08/13: Bernie's Blast in 11th Hands Yankees a Win
Posted by: Patrick
The Yankees got off to a quick lead with 2 runs in the 1st (A-Rod singles in Jeter and Godzilla singles in Cano) and another 2 in the 3rd (back to back solo shots by Sheff and A-Rod).
Moose was solid in his 7 and 1/3 innings of work, allowing 3 ER on 6 hits and 0 walks before being lifted for Flash Gordon in the 8th. Flash yielded 0 runs in just 2/3 innings of work (for all of the huzzah about his struggles, his ERA is still just 2.85). This gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead going into the 9th.
Mo relieved Gordon. And then, it happened, as we all knew it would have to eventually - Mariano blew his first save since the second game of the season. Ah, well. No fun. But, it had to end, of course. This has been said many times, so I am simply repeating it... but the thing that has made Mo possibly the most dominant relievers in the history of the game, instead of a just a great one, is how he bounces back. It's not because he is some sort of unhittable robot that people used to make him out to be. His mental game is why he is possibly the greatest, instead of just a great one.
Anyway, the inning started off well enough, with Mo retiring Teixeira. But then Blalock singled. And Soriano singled. As is often the case when Mo blows a save (he walks or hits someone) he hit Phil Nevin with a pitch to load the bases with 1 out. He was then able to get Gary Matthews, Jr. to ground into a fielders choice with the runner being out at home. Unfortunately, Kevin Mench would come up and hit a single to left which would allow 2 runs to score and break Mo's streak of 31 consecutive saves, while bumping his ERA up to 1.33. Where would we be without Mo's solidarity in an otherwise shaky year for our staff?
He retired Sandy Alomar, Jr. to end the inning. And followed this by pitching a scoreless top of the 10th against the top of the Rangers order (illustrating a bit of that mental toughness to come back out after blowing the save).
The Yankees would be held scoreless in the bottom of the 9th and the bottom of the 10th. Aaron Small would relieve Mo in the top of the 11th and pitch a scoreless inning, thanks to a phenomenal play down the 3rd base line by A-Rod that saved a run and ended the inning.
The bottom of the 11th rolled around with Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams and John Flaherty due up (combined batting average: approximately .240). Tino singled to lead off the inning. And then Bernie blasts a homer to deep right - a walk off homer - to hand the Yankees a victory. Win or lose, playoffs or not, these are moments to watch and enjoy.
Small's record improved to 4-0 with his ERA dropping to 2.57. The leaders on offense included Bernie (2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI), Sheff (2 for 4, HR, 2 RBI), A-Rod (2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI) and Cano (2 for 5, 2 R). The 9th spot (Womack) was the only spot to fail to get a hit.
The Angels trounced the Mariners and the Athletics beat the Twins, so there was no ground to gain in the Wild Card. Boston's up 1-0 in the 2nd as I write this. Tomorrow at 1 PM Eastern we'll have Shawn Chacon (0-1 ... with a 1.35 ERA as a Yankee?!?! Get this man some run support!) against Joaquin Benoit (3-1, 3.14).
Moose was solid in his 7 and 1/3 innings of work, allowing 3 ER on 6 hits and 0 walks before being lifted for Flash Gordon in the 8th. Flash yielded 0 runs in just 2/3 innings of work (for all of the huzzah about his struggles, his ERA is still just 2.85). This gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead going into the 9th.
Mo relieved Gordon. And then, it happened, as we all knew it would have to eventually - Mariano blew his first save since the second game of the season. Ah, well. No fun. But, it had to end, of course. This has been said many times, so I am simply repeating it... but the thing that has made Mo possibly the most dominant relievers in the history of the game, instead of a just a great one, is how he bounces back. It's not because he is some sort of unhittable robot that people used to make him out to be. His mental game is why he is possibly the greatest, instead of just a great one.
Anyway, the inning started off well enough, with Mo retiring Teixeira. But then Blalock singled. And Soriano singled. As is often the case when Mo blows a save (he walks or hits someone) he hit Phil Nevin with a pitch to load the bases with 1 out. He was then able to get Gary Matthews, Jr. to ground into a fielders choice with the runner being out at home. Unfortunately, Kevin Mench would come up and hit a single to left which would allow 2 runs to score and break Mo's streak of 31 consecutive saves, while bumping his ERA up to 1.33. Where would we be without Mo's solidarity in an otherwise shaky year for our staff?
He retired Sandy Alomar, Jr. to end the inning. And followed this by pitching a scoreless top of the 10th against the top of the Rangers order (illustrating a bit of that mental toughness to come back out after blowing the save).
The Yankees would be held scoreless in the bottom of the 9th and the bottom of the 10th. Aaron Small would relieve Mo in the top of the 11th and pitch a scoreless inning, thanks to a phenomenal play down the 3rd base line by A-Rod that saved a run and ended the inning.
The bottom of the 11th rolled around with Tino Martinez, Bernie Williams and John Flaherty due up (combined batting average: approximately .240). Tino singled to lead off the inning. And then Bernie blasts a homer to deep right - a walk off homer - to hand the Yankees a victory. Win or lose, playoffs or not, these are moments to watch and enjoy.
Small's record improved to 4-0 with his ERA dropping to 2.57. The leaders on offense included Bernie (2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI), Sheff (2 for 4, HR, 2 RBI), A-Rod (2 for 5, HR, 2 RBI) and Cano (2 for 5, 2 R). The 9th spot (Womack) was the only spot to fail to get a hit.
The Angels trounced the Mariners and the Athletics beat the Twins, so there was no ground to gain in the Wild Card. Boston's up 1-0 in the 2nd as I write this. Tomorrow at 1 PM Eastern we'll have Shawn Chacon (0-1 ... with a 1.35 ERA as a Yankee?!?! Get this man some run support!) against Joaquin Benoit (3-1, 3.14).
Seamus wrote: