07/17: Yanks Take Opener From Jays
Posted by: Seamus
There's still a long up-hill battle for them to climb, but the Yankees might finally have something going here as they beat the Blue Jays 6-4 in the opener of a four-game set, giving them victories in 4 of their first 5 games since the All-Star break and 8 out of their last 11 overall. The victory keeps them 9 games behind Boston and brings them within 7 of the Indians in the wild card race (Mariners are one game out, Twins are five behind).
The first 4 runs for each team all came via the home run. Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano each hit solo shots in the 2nd to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Troy Glaus tied it in the 3rd with a two-run homer, and Alex Rodriguez broke the tie with a two-run shot, his 32nd of the season and the 496th of his career. Glaus brought the Blue Jays within a run with another dinger in the 5th and Alex Rios tied it in the 6th.
The Yankees finally went ahead for good with some good two-out hitting in the 6th inning. Posada hit a line-drive single to right, followed by a double off the wall by Cano, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd for Andy Phillips. Phillips was able to get the end of the bat on a low pitch, sending it into shallow center, scoring both runners and giving the Yanks a 6-4 lead. That would turn out to be the final score as the next three innings went scoreless and Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth for his 14th save and his third in as many days.
As for the Yanks' starter in last night's game, Kei Igawa was not great but was good enough to keep the team in the ballgame, which Igawa needs to realize that's all that is really going to be asked of him or any other Yankee pitcher. He walked down into the dugout in the 4th inning looking like he was about to cry, even though the Yanks were still leading by a run. He did give up 3 runs on 7 hits in five innings, but he still pitched good enough to win and if he can't hold his head up high after a game like this, he's never going to gain any confidence.
The Yankees will attempt to do something they haven't done very well this year, which is continuing hot hitting against the game's elite pitchers, as the lineup will be getting another look at Roy Halladay. Andy Pettite will take the mound for the Yanks.
The first 4 runs for each team all came via the home run. Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano each hit solo shots in the 2nd to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Troy Glaus tied it in the 3rd with a two-run homer, and Alex Rodriguez broke the tie with a two-run shot, his 32nd of the season and the 496th of his career. Glaus brought the Blue Jays within a run with another dinger in the 5th and Alex Rios tied it in the 6th.
The Yankees finally went ahead for good with some good two-out hitting in the 6th inning. Posada hit a line-drive single to right, followed by a double off the wall by Cano, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd for Andy Phillips. Phillips was able to get the end of the bat on a low pitch, sending it into shallow center, scoring both runners and giving the Yanks a 6-4 lead. That would turn out to be the final score as the next three innings went scoreless and Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth for his 14th save and his third in as many days.
As for the Yanks' starter in last night's game, Kei Igawa was not great but was good enough to keep the team in the ballgame, which Igawa needs to realize that's all that is really going to be asked of him or any other Yankee pitcher. He walked down into the dugout in the 4th inning looking like he was about to cry, even though the Yanks were still leading by a run. He did give up 3 runs on 7 hits in five innings, but he still pitched good enough to win and if he can't hold his head up high after a game like this, he's never going to gain any confidence.
The Yankees will attempt to do something they haven't done very well this year, which is continuing hot hitting against the game's elite pitchers, as the lineup will be getting another look at Roy Halladay. Andy Pettite will take the mound for the Yanks.
