Game 46. Teix wakes up. Yanks win 9-2.

Finally, Mark Teixeira seems to be over his respiratory ailment and seems to be waking up. Four hits, 2 HR and 5 RBI today.

Oakland got one off of the slow-starting CC in the first. The Yanks tied it up in the second on a HR by Cano (7).

Chavez doubled, went to second on a bunt and scored on a Jeter single to put the Yanks up 2-1 in the third. Hit #3153 for Jeter put him into 16th place on the all-time list passing Paul “Big Poison” Waner, but he wasn’t done.

A Hr by Josh Reddick tied it in the third at two apiece, but the Yanks went ahead 3-2 in the fourth on a HR by Teix (7, 321 career).

The Yanks broke it open in the fifth. Stewart singled, and Jeter beat out a bunt for a single. This bunt hit, hit #3154, put Jeter into a tie for 15th on the all-time list with George Brett. Granderson flied out, Stewart to third, then A-Rod made it 4-2 with a SF. Cano doubled, and Teixeira then singled in two to make it 6-2.

With the bases loaded in the 8th, Jeter got plunked. 7-2.

In the 9th, Teixeira got a 2-Run HR (8, 322). Finally, the Teix we have been waiting for. His HR made it 9-2.

Jeter had 2 hits, 2 rbi. Teix the 4 hits, 2 HR, 5 RBI. 3 hits for Cano. 2 hits apiece for Swish and Chavez.

CC 7 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 walks, 4 K. He goes to 6-2, 3.66.

Wade the eighth. 1-2-3 with 2 K. ERA to 2.08.

Eppley the 9th. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 0 K. ERA 2.89.

A 9-2 win. Yanks now have won 4 in a row.

Game 45. 3 Hrs lead Yanks, Nova, 6-3.

The Yanks beat Oakland 6-3 behind homers by Teixeira, Cano and Swisher.

Ivan Nova went 7 and improved to 5-2, but with a still too-high ERA of 5.46. He went the 7, 3 R, 6 h, 1 walk, 4 K and 2 HR given up.

Boone Logan for the 8th, 1 Ip, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K, 2.95.

Soriano got his 4th save. 1 IP. 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.20.

The Yanks got 1st and 2d in the 1st, one out but got nothing.

They got a one-out double by Swisher in the 2nd, but nothing.

In the third, they got a break and capitalized on it. You never want to give a team four outs (or more) in an inning. With two out and Granderson on first, Coco Crisp (the Cereal Boy) misplayed Cano’s drive into a two-run error. 1-0 Yanks. Teix made them pay even further with a 2-run HR (#6, 320 of career). 3-0 Yankees.

The Yanks could have tacked on in the fourth. Chavez walked, Martin doubled. After Jeter made an out, Granderson was intentionally walked to load the bases. A-Rod, still looking for Grand Slam #23 to tie Gehrig’s record, GIDP.

Nova gave up a HR in the bottom of the fourth. 3-1.

The Yanks got three in the fifth. Cano led off with a HR, #6 for the season. Teix doubled but was thrown out going for 3 after the ball got away from the left fielder. Ibanez doubled and Swish hit HR #8 on the year to make it 6-1.

Nova gave one run back in the bottom of the fifth, then gave up a solo HR in the seventh.

That was it for the scoring. 6-3 Yanks, and they go to 24-21.

Game 43. Still problems, but a 3-2 win.

The Yanks went to 22-21 tonight, but the offensive woes continued.

Phil Hughes was strong through six,  2 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 7 K. He goes to 4-5, 4.94. It’s still below average, but from where he once was at, it marks improvement.

On the down side, it also marks the ninth straight start in which he has given up a HR. The guys on My 9 noted that it is one behind “Black” Jack McDowell in 1995 with 10 straight starts.

After a 1-2-3 first, I got ticked off right away. In the bottom of the first, with one out, Granderson walks. He doesn’t even try to steal. Now, the Royals did pitchout with A-Rod up. Ok. But Grandy is still just 1 of 3 this year. You can’t just wait on Cano or A-Rod to do something. MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! I miss Gardner. I miss the times when Rickey Henderson would MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Grandy doesn’t go. Nothing happens.

Down 1-0 in the third, I really got ticked off. Martin walks to lead off the inning and Wise is up. Wise strikes out. For most of the at bat, Wise, 2 for 20, does NOT try to bunt. Are you kidding me? You are having trouble scoring runs, and a 2 for 20 AAAA player isn’t bunting? He makes out. Jeter GIDP. Aaaaaargh.

Hughes gives up a HR in the fourth. 2-0 KC. In the bottom of the inning, Cano hits #5. 2-1. A-Rod singles and steals second. 5 for 5 in steals. Do you know A-Rod is second on the team in that? Behind Nunez’ 6 for 7? Why isn’t Jeter or Grandy going?

So he is on second, one out. Ibanez and Swish can’t get him in.

To the fifth, and the biggest play of the game may be on something the Yankees have NOT been doing—-bunting.

Teix singles. Martin HBP. Two on, none out. Wise bunts, as he (2 for 21) should. It actually goes for a HIT!

Bases loaded, none out.

Jeter singles, hit #3149, to tie the game. Bases still loaded, and the Yanks still don’t take advantage.

Granderson grounds out, which leads to the game-winning run. But no one knew it at the time, and the Yanks don’t pad their lead.

Cano is walked intentionally. Bases loaded & one out. Do the Yanks tack on? Are you kidding me? A-Rod & Ibanez both strike out.

It could have been fatal.

Girardi worked the pen. Wade 2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 2.18.

Logan 1/3, 0 R, 1 h, 0 walk, 1 K. 3.12.

Eppley 1/3, 0 R, 0 h, 0 walk, 0 K. 3.24.

Rapada 2/3, 0 r, 0 h, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.95.

Soriano 1 IP and gave us a scare. For with one out he gave up a double. He got a groundout. Runner to third. A grounder to A-Rod. The throw. Teix made a GREAT play in stretching for the throw and keeping his toe on the bag. Just got him. Yanks win 3-2.

Soriano 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and K. Save #3, ERA 2.35.

Swisher is slumping so badly, he is down to .239.

…and to think. Wise’s bunt may be the play of the game…

Game 39. Pettitte awesome as Yanks win 4-0.

I’m speechless. Really. What to write? It’s like I stepped into a time machine and went back ten years.

In his second start of his comeback, Andy Pettitte tossed 8 shutout innings.

Let that sink in for a minute or two. After a year away from baseball, and one month from his 40th birthday, Andy Pettitte tossed 8 shutout innings for career win #241, #204 as a Yankee.

And to make it more amazing… he basically NEEDED to throw a shutout. For the Yanks are now 3 for their last 48 with RISP.

Pettitte went 8. ZERO runs. 4 hits, 1 walk and an amazing 9 K. (1-1, 2.51).

Boone Logan the 9th. No runs, 0 h, 0 w, 1 K. 2.16.

As for the offense, they were lousy until the 8th. In the 2nd, a leadoff double by Alex. They strand him.

Man on 3rd, one out in the 4th. Granderson and Cano singled, Cano thrown out at second. A-Rod’s weak grounder gets Grandy in.

In the sixth, the Yanks had the bases loaded, no one out, and COULD NOT SCORE.

The pressure was on Pettitte to hold the Reds, and boy did he deliver.

The tension mounted as you knew the Yanks couldn’t score. Let me repeat 3 for 48 with RISP.

I was as shocked as anyone that Pettitte, in only his 2nd start of his comeback, came out for the 8th. But hold them he did.

In the bottom of the 8th, it was still 1-0 when Cano hit a bomb for HR #4 with two out. After A-Rod singled, Ibanez got HR #8 (260 career) for a 4-0 lead.

Logan then slammed the door.

But Pettitte? My goodness. They need to add this one to his YANKEEOGRAPHY.

What an amazing performance under the circumstances (2nd start of comeback, 40 next month, off last year, offense struggling). Wow.

Quick notes: Not happy that the Celts lost to the 76ers tonight. Up 18-3 at one point, they lost. It could have been 3-1 Celtics going back to Boston, instead it is even.

How could a team with Wade and James be held to 75 in two consecutive games? As for Indiana, Congrats to Larry Bird. The 3x NBA MVP has now ALSO won a coach of the year and now executive of the year—the only man to have done that. Talk about a trifecta!

Are the Kings (#8 seed) about to take over LA from the Lakers & Clippers (not to mention the Dodgers)?

 

Game 32. Kuroda, Ibanez lead Yanks, 6-2.

Hiroki Kuroda outdueled King Felix as the Yanks won 6-2.

Jesus Montero did HR in his return to the Bronx.

Kuroda gave up a leadoff HR to Dustin Ackley in the first, but an RBI single by Robbie Cano in the bottom half of the inning tied it up. Cano is finally starting to heat up. His 4 for 4 tonight upped his average to .308.

It stayed that way until the 6th, when Montero went the other way into the porch for a HR. The Yanks came back in the bottom half on a 3-Run HR by Ibanez (6, 258 career).

In the bottom of the 8th, the Yanks got insurance runs when Andruw Jones hit #4 (424 career) to make it 6-2.

Kuroda went 7, (3-4), 2 R, 6 H, 3 walks and 2 K. ERA 3.56.

Girardi then mixed and matched.

Rapada 1/3, a groundout. 4.15.

Wade 1/3, groundout. 1.20.

Logan 2/3, 2 K, 1 hit. 2.02.

Robertson 2/3. Flyout, groundout 2.51.

Jeter hit 3139.

Game 31. Bullpen concerns? Call on CC

The best way to alleviate bullpen concerns? Get 8 or 9 out of your ace.

Which is exactly what CC did tonight. Not that I had concerns over Robertson (who was due for a bad game). But CC went 8 and gave up 2 runs (both unearned, we’ll get to that), 7 hits, 1 walk and 10 K. He improved to 5-0 with an ERA of 3.51.

The problem is, two unearned runs. Two errors, and you can guess who made them both. Nunez. At 3B tonight. A-Rod has DH’d in what—10 of the Yanks’ 31 games so far? If he or Jeter DH (and they have combined for half), then Nunez is in the field, and he’s got to be driving you nuts.

Nunez has four errors this year. He also is hitting .294 with 6 SB in 7 attempts. He drives you nuts. In the same game, he could make two errors but get two hits and two steals. You don’t know if he’ll win the game (the hits or steals) or lose it (the errors).

Because of Nunez, both of the runs CC gave up were unearned. You see CC’s line. 8 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 7 h, 1 walk and 10 K. 5-0, 3.51.

Soriano went the 9th. Robertson got the night off. Sori 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks or K. ERA 2.77.

Down 2-0 on those unearned runs, the Yanks tied it in the second. Granderson hit #11. Nunez walked, stole 2d and scored on a hit by Stewart. I like the “Victory is Mine” analogy to Stewie.

Three in the fifth broke the tie and gave the Yanks the lead and win. Cano a 2-Run HR. (3). It was a shot over the bullpen in RCF. After that, A-Rod doubled, Teix walked & after a DP, Jones doubled. 5-2.

The run in the 9th that Sori gave up made it 5-3.

As for Gardner? Shut down for 10 days.

As for Nunez, one thing— Ronnier Mustelier is hitting well. He’s short and you don’t think the power will translate to the majors. But Mustelier is Ok at 3B. 2B, they say, lousy. Ok LF/RF. But he doesn’t play SS. Nunez can (insert punch line here….  ) But Nuney drives you nuts. In the same game he can have 2 hits, 2 SB …. and 2 Errors.

 

 

Game 30. D-Rob blows it in the 9th, Yanks lose 4-1.

You don’t know what would have happened had Mo come in to go for the save in the 9th inning.  Usually Mo is money.

But Mo isn’t here for the rest of the year.

Instead, it was David Robertson, with a 1-0 lead. Robertson came into that inning with an ERA of 0.00. You knew that wouldn’t last. No one is perfect, and Robertson wasn’ t tonight. Two hits and a walk and the bases were loaded. He got the K, but then a SF tied the game. You hoped he’d hold it there.

Nope. A 3-run HR. His first (obviously) of this season. In 66 2/3 innings last year, do you know how many HR Robertson gave up? ONE.

You hoped the kid (David Phelps) would get the win in his second MLB start. It would be his first MLB win. He ran into trouble in the first but got out of a bases loaded jam.

Then in the bottom of the first, Jeter singled (3138) and Cano doubled him in.

That’s where it stood for a while. Phelps did well in the second, third and fourth. Then in the fifth he got two outs and had an 0-2 count on the batter. One strike away from being eligible for the W. But a double on that 0-2 pitch followed by two walks forced Phelps from the game. No possible W for the rookie. Boone Logan came in with the bases loaded and got the out and out of the inning. You were pulling for the kid, but Girardi has to do what is right for the team.

Phelps 4 2/3, 0 R , 3 H, 4 walks and 3 K. ERA to 3.08.

Logan 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 2.13.

Wade 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 1.23.

Soriano a shaky 8th. 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K … and an error by Cano. 2.25.

Robertson the 9th, and you know what happened.

2/3 IP, 4 R, 3 H, 1 walk, 1 K. ERA jumps to 2.63. The loss. (0-1).

Rapada 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 4.32.

Game 28. Cano, Hughes right selves in Yankees win.

Robbie Cano came into the game with just 4 RBI. With one swing of the bat, he doubled his RBI total.

A third inning grand slam sparked the Yankees to a 10-4 win. It was HR #2 for Cano for the season. Nick Swisher, just off the DL, added a solo shot (HR #7) in the third, and A-Rod hit his fifth of the year, career #634* in the eighth.

Getting Cano on track is vital. Just as vital was seeing a decent outing from Phil Hughes, who went 6 2/3, 3 R, 6 H, 1 walk and 7 K. Hughes improved to 2-4, 6.67. Even in the seventh, Hughes was hitting 93.

Hughes’ outing was important in another way: Andy Pettitte (see the minor league post coming up later tonight) wasn’t that impressive today. Granted Pettitte’s D didn’t help, but Andy may need another AAA outing.

Derek Jeter got two hits to up his career total to 3136, five behind Tony Gwynn on the all-time list. Jeter 3136, Gwynn 3141, Yount 3142, Waner 3152, Brett 3154 and Ripken 3184.

Logan went 1/3, 0 R, 1 h, 0 walks, 0 K. ERA 2.31
Soraino 1 IP, 0 R, 0 h, 1 walks, 0 K. 1.80
Wade 1 IP, 1 R, 2 h, 0 walks, 1 K. 2.02

Game 27. The mediocrity continues.

A 5-1 loss. After 27 games, Robbie Cano still has just 4 RBI.

If not a HR, the Yanks don’t score. Tonight? The only run was via a Russell Martin HR.

Felipe Paulino of all people, tossed six shutout innings vs. the Yanks tonight.

No offense to Paulino, but you would think this offense should muster SOMETHING against him? Instead, 11 up, 11 down to begin the game.

In the fifth, bases loaded two out, and Jeter grounds out. In the sixth, Granderson doubles, tries to go to third on a fly to right and is gunned down.

After that? Martin’s HR, but that is all.

Kuroda could not make it out of the fifth, continuing his bad/good/bad/good pattern. Jeter didn’t help matters in the first by making an error. But still, with the first three batters, E-6, single, WP and double meant trouble.

Kuroda (L) 4 1/3, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 H, 3 walks, 2 K. (2-4, 3.75).
Rapada 1/3, 0 R, 0h, 0 walks, 1 K. 4.50
Eppley 1/3, 2 R, 1 h, 1 walk, 0 K. 4.76. Let the game get away.
Logan 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 K.  2.38.

The only good thing was seeing Freddy get the mop (mop-up man) and lowering his ERA to 9.68. 2 IP, o R, 0 H, 1 walk and a K.

Martin had 3 hits to crack the Mendoza line.

Game 26. CC stops losing streak. 6-2 Yanks.

This is why CC gets the bucks. To be the ace. To be the stopper. To go deep into ballgames.

It was a rough beginning, but then CC settled in.

Jeter got a hit, then Teix hit a 2-run HR (#5) in the first. 2-0 Yanks. With 2 rbi last night, hopefully Teix is heating up. The Yanks need it, for even with the win tonight, the 14-12 Yanks still have only 1 HR and 4 RBI from Cano.

CC gave the lead right back in the bottom of the first. 2-2.

It stayed that way into the seventh. Cano singled, and with two out, Nunez broke a long hitless drought with a triple. Stewart singled (how bad is it that Stewart has as many RBI as Cano?) and Jeter hit a two-run HR (#245 of career) to make it 6-2. Put it another way. How bad is it that Jeter has more HR (5) than Cano has RBI (4)?

Jeter is at .404. His two hits take him to 3134, seven behind Tony Gwynn on the all-time list.

DeWayne Wise got a PH double filling in for Nix later in the game. Nix is 0 for 6 as a Yank. As for Wise, welcome to the Yanks.

CC went 8, 2 R, 7 h, 0 walks and 5 K. He goes to 4-0, but the ERA is still a bit high at 4.15.

MLB.com suggested that Soriano would replace Mo as closer. I differ. Robertson. Granted it wasn’t a save situation tonight with the four-run lead, but D-Rob had a 1-2-3 ninth, all by K.

He’s my guy for the ninth. It could be that Girardi alternates between the two.