Bronx, N.Y., April 28, 2011 – The Yankees surprised many in their fanbase Thursday night, first by getting a game in after a day of driving rain, then by evaporating a four-day slump, and four-inning no-hitter, in an offensive explosion in the fifth inning. The six-run frame was not just cathartic for the team and its fans. Not only did it merit a Yankee history mention with a team four-batter cycle; it may have fixed a couple of starting outfielders as well.
Incredulously, the Bombers were already ahead by a score of 2-0, not having yet reached safely on a hit, when the big inning began. Chicago starter Edwin Jackson had allowed four straight walks and a sac fly in the third, but a still apprehensive crowd was muttering about no hits two frames later. Then Brett Gardner’s full-count homer to right ignited a four-batter, eight-pitch onslaught that produced an Eduardo Nunez double, Curtis Granderson triple and Nick Swisher single for the first consecutively struck team cycle in this Yankee fan’s memory.
Of course I’m shortchanging a considerably longer rally where the first nine pinstriped batters reached safely, plating six total runs in the process for an 8-0 lead. After Nick’s rbi single for the inning’s third run, a Robinson Cano one-base hit and Alex Rodriguez two-sacker added a run on what was now six straight hits, and, following an Eric Chavez intentional walk, Russell Martin and Jorge Posada delivered the last two runs with a single and walk, respectively. Reliever Tony Pena had repaced Jackson, but he was initially ineffective, then apparently hurt himself throwing a pitch to Gardner. Lefty Will Ohman finally extricated the vistors from this stranglehold with a popup and two strike outs.
But the genie was out of the offensive bottle, and the Yanks continued to rake, adding a run in the sixth on two singles and a fielder’s choice, then three more in the seventh on a double, single, sac fly, and Swisher’s first home run of the 2011 campaign.
By then it was hard to remember that Yankee ace CC Sabathia had been pressed to hold the Chisox scoreless in this game’s first two innings. Starting in place of Derek Jeter at short, Eduardo Nunez flubbed Brent Lillibridge’s bouncer to start things off, then Gardner made the wrong throw on Alexei Ramirez’s liner into the left field corner, resulting in runners on second and third with nobody out. But Rodriguez to the rescue. Despite playing back at third to concede a run, Alex sensed an opportunity on Carlos Quentn’s one hopper and nailed Lillibridge at the plate. Two flies closed the frame. But CC was in trouble in the second too once Gordon Beckham reached on a bouncer off Sabathia’s body for two on and one out. But CC’s first two (of six) strike outs not only shut down the Sox, they began a string where the Yankee lefty retired 14 of 16 to get him two outs into top of the seventh.
Then a second Nunez error got CC in trouble again, and this time three straight singles scored three unearned runs, although the rally ended when Quentin was caught trying to stretch his hit and was thrown out on the basepaths with his team down 9-3. The Yankees responded with three of their own to forge the 12-3 final score, and Sabathia took a well deserved rest, with Lance Pendleton in to capture the last six White Sox outs. CC allowed but one walk, seven hits, and no earned runs. He puzzled the crowd a bit with a plethora of change ups, sliders and other offspeed throws as the Sox threatened in the second, but we needn’t have worried; he was pounding mid-ninteies heat regularly going forward. His 65/35 strikes/balls ratio was quite good, and the 17 of 30 first-pitch strikes made the OK curve. Six of the 12 swings and misses he coaxed took place during his six punch outs.
On this day in Yankee history, a subject that thrills me, Billy IV began in 1985, as George Steinbrennner ignited a 15-year feud by firing Yogi Berra as his manager, and replacing him with the fiery Martin. We “tsk, tsk” the Boss’s behavior today, perhaps because we have experienced a string of playoff appearances in 16 of 17 years, and now thrill to a first place team with a 14-8 record. A 4-3 loss to the White Sox, ironically, plunged Yogi’s team to a 6-10 mark 26 years ago this day, and the Yanks were in year four of a 14-year postseason drought.
Speaking of managers, it was also thrilling to see Swisher come through and have a big game against ex-skipper Ozzie Guillen, ending a depressing slump with a bang. Is the Yankee team cycle a first? I don’t know, but it’s the first I have ever seen. Certainly the Elias people will have info to share, but I’ll never forget seeing Nick deliver the single that closed the “circle.”
Of course, it’s about winning games, not necessarily doing so in historic fashion, and by taking the last two with the Palehose the Yanks do erase, or at least ease the blow from, some ugly moments in this series’ early two losses. Sabathia’s seven innings extended an impressive streak of solid Bomber starts, and the sudden and explosive offense was a thing to behold. The pen has had its moments, but there’s quality there, and it will emerge.
And even if the four-batter team cycle is not the historic phenomenon that so floored me, consider how it began, and how it ended. It is a tribute to the team’s pitching and to its power that being in first place on May 1 is a foregone conclusion, because the Yankees have attained that record getting virtually nothing from two of their three starting outfielders. Getting the mayhem moving, Gardner stroked a home run for the third time in his last four starts. Which is a turnaround, yes, but it doesn’t rise to the level of Swisher’s Thursday. Coming into this one in a 1-for-19 funk, Nick came through with three hits and a walk, scored three runs, and led the 12-run way with four RBIs. And what’s more, he finally stroked 2011 home run No. 1.
Yes, Nick Turned a Cir-cy-cle, all right.
BTW,TYW
YANKEE BASEBALL!!!