but Swisher charged the ball well, fired home and got the second runner at the plate. Those plays saved the game for the Yanks. But I thought Girardi—who pulled CC after the inning—stuck with him a bit too long.

I really got angry after the 8th. For after not having pitched much this month, we had a Phil Hughes sighting. 1-2-3, all by K, completely dominating. I wanted Phil to pitch the 9th. After all, he smoked in the 8th. Nope, right to Mo, even though it was a tie game. Now there are far worse options than Mariano Rivera of course, but I wanted Phil to go two. Nope. One for Hughes, a scoreless inning for Mo. Then Mo is out. I was pissed. Extra innings and you burned your top two relievers. Now you go to the sublevel class (Bruney) for how long?

Fortunately we didn’t have to find out. Bruney pitched a scoreless 10th and was the winner when Cano unloaded.

But I’d have done it differently. Bruney would have come in in the 7th. Maybe extras wouldn’t have been necessary.

And I’d have let a dominating Hughes pitch a second inning.

Oh well. All’s well that ends well.

One noticeable sign: How bad is Posada’s hand? After all, if Molina is allowed to hit in the 9th of a tie game, and after a single is not pinch-run for…you know Posada was unavailable.

Another noticeable sign: Remember a few weeks back when Melky didn’t noticeably signal to Posada to slide on a play at the plate? Yesterday he loses a ball in the lights and raindrops and fails to noticeably give an “I’m in trouble” sign. Maybe Melky needs acting classes to learn to emote.      

After seeing some posts saying it was happening and an MLB post saying it was off, Kazmir to the Angels did actually go through.