04/29: Yankees Salvage Split with Indians
Posted by: Seamus
Fans saw some great pitching on Sunday when Chien-Ming Wang outdueled C.C. Sabathia in a 1-0 Yankee victory, but after four scoreless innings for both teams Monday night, it was starting to get downright boring. The Yankees did win though, by a score of 5-2, thanks mostly to a four-run 6th in which the Yankees caught a few breaks. With the win, the Yankees moved back above the .500 mark and finished their 10-game road trip with a record of 5-5.
Neither team could get anything going early, partly due to some good pitching by Mike Mussina and Aaron Laffey, and also partly because of a lack of timely hitting. The Yankees failed to score in the 1st after having runners on first and third with one out. The Indians couldn't get anything against Mike Mussina until the 5th, when he struggled a bit and allowed two runs. Overall, though, it was another decent start for Mussina, who allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
The Yankees didn't even record a hit until Melky Cabrera and Derek Jeter led off the 6th with back-to-back infield singles. Abreu singled to load the bases, and Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to walk in a run. Rodriguez promptly left the game after apparently reinjuring his quad. Jason Giambi then tied the game with an RBI groundout, Matsui put the Yanks ahead with an RBI groundout of his own, and an infield single by Morgan Ensberg gave the Yankees an insurance run. So, basically the Yankees scored four runs on a bunch of little dribblers that all could have easily been outs aside from the base hit by Abreu.
The Yankees bullpen was a rock in this one, as Albaladejo, Farnsworth, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera threw a combined four scoreless innings. Rivera recorded his 8th save of the season and has still not allowed a run or a walk in 11 innings of work this season.
Well, when you look at the schedule this month and you see 9 home games played to this point as opposed to 18 road games, and 18 of the last 20 games away from Yankee Stadium, 14-13 really doesn't look all that bad, especially when that puts them only a game out of first place. If the Yankees string together a good homestand here, they could be really good shape.
That homestand starts tonight in the Bronx against the Tigers, who have played better baseball of late after a 2-9 start. Phil Hughes will be going up against 74-year old Kenny Rogers in the opener. Game starts at 7:05 E.T.
Neither team could get anything going early, partly due to some good pitching by Mike Mussina and Aaron Laffey, and also partly because of a lack of timely hitting. The Yankees failed to score in the 1st after having runners on first and third with one out. The Indians couldn't get anything against Mike Mussina until the 5th, when he struggled a bit and allowed two runs. Overall, though, it was another decent start for Mussina, who allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings of work.
The Yankees didn't even record a hit until Melky Cabrera and Derek Jeter led off the 6th with back-to-back infield singles. Abreu singled to load the bases, and Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to walk in a run. Rodriguez promptly left the game after apparently reinjuring his quad. Jason Giambi then tied the game with an RBI groundout, Matsui put the Yanks ahead with an RBI groundout of his own, and an infield single by Morgan Ensberg gave the Yankees an insurance run. So, basically the Yankees scored four runs on a bunch of little dribblers that all could have easily been outs aside from the base hit by Abreu.
The Yankees bullpen was a rock in this one, as Albaladejo, Farnsworth, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera threw a combined four scoreless innings. Rivera recorded his 8th save of the season and has still not allowed a run or a walk in 11 innings of work this season.
Well, when you look at the schedule this month and you see 9 home games played to this point as opposed to 18 road games, and 18 of the last 20 games away from Yankee Stadium, 14-13 really doesn't look all that bad, especially when that puts them only a game out of first place. If the Yankees string together a good homestand here, they could be really good shape.
That homestand starts tonight in the Bronx against the Tigers, who have played better baseball of late after a 2-9 start. Phil Hughes will be going up against 74-year old Kenny Rogers in the opener. Game starts at 7:05 E.T.
