07/04: Yankees Outlast Jays, Win 6-5 in 12 Innings
Posted by: Andrew
The Chien-Ming Wang/Roy Halladay matchup didn't seem to favor the Yankees on paper heading into Saturday's game at Yankee Stadium. However, when the dust settled, the Yankees were able to come back against the Jays' big right-hander and eventually defeat them 6-5 in 12 innings.
The Yankees got on the board in the bottom of the first on Alex Rodriguez's two-out RBI single to right. Johnny Damon drew his first of two walks against Halladay and was in scoring position after a Mark Teixeira groundout.
However, Toronto was able to come right back and take the lead off Wang in the top of the second. Lyle Overbay walked with one out and Vernon Wells popped a ground rule double to right. Alex Rios followed with a two-run single up the middle to give the Jays a 2-1 lead.
Halladay, who has dominated the Yankees over the years, was a little rusty in his second start coming off the disabled list. He allowed a solo home run to Hideki Matsui in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2. Jorge Posada then hit a leadoff solo home run in the fourth to give the Yankees the lead again. It would be short-lived, however.
Adam Lind hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to give the Jays at 4-3 lead. Wang would leave after throwing another pitch with a strained shoulder. In 5 1/3 innings, he allowed four earned runs on six hits. He walked one, struck out one and threw 67 pitches. David Robertson relieved Wang and promptly allowed two straight walks. After recording a strikeout, he allowed an RBI single to Rios to extend the Jays' lead to 5-3.
Halladay pitched a scoreless sixth inning to preserve the lead. However, Derek Jeter led off the seventh with a single. Johnny Damon was up next and proceeded to hit a patented "New Yankee Stadium home run" to right to tie the game at 5. This proved to be Halladay's last inning. All five runs were earned and he struck out three and walked three.
Aside from Robertson, all of the Yankees relievers - Brian Bruney, Phil Hughes, Mariano Rivera, Phil Coke and Brett Tomko - all pitched scoreless innings through the 12th.
The Yankees were hitless in extras heading into the 12th. Mark Teixeira got lucky when he hit a ball off the first base bag for a double to lead off the frame. Rodriguez was intentionally walked to face Robinson Cano, who finished the day 0-for-6 with 10 runners left on base. For some reason, he bunted on a 3-0 count, forcing Teixeira out at third. However, Posada was able to pick up his second baseman with an RBI single to center to win the game 6-5.
On a day the Red Sox lost, the Yankees pulled into within one game of first place while reaching 14 games above .500 for the first time this season. Joba Chamberlain starts for New York tomorrow afternoon as the Yankees look to win the first three games of this four-game series in the Bronx.
Recap records: Patrick: 23–12, Seamus: 18–14, Andrew: 6–7.
Andrew Fletcher blogs about the Yankees regularly at Scott Proctor's Arm.
The Yankees got on the board in the bottom of the first on Alex Rodriguez's two-out RBI single to right. Johnny Damon drew his first of two walks against Halladay and was in scoring position after a Mark Teixeira groundout.
However, Toronto was able to come right back and take the lead off Wang in the top of the second. Lyle Overbay walked with one out and Vernon Wells popped a ground rule double to right. Alex Rios followed with a two-run single up the middle to give the Jays a 2-1 lead.
Halladay, who has dominated the Yankees over the years, was a little rusty in his second start coming off the disabled list. He allowed a solo home run to Hideki Matsui in the bottom of the second to tie the game at 2. Jorge Posada then hit a leadoff solo home run in the fourth to give the Yankees the lead again. It would be short-lived, however.
Adam Lind hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to give the Jays at 4-3 lead. Wang would leave after throwing another pitch with a strained shoulder. In 5 1/3 innings, he allowed four earned runs on six hits. He walked one, struck out one and threw 67 pitches. David Robertson relieved Wang and promptly allowed two straight walks. After recording a strikeout, he allowed an RBI single to Rios to extend the Jays' lead to 5-3.
Halladay pitched a scoreless sixth inning to preserve the lead. However, Derek Jeter led off the seventh with a single. Johnny Damon was up next and proceeded to hit a patented "New Yankee Stadium home run" to right to tie the game at 5. This proved to be Halladay's last inning. All five runs were earned and he struck out three and walked three.
Aside from Robertson, all of the Yankees relievers - Brian Bruney, Phil Hughes, Mariano Rivera, Phil Coke and Brett Tomko - all pitched scoreless innings through the 12th.
The Yankees were hitless in extras heading into the 12th. Mark Teixeira got lucky when he hit a ball off the first base bag for a double to lead off the frame. Rodriguez was intentionally walked to face Robinson Cano, who finished the day 0-for-6 with 10 runners left on base. For some reason, he bunted on a 3-0 count, forcing Teixeira out at third. However, Posada was able to pick up his second baseman with an RBI single to center to win the game 6-5.
On a day the Red Sox lost, the Yankees pulled into within one game of first place while reaching 14 games above .500 for the first time this season. Joba Chamberlain starts for New York tomorrow afternoon as the Yankees look to win the first three games of this four-game series in the Bronx.
Recap records: Patrick: 23–12, Seamus: 18–14, Andrew: 6–7.
Andrew Fletcher blogs about the Yankees regularly at Scott Proctor's Arm.
