The Yankees go for the sweep of the Friars in a matinee game...and on paper, it looks good for the Yankees. They throw Joba up against the Padres while SD counters with Josh Banks. Now Banks has a 1.29 ERA coming into this game...but looking at his stat history doesn't exactly inspire confidence if I'm a Padres fan.

- Well, after the Yanks wasted an opportunity in the bottom of the first (first and second, none out and then second and third, one out and no runs in), the Padres look to create their own opportunity. A single, ground rule double and a walk have loaded the bases with none out. Time to bear down, Joba.

- Holy cow. He came out of the inning unscathed. He struck out Scott Hairston and got the second out when Adrian Gonzalez tried to come home on a passed ball and Jose Molina got the ball in time to Joba who was covering the plate. Joba then pumped a slider past a swinging Khalil Greene, did a little 1/2 twirl mini-fist-pump on the mound and that was the inning. Nice job.

- While Banks seems to be handling the Yankees offense, Joba is working himself into trouble here in the 4th with a single and a walk to start off the inning. He ends up getting Chase Headley with a K for the first out before giving up a ground rule double to Tony Clark (! - Man, he loves hitting against NY teams, huh?) that plates a run. He gets Scott Hairston to ground out for the second out (getting the lead runner at home) and Khalil Greene to line out to right field. 71 pitches through 4.

- Look at Melky trying to manufacture a run here in the bottom of the fifth. After working out a walk, he has stolen second and third with Jose Molina up. A productive out here from Jose, who is just having a horrendous year with the bat so far, would be huge...and he comes through on the 8th pitch of the AB. Tie game...and a tip of the hat to Melky for that run.

- Joba comes out for the 6th, having thrown 88 pitches so far. His target today was probably around 105 so one more inning sounds about right. Well, I guess they didn't want a full inning out of him as Joba leaves in high style, striking out the first two batters of the inning. 5 and two-thirds, 4 hits, 1 ER, 3 BBs and 9Ks on exactly 100 pitches. He worked his way out of a few jams...and better teams might make him pay...but still, he did very well today and now he turns over a tie game to the Yankee bullpen, starting with Jose Veras.

- Looks like the Yankees are at it again. DJ gets on with a single and promptly steals second with no one out. Man in scoring position with no outs in a tie game - come on Yankees, you know how this works. Awesome, it works. Abreu with the groundout to the right side to move the runner over and A-Rod went one better with a single that score Jeter. 2-1 Yankees. I love it when a plan comes together.

- Jose Molina doubles with one out in the 7th but the Yankees leave him stranded. Nuts. An insurance run would have been nice...because here's comes Kyle Farnsworth pitching on consecutive days, something he hasn't done well this year...and naturally, Kyle breezes through the inning with 2 Ks.

- The Yanks go meekly in the 8th so here comes Mo, who hasn't blown a save all year and actually hasn't given up a run in a save situation this year (man, I hope I haven't jinxed him). Nah...jinxes don't work on the Sandman and he strikes out the side (that's 15 total for the Yankees staff today). 20 for 20, 0.00 ERA in save situations and the Yankees win again. They go to 40-33 and gain a half game on the idle Red Sox (5 GB, 4 on the loss side).