The Yankees continued their early-inning heroics against Jeremy Guthrie. They began in the first by scoring a run on a Mark Teixeira RBI double. In the second, the Yanks put up back-to-back-to-back homers by Swisher, Canó, and Melky, giving them a 4-0 lead. An RBI single in the bottom of the 3rd gave the Yankees a 5-0 lead, as Phil Hughes had kept the Orioles in check up until this point.
In the 4th, Hughes ran into a spot of trouble, giving up a 2-run home run to Ty Wigginton, and then surrendered a solo jack to Adam Jones in the 5th. After getting through the 5th, Hughes, at 89 pitches was done. The homers marred an otherwise effective outing, as Hughes allowed 6 hits and just 1 walk in those 5 innings, while striking out a career high 9 batters. Hughes looked to have a little more oomph on the fastball than in his past outings, sitting easily at 92-93, and getting swinging strikes with it. The breaking ball was inconsistent, but he was able to get a few strikeouts with it, though most of them came via the fastball.
Hughes was relieved by Al Aceves, who continued to pitch effectively in relief, striking out 2 in 2 shutout innings. Phil Coke recorded 2 outs in the 8th before allowing a baserunner, and with the tying run coming to the plate, Girardi decided to go to the honorable Judge Mariano Rivera. Rivera defused the threat in the 8th, and after the Yankees racked up 5 runs on the bottom of the 8th, it was somewhat surprising to see Girardi send Mo back out there. Mariano managed to not give up the 8-run lead, surrendering a solo homer to rookie Nolan Reimold, but otherwise shutting the Orioles down.
This was another solid all around effort by a Yankee club that seems to have hit its stride recently. Hughes was not great in what could be his last start before returning to the minors, but he was more effective than he has been since his first start of the season. The bullpen got the job done without much racking of nerves, and the offense once again set the tone by scoring early and giving Hughes a cushion to work with. At 23-17, the Yankees sit just 1 game behind Boston, and 2.5 back of Toronto (who is falling fast).
Tomorrow’s game will pit Joba Chamberlain against Adam Eaton, as the Yankees go for the sweep and 9 in a row.
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8 Responses to Yanks strike early again, make it 8 in a row
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TIQ IQ
I think the best thing about this game was Aceves and the way he was used. Like Mendoza.
Loving every minute of it…except (I know, I’m nitpicking and should just enjoy the ride), but listening to John Sterling is just brutal. Does he realize what a buffoon he is when making home run calls? That back to back to back today was too much for me. How can they have a guy making such bush league calls in the biggest market in the country? And when they talk about “the Yankee way”, right or wrong, his home run calls aren’t right in any market anywhere. I like Sterling, don’t get me wrong, I just hate his home run calls with a passion. Living in the San Francisco area and having arguably the best broadcaster around in John Miller, I’m reminded regularly of how a great announcer should be. I love my XM radio and being able to listen to Yankee home games, but may have to just turn off the volume whenever someone hits a home run for fear of a developing pavlovian response that ruins my enjoyment of listening to the Yankees on the radio. Am I making too much of this, or do others agree with me?
I was watching the television broadcast (not a huge fan of Michael Kay either), but I agree that Sterling can be a little much at times. That said, he’s been a huge part of my experience as a Yankee fan, and it would be strange to listen to a Yankee game without him and his homerun calls (“Bernie goes boom” is probably my favorite).
I really don’t mind Kay. Once and a while he has an opinion I disagree with (i.e. last night, jumping the gun wanting to pull Matsui out of the 5 hole) but his game calling I think is decent. What do you think is so bad about Kay?
In general whether it is Sterling or Kay or someone else you hear a lot of criticism for how a game is called and little praise for what they do – keep long games interesting. In my opinion Kay and Cone are pretty good together. If anything I think Flaraghty (sp) is boring.
As to the game I was really impressed with Hughes’ ramped up FB. His curve gives him the speed differential but I’m really looking forward to the day if he can come up with a big time chage-up and cutter. Four good pitches should indeed make him a front line starter.
The above mentioned is why I will not be heartbroken if he is sent down. Development, development, development…
I love MKay, especially when he’s with The Warrior, makes for a fun game…
Anyone else really, really dislike the decision to bring Mo back in the 9th? I mean, C’MON, if the fail of Veras/Albaladejo cannot hold an 8 run lead, they deserve to be DFA…
You can get someone hurt like that, after a very long bottom of the 8th…
Just really made me mad to see Mo back in there.
I didn’t like it so much. The only thing I could think of in defense of that questionable move is that (knock on wood) we kick the shit out of Eaton and their pen and Mo gets the night off. Perhaps as Giardi said you keep his arm strenght up. Overall, I didn’t like it though.
That said, usually I think Joe does a good job managing games.
Yeah, Joe said that the problem a few weeks ago with Mo was arm strength, and they really need to just let him pitch to build it up.