09/15: Yankees Prevail vs. Angels
Posted by: Seamus
The Angels made a brief appearance in the Bronx Monday night and left empty-handed, as the Yankees pulled out a 5–3 victory in a tight game between division leaders.
Joba Chamberlain pitched a respectable four innings in another shortened start, allowing four hits and just one run on a deep home run by Vladimir Guerrero.
The Yankees answered Guerrero's blast with one of their own, this time off the bat of Nick Swisher in the third inning to tie the game at 1 apiece. The Yankees jumped ahead in the fifth inning after falling behind on a Chone Figgins ground out, as Mark Teixeira hit a ball off the center field wall that bounced all the way back into the middle of the outfield for a two-run triple that made it 3–2.
The Angels tied the game again in the eighth when Kendry Morales came up with the bases loaded against a laboring Phil Hughes and grounded into a double play that scored Bobby Abreu from third.
The Yankees finally went ahead for good in the bottom of the inning, when Chone Figgins misplayed a ball at third on a Brett Gardner steal attempt, allowing Gardner to score as the ball trickled into left field. An RBI single from Robinson Cano gave the Yankees a little insurance. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth to record his 40th save of the season.
The Yankees' magic number to clinch the A.L. East over Boston now stands at 12. Their magic number to clinch the postseason over Texas is 7. No other team on the outside can catch the Yankees in the standings.
The Yankees will begin a short two-game series against the Blue Jays tonight at 7:05 ET. The Yankees will get one last look at Roy Halladay this year as he'll take the mound for the Jays against Sergio Mitre.
Recap records: Seamus: 44–23, Patrick: 38–18, Andrew: 11–11
Joba Chamberlain pitched a respectable four innings in another shortened start, allowing four hits and just one run on a deep home run by Vladimir Guerrero.
The Yankees answered Guerrero's blast with one of their own, this time off the bat of Nick Swisher in the third inning to tie the game at 1 apiece. The Yankees jumped ahead in the fifth inning after falling behind on a Chone Figgins ground out, as Mark Teixeira hit a ball off the center field wall that bounced all the way back into the middle of the outfield for a two-run triple that made it 3–2.
The Angels tied the game again in the eighth when Kendry Morales came up with the bases loaded against a laboring Phil Hughes and grounded into a double play that scored Bobby Abreu from third.
The Yankees finally went ahead for good in the bottom of the inning, when Chone Figgins misplayed a ball at third on a Brett Gardner steal attempt, allowing Gardner to score as the ball trickled into left field. An RBI single from Robinson Cano gave the Yankees a little insurance. Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth to record his 40th save of the season.
The Yankees' magic number to clinch the A.L. East over Boston now stands at 12. Their magic number to clinch the postseason over Texas is 7. No other team on the outside can catch the Yankees in the standings.
The Yankees will begin a short two-game series against the Blue Jays tonight at 7:05 ET. The Yankees will get one last look at Roy Halladay this year as he'll take the mound for the Jays against Sergio Mitre.
Recap records: Seamus: 44–23, Patrick: 38–18, Andrew: 11–11
