(Photo by Andy Marlin/Getty Images)
The Yankees beat the Angels 6-5 Thursday afternoon in a fairly bizarre contest featuring a critical error, a grand slam and yet another home run surrendered by Mariano Rivera.
This one started out looking like another classic case of Yankees-folding-against-pitcher-they’ve-never-seen-before, which would have been unfortunate seeing as how they just handled another guy-they’ve-never-before in the person of Garrett Richards last night. Halos hurler Tyler Chatwood kept the Yankee off the board through five and was nursing a 2-0 lead in the 6th courtesy of an Alberto Callaspo home run in the 5th. Yes, you read that correctly. Alberto Callaspo, who came into this game with three home runs to his name, homered to put his team ahead. What is it about the Yankees and surrendering home runs to Angels hitters who’ve been punchless all season long?
Anyway, that was all the Angels were able to get off Colon, who went six innings, striking out three and walking two. Though Colon’s pitched very well since his back-to-back bombings against the Rays and Jays last month (2.74 ERA over his last four starts), he hasn’t really given the team the length he’d been delivering in the first part of the season, having only made it through seven full innings once since his complete-game shutout masterpiece against the A’s on May 30. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take what Colon’s offering up all day every day; and clearly the Yankees are keeping an eye on his workload as he continues to throw more innings than he has at any point in the last six years as they hope to keep him as healthy as possible for October. Just thought the (relative) lack of going deeper into games was worth noting.
An inning after Curtis Granderson tied the game with his new career-high 32nd homer and Rafael Soriano put up yet another scoreless frame since returning from the DL, the Yankees were able to load the bases on a couple of Fernando Rodney walks and a huge error by Maicer Izturis, as Robinson Cano blasted a Scott Downs sinker into the seats for his first grand slam of the season and the Yankees’ fourth of the year (the other three? Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Francisco Cervelli, natch). This gave the Yankees a seemingly insurmountable 6-2 lead, especially after David Robertson threw a perfect eighth.
Alas, this year’s annual WWWMW (™ SG) continued, as Mariano Rivera gave up a three-run home run to Russell Branyan, which cut the Yankee lead to one. Branyan has made new Yankee Stadium his own personal playground over the last three seasons, and this bomb marked his eighth in the new park. David Ortiz has six, which leads me to believe that Branyan probably has the most homers by a visiting player in YS3. Oh, and in keeping with the theme of this series, that was also only Branyan’s third home run of the year.
Fortunately Mo recovered and was able to get the final two outs without incident, picking up his 30th save. We all know Mo has at least one week a year where he appears to be somewhat human, and he always comes out of it, so there’s nothing more to discuss here. Also nice to see what I expect would be his final round of struggles come in a Yankee win.
In a rather shocking turn of events, the Yankees are now actually 4-2 on the season against Los Angeles. After tying the season series the last two years, the Yankees only need to win one of their final three games against the Halos next month to secure their first season series win against Anaheim since 2003, when they went 6-3.
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7 Responses to Cano, Granderson power Yanks to 6-5 victory and series win over Halos
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TIQ IQ
It turns out Victor Martinez actually has the most HR by a visiting player in YS3, with nine. Hat tip to friend of the blog @Jordansmed
Not only does Mo always have that one week, I think its always right around now, somewhere between mid August and early September
I was starting to think Granderson may end up around the 35 home run mark, as he had slowed down quite a bit from his initial pace. But it looks like he has hit another power surge, and I think this surge should carry him up over 40 home runs for the season. He has a real chance for 40 HRs, 30 steals, and 10 triples. Really an amazing season no matter what je finishes with though.
Granderson has been nothing short of beastly with an ISO topping over .300. Even better though is that Granderson is heading towards his fourth consecutive year of 10% BB, .200 ISO, and 20 homers. Considering that Granderson has fixed his swing against lefties he has that speed, power, patience combo which makes him look at a plus version of Damon.
There is something to discuss re: Mo if he keeps pitching like this. I wouldn’t say it’s the end for him now, of course – I never did – but you have to wonder if this could be the one time in his career where he could suck longer than a week. He is the oldest he’s ever been and has blown alot of save attempts this year.
If he keeps pitching like he has the past three games he’s come into a game, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have Soriano or Robertson come in to save a game with the Yanks up two or three runs, only after the Rays series when the Yanks draw bad or so-so teams like the Royals, Twins, As, and Orioles. 11-3 vs. these teams where Mo collects 4 saves, Soriano and Robertson a save each (6 games where a save is needed, 5 games where a save isn’t) would be perfect going back to Fenway 8/30.
The Yanks should conserve Mo the next 14 games after this weekend so he can close all three games vs. the Red Sox if the Yanks need him to. It would be ridiculous to have him close 3 out of 4 over Baltimore (3-1 or series sweep over the Os) right before Boston – let Soriano or Robertson close out one of those games esp. the last game of the series if they need a save.
“He is the oldest he’s ever been…”
Aren’t we all?
I’m sorry but I just can’t help it. That was one of the most unintentionally funny lines I’ve ever read.
“He is the oldest he’s ever been and has blown alot of save attempts this year.”
http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/3240/mariano-rivera
he’s blown about five saves year…and he is at five now…
get back to me when that number is 8-9.
I remember the same exact talk last year when Mo allowed that grand slam to Jason Kubel. The result? He ended up having a year with the second lowest WHIP in his career.
It’s funny. Because if he gets the last out for the Yankees in the world series, this whole week’s worth of argument is moot.
Long live the Sandman.