10/20: Sabathia Dominates on Short Rest; Big Nights from Melky and A-Rod Put Yankees One Away from Pennant
Posted by: Patrick
In a night where bad umpiring was a story that didn't impact the outcome of the game, CC Sabathia gave the Yankees a dominating start on 3 days rest as the team moved within a game of an American League pennant.
Having been held scoreless through the first three innings by Scott Kazmir, the Yankees broke through in the fourth after A-Rod and Jorge Posada led off with a single and double respectively. After a Hideki Matsui strike out, Robinson Cano would hit a grounder just slow enough for Alex Rodriguez to score, sliding under Angels catcher Mike Napoli. Posada moved to third on the play.
After Nick Swisher walked to load the bases, Melky delivered with a two RBI single, putting the Yankees up at 3-0. Swisher was the aim of a pick-off attempt at second base and video replays showed him to be out, even though he was called safe. He would advance to third as Derek Jeter walked to load them up once more.
However, one bad call begot another as Johnny Damon hit what appeared to be a sure thing sacrifice fly. Swisher tagged and scored. Wait, not quite. The Angels questioned whether or not Swisher had left the base early and third base umpire and crew chief Tim McClelland decided that Swisher hadn't. Once again, replays showed this to be the wrong call.
In the fifth, Mark Teixeira led off with a single, ending the day of Angels starter Kazmir. It didn't matter as A-Rod took new pitcher Jason Bulger deep for a two run home run. Posada walked and stole just his third base in 103 postseason games. But, then he proceeded to make a pair of baserunning gaffes. When Robinson Cano doubled, Posada held up thinking that Angels center fielder Torii Hunter might make the catch. When it went over his head, Posada could only advance to third, rather than scoring. This one wasn't as big a deal as the next one.
On a ground ball off the bat of Nick Swisher, Posada headed home when he really shouldn't have and the ball was at home plate long before he was, so he headed back to third. Cano made perhaps the bigger gaffe as he ran all the way to third... yet didn't step on the base. Posada ran back and past third, probably thinking Cano would take it. The end result? No one on the base. Both players were tagged out, but here's McClelland again, ruling only one of them out. Melky made it moot with a ground out. 5-0 Yankees.
The Angels finally got a run off of CC Sabathia in the bottom of the fifth when Kendry Morales hit a one out solo home run to make it 5-1. That would be all they would get off of the big lefty in 8 innings in which he threw 101 pitches, allowing that one run on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
The Yankees would tack on some insurance runs in the eighth and ninth. They added two runs on a two out two run home run by Johnny Damon, scoring Melky. Meanwhile, in the ninth, A-Rod would lead off with a double and he would score on some heads up baserunning. After Posada lined out to Bobby Abreu in right, A-Rod tagged, forcing a throw to third which was wide and out of play. Later in the inning, Melky would double home both Cano and Brett Gardner.
Chad Gaudin came in for his first action of the postseason, throwing a 1-2-3 inning to close out a 10-1 Yankees win, putting the Yankees at a 3-1 advantage in this American League Championship series.
A-Rod (3 for 4, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB) and Melky (3 for 4, 2B, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB) were the offensive stars of the night. Jeter and Posada each reached base three times.
The Yankees take a day off on Wednesday before game 5 on Thursday night at 7:57 PM ET. A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04) goes against John Lackey (11-8, 3.83).
Having been held scoreless through the first three innings by Scott Kazmir, the Yankees broke through in the fourth after A-Rod and Jorge Posada led off with a single and double respectively. After a Hideki Matsui strike out, Robinson Cano would hit a grounder just slow enough for Alex Rodriguez to score, sliding under Angels catcher Mike Napoli. Posada moved to third on the play.
After Nick Swisher walked to load the bases, Melky delivered with a two RBI single, putting the Yankees up at 3-0. Swisher was the aim of a pick-off attempt at second base and video replays showed him to be out, even though he was called safe. He would advance to third as Derek Jeter walked to load them up once more.
However, one bad call begot another as Johnny Damon hit what appeared to be a sure thing sacrifice fly. Swisher tagged and scored. Wait, not quite. The Angels questioned whether or not Swisher had left the base early and third base umpire and crew chief Tim McClelland decided that Swisher hadn't. Once again, replays showed this to be the wrong call.
In the fifth, Mark Teixeira led off with a single, ending the day of Angels starter Kazmir. It didn't matter as A-Rod took new pitcher Jason Bulger deep for a two run home run. Posada walked and stole just his third base in 103 postseason games. But, then he proceeded to make a pair of baserunning gaffes. When Robinson Cano doubled, Posada held up thinking that Angels center fielder Torii Hunter might make the catch. When it went over his head, Posada could only advance to third, rather than scoring. This one wasn't as big a deal as the next one.
On a ground ball off the bat of Nick Swisher, Posada headed home when he really shouldn't have and the ball was at home plate long before he was, so he headed back to third. Cano made perhaps the bigger gaffe as he ran all the way to third... yet didn't step on the base. Posada ran back and past third, probably thinking Cano would take it. The end result? No one on the base. Both players were tagged out, but here's McClelland again, ruling only one of them out. Melky made it moot with a ground out. 5-0 Yankees.
The Angels finally got a run off of CC Sabathia in the bottom of the fifth when Kendry Morales hit a one out solo home run to make it 5-1. That would be all they would get off of the big lefty in 8 innings in which he threw 101 pitches, allowing that one run on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.
The Yankees would tack on some insurance runs in the eighth and ninth. They added two runs on a two out two run home run by Johnny Damon, scoring Melky. Meanwhile, in the ninth, A-Rod would lead off with a double and he would score on some heads up baserunning. After Posada lined out to Bobby Abreu in right, A-Rod tagged, forcing a throw to third which was wide and out of play. Later in the inning, Melky would double home both Cano and Brett Gardner.
Chad Gaudin came in for his first action of the postseason, throwing a 1-2-3 inning to close out a 10-1 Yankees win, putting the Yankees at a 3-1 advantage in this American League Championship series.
A-Rod (3 for 4, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB) and Melky (3 for 4, 2B, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB) were the offensive stars of the night. Jeter and Posada each reached base three times.
The Yankees take a day off on Wednesday before game 5 on Thursday night at 7:57 PM ET. A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04) goes against John Lackey (11-8, 3.83).
