09/24: Yankees Take Rubber Game in Anaheim
Posted by: Seamus
On Wednesday the Yankees did something they hadn't done in five years, which is win win a series in Angel Stadium as A.J. Burnett and company were able to hold on for a 3–2 victory. The win gives the Yankees a 6.5 game edge over the Angels for home field advantage throughout the playoffs and cuts the Yankees' magic number to clinch the A.L. East to 5 games (Boston won in Kansas City).
All 3 Yankee runs came in the 4th inning, as back-to-back RBI knocks from Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera helped the Yankees jump out to a 3–0 lead. That was all the offense the Yankees would get, but it was all they would need as the Angels were only able to pick up lone runs in both the 5th and 6th innings.
A.J. Burnett put 10 Angel runners on base in his 5 and 2/3 innings of work, but only two were able to come around to score, mostly thanks to the fact that he struck out 11 batters. The bullpen was solid, throwing 4 and 1/3 scoreless innings higlighted by the return of Ian Kennedy. Kennedy, who missed most of the season due to an aneurysm in his arm, worked himself into a bases loaded jam but escaped after getting Erick Aybar to fly out to left.
Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 42nd save of the season.
The Yankees will have the day off today and will begin a weekend series Friday against the Red Sox. The Yankees can clinch the A.L. East with a series sweep. CC Sabathia will go up against Jon Lester in the series' marquee pitching matchup on Friday night beginning at 7:05 ET.
Recap records: Seamus: 46–25, Patrick: 40–20, Andrew: 11–11
All 3 Yankee runs came in the 4th inning, as back-to-back RBI knocks from Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera helped the Yankees jump out to a 3–0 lead. That was all the offense the Yankees would get, but it was all they would need as the Angels were only able to pick up lone runs in both the 5th and 6th innings.
A.J. Burnett put 10 Angel runners on base in his 5 and 2/3 innings of work, but only two were able to come around to score, mostly thanks to the fact that he struck out 11 batters. The bullpen was solid, throwing 4 and 1/3 scoreless innings higlighted by the return of Ian Kennedy. Kennedy, who missed most of the season due to an aneurysm in his arm, worked himself into a bases loaded jam but escaped after getting Erick Aybar to fly out to left.
Mariano Rivera pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up his 42nd save of the season.
The Yankees will have the day off today and will begin a weekend series Friday against the Red Sox. The Yankees can clinch the A.L. East with a series sweep. CC Sabathia will go up against Jon Lester in the series' marquee pitching matchup on Friday night beginning at 7:05 ET.
Recap records: Seamus: 46–25, Patrick: 40–20, Andrew: 11–11
