08/07: Pudge Hurt in Yankee Victory
Posted by: Seamus
The Yankees were able to keep pace with the Rays and Red Sox with a 5-3 victory over the Rangers, but not before a collision at the plate bruised up another Yankee. Pudge Rodriguez left the game in the 2nd inning after taking a shot to the knee. The Yankees are calling it a "bruised knee" and he is listed as day-to-day.
As for the rest of the game, the Yankees got a pretty good start from Sidney Ponson, who allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in 6 and 1/3 innings. Most of the damage on Ponson was done in the 2nd when he allowed two runs on four hits and also hit a batter.
The Yankees took the lead in the 3rd, however, with a three-run inning that included an RBI double by Wilson Betemit and an RBI single by Derek Jeter. The Yankees tacked on a couple more later on in the game, thanks to a solo home run by Jason Giambi in the 4th and an RBI double by Jeter in the 5th.
Chris Young launched a home run off of Ponson in the bottom of the 6th cut the Yankee lead to 5-3, but the game was scoreless after that as both bullpens pitched well. The Yankees' pen pitched 2 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, but it was probably unnecessary for three guys to have to get three outs in the 8th.
There's something about this team and these four-game series where the Yankees like to drop the first two and still manage to salvage a split by winning the next two. It happened against Boston in early July, again this weekend against the Angels, and they've got a shot to do it again here in Texas. Mike Mussina will be going for his 15th victory tonight and his counterpart will be Scott Feldman. Game starts at 8:05 ET.
As for the rest of the game, the Yankees got a pretty good start from Sidney Ponson, who allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in 6 and 1/3 innings. Most of the damage on Ponson was done in the 2nd when he allowed two runs on four hits and also hit a batter.
The Yankees took the lead in the 3rd, however, with a three-run inning that included an RBI double by Wilson Betemit and an RBI single by Derek Jeter. The Yankees tacked on a couple more later on in the game, thanks to a solo home run by Jason Giambi in the 4th and an RBI double by Jeter in the 5th.
Chris Young launched a home run off of Ponson in the bottom of the 6th cut the Yankee lead to 5-3, but the game was scoreless after that as both bullpens pitched well. The Yankees' pen pitched 2 and 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, but it was probably unnecessary for three guys to have to get three outs in the 8th.
There's something about this team and these four-game series where the Yankees like to drop the first two and still manage to salvage a split by winning the next two. It happened against Boston in early July, again this weekend against the Angels, and they've got a shot to do it again here in Texas. Mike Mussina will be going for his 15th victory tonight and his counterpart will be Scott Feldman. Game starts at 8:05 ET.
