04/25: Rays 6, Yankees 4: Wang's OK, but so is Crawford
Posted by: Jason
Last evening saw the Yankees lose their fifth straight game and slide to last place in the division. However, as with most things in life, last night's loss was not without positive developments:
Matsui drilled a Kazmir fastball into the deep right field seats for his first HR of 2007. He appears to have his timing back after the DL stint.
Chien-Ming Wang projects to be fine this year based on last night's performance. Wang's velocity (Disclaimer: on the TV radar gun) was consistently mid 90's on the fastball, low 90's on the sinker. His "bowling ball" sinker created multiple ground ball outs and he was able to control innings that could have exploded, most notably Tampa Bay's half of the 4th: They had 1st and 3rd with no outs. Their two runs scored that inning could have easily been more.
The Yankees fought back in the top 7th. Scott Kazmir's lazy throw on a Matsui grounder got by 1B Pena. Posada made Kazmir regret the mistake with a solid double that tied the score. Phelps's hit plated Posada and the Yankees had the lead 3-2.
At this point, I must ask parents to have their children leave the room, because the following paragraph is gruesome:
After two quick hits in the bottom of the 7th, Vizcaino replaced Wang and got a quick out. Baldelli got an IBB to load the bases. Myers entered to face Crawford who somehow got his bat on a very good pitch (quite a bit down and in) and golfed the ball into the stands for a 6-3 TB lead. The Yankees scratched out another run but it ended in a 6-4 defeat.
Injury Report: Jeter took a fastball to the leg in his 1st AB and was moving (delicately) under his own power before Cairo replaced him...no word yet on his short term status.
Losing 5 in a row is of course disappointing, but you'd rather do it:
1) In April, and
2) when the division leader obliges you by losing 2 straight and you're still only 4 games out of first place.
The team also has an opportunity to right the ship in the next 5 games...4 wins between now and this Sunday would do the trick.
Matsui drilled a Kazmir fastball into the deep right field seats for his first HR of 2007. He appears to have his timing back after the DL stint.
Chien-Ming Wang projects to be fine this year based on last night's performance. Wang's velocity (Disclaimer: on the TV radar gun) was consistently mid 90's on the fastball, low 90's on the sinker. His "bowling ball" sinker created multiple ground ball outs and he was able to control innings that could have exploded, most notably Tampa Bay's half of the 4th: They had 1st and 3rd with no outs. Their two runs scored that inning could have easily been more.
The Yankees fought back in the top 7th. Scott Kazmir's lazy throw on a Matsui grounder got by 1B Pena. Posada made Kazmir regret the mistake with a solid double that tied the score. Phelps's hit plated Posada and the Yankees had the lead 3-2.
At this point, I must ask parents to have their children leave the room, because the following paragraph is gruesome:
After two quick hits in the bottom of the 7th, Vizcaino replaced Wang and got a quick out. Baldelli got an IBB to load the bases. Myers entered to face Crawford who somehow got his bat on a very good pitch (quite a bit down and in) and golfed the ball into the stands for a 6-3 TB lead. The Yankees scratched out another run but it ended in a 6-4 defeat.
Injury Report: Jeter took a fastball to the leg in his 1st AB and was moving (delicately) under his own power before Cairo replaced him...no word yet on his short term status.
Losing 5 in a row is of course disappointing, but you'd rather do it:
1) In April, and
2) when the division leader obliges you by losing 2 straight and you're still only 4 games out of first place.
The team also has an opportunity to right the ship in the next 5 games...4 wins between now and this Sunday would do the trick.
