Bronx, N.Y., July 30, 2006 — The Yankees and Devil Rays presented a clear distinction in personnel Sunday afternoon in the Bronx. The upstart Rays, in just their ninth big-league season, started young James Shields, 4-4 in his first season, while the 106-year-old Yankee franchise sent 37-year-old veteran Mike Mussina out, in the league since 1991 and in search of his 237th victory. In this battle of Yesterday vs. Today, the veteran was the clear winner.
The Rays had pounded the Yankees’ oldest starter and three bullpenners to a 19-6 win the day before, but Mussina let them know right away that runs would be harder to come by Sunday. After a three-pitch strike out and a quick fly to left, he struck out Travis Lee following a walk to Rocco Baldelli. And bookend liners to short around a fly to center in the second got Moose through two frames on just 20 pitches.
The Yanks, meanwhile, were having their own problems with Shields. Despite losing an eight-pitch battle to Derek Jeter, who singled to right with one down in the first, the Tampa righty was putting Yankee bats to sleep until veteran second baseman Miguel Cairo stroked a one-out single to center in the third. Three pitches later, the Yanks were up 2-0, as Johnny Damon aimed an 0-1 single into left field, and Jeter lined the next pitch to the wall in right center.
As Jeter had strode to the plate one of his many fans hung a sign in deep right saying “No One Is Sweeter Than Derek Jeter.” But Shields may have disagreed, once the Yankee Captain had driven up his pitch count earlier and now put him behind after his first two at bats. Just one other Yankee batter would give the youngster a sour feeling this day. The Rays starter pounded the Yanks with low-nineties fastballs much of the day, mixing in just enough 81 mph changes and a smattering of curves in the seventies to totally flummox some of the best Yankee bats. Jason Giambi popped out to center and to second around an intentional walk, Alex Rodriguez struck out three times, and the fastball-starved Andy Phillips seemed to foul off every hard delivery while flailing helplessly at darting curves. Aaron Guiel managed two harmless singles, but Jorge Posada went 0-for-4 and Melky Cabrera bounced out weakly three straight times.
What this meant was that Mussina would have to be very good, and he was up to the challenge. The Rays threatened in the third as third sacker Tomas Perez bunted for his sixth straight hit leading off, after a 5-for-5 Saturday. Making matters worse, Posada’s throw sailed down the first-base line giving Perez an extra base. Catcher Josh Paul moved him to third on a first-pitch sac bunt, and the Yanks had their work cut out for them. Despite the two first-inning strike outs, Mussina had coaxed but one swing and a miss to this point. But he got Jorge Lugo missing twice in three strikes and had Carl Crawford flailing for a diving change after fouls on his first two throws to close the frame.
But the Rays got to Moose in the fourth, starting with a one-out single by Lee and a Jorge Cantu walk. DH Johnny Gomes fouled off two, two-strike fastballs before singling for one run, and after a Russ Branyan fly to center, Perez and his hit streak came to bat. Mike almost had him on a 2-2 curve in the dirt, but Posada couldn’t hold the foul tip, and the streak reached seven straight on the next pitch on a single to right that tied the game. The inning-ending strike out that eluded Mussina against Perez was cashed in on Damon Hollins and we had a 2-2 tie game.
It had taken Mussina just 32 pitches to navigate the first three innings, but then 33 to survive the fourth. Just as he had elevated his game in the second to pound two quick K’s with Perez on third, it was time for a change once again. If Mike was to get the game effectively to the pen, he would have to pitch economically. He had thrown first-pitch strikes to five of nine Rays the first time through; the number climbed to six the second time. But starting with the top of the fifth, Moose found the first-pitch zone nine straight times. And he retired nine out of 10, with big-time help from Jeter, who retired the speedy Carl Crawford, on via a single, at second on a Rocco Baldelli bouncer into the hole by doing his patented wheel, leap, and pass to Miguel Cairo in the fifth.
With one down in the bottom half, Shields came inside to Damon with a 90 mph fastball, and Johnny drilled it to the right field upper deck for a 3-2 Yankee lead. And Johnny took the same pitch to the same place with two down in the seventh to forge the game’s final score. In a game that quickly spun out of control Saturday, the Yankee center fielder’s second-inning error led to a three-run uprising that got the mayhem going. It’s not possible to say what would have happened had Damon fielded that ball cleanly, but it is clear his consecutive blasts won the game this time out.
So the Yanks took the series, and crawled back into the Wild Card lead once Baltimore whipped Chicago a bit later. Kyle Farnsworth clocked in at 101 mph while striking out the side in the eighth, and Mariano Rivera closed it after 2:32 had passed on a bouncer to second, but not before surrendering Perez a broken bat single for his eighth hit in two days. (Tomas failed to reach in the seventh, grounding out to short thankfully.)
But this one belonged to Mussina, who bent in the fourth but did not break. He struck out eight Rays and walked two while allowing just five singles. He closed strong for an 18-of-29 first-pitch-strike ratio, and his 67/30 strikes/balls count was better than the expected 2/1. And when he struck out Paul to close the ugly fourth, the K moved him into eighth place in the American League all time, as he moved ahead of ex-Angel Chuck Finley.
As the game went on, news of the Yankee trade of minor-leaguers for Philadelphia veterans Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle buzzed through the crowd. Exactly 40 years ago, the Beatles’ Yesterday and Today album reached number one on the charts and stayed there for five weeks. In today’s game Yesterday (the older Mussina) bested Today (the younger Shields). The Yanks are relying on a veteran infusion to move this team to number one, and if they’re on top in 12 weeks, they will have achieved their goal.
BTW,TYW
YANKEE BASEBALL!!!