Bronx, N.Y., October 2, 2012 – The only Yankee September 2012 call-up to have not yet seen action that month finally got into a game Tuesday night on October’s second day, as Francisco Cervelli crouched behind the plate to take Derek Lowe’s first pitch in the top of the 11th. In for defense once Russell Martin was pinch-run for in the eighth, and Eric Chavez had hit for Chris Stewart in the 10th, Cisco failed to corral a Lowe wild pitch in a tense 11th, but teamed with the veteran righty through two scoreless frames. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., October 1, 2012 – Even coming off a lively eight-run comeback in a 9-6 win in Toronto in their last road game of the year, fans could be forgiven for being nervous when the the Yankees took the Stadium field vs. the last place Red Sox Monday night with the division crown on the line. Running away with the AL East and the sport’s home run crown six weeks ago, their offense has become tentative and often ineffective, roughly coinciding with the loss of some key lineup stalwarts to injury. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., September 21, 2012 – Despite the dramatic turnaround a five-game winning streak signified, the fanbase that filtered into Yankee Stadium Friday night to watch the team start a key series against the A’s was a trifle skeptical that the Yanks were back. The two of three against the equally struggling Rays was nice, but Toronto is in freefall, and the three-game sweep of the Jays was not to be trusted. Continue reading →

Bronx, N.Y., September 16, 2012 – The Yankees prevailed 6-4 over the Tampa Rays in an afternoon tilt under a gorgeous sunny sky in the Bronx on Sunday, in a game where it seemed early that the teams could have saved some time and money by giving much of their respective squads the day off. With Hiroki Kuroda pitching around a first-inning Ben Zobrist double and Matt Moore around a walk, the first nine outs of the game were recorded on strike outs, eight of them swinging. Continue reading →

September 15, Bronx, N.Y. – Riding a delayed “due to mechanical difficulty” train to Yankee Stadium for a Saturday midafternoon game on a gorgeous day in the Bronx, I read that on this day in 1776, British forces occupied New York City. Baseball fans are used to looking at years with ups and downs and, given how that year stands out in American history, I took this as a good sign. Continue reading →

September 1, 2012, Bronx, N.Y. – The Yankees posted a huge 4-3 win against the charging Baltimore Orioles in a steamy Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Orioles scored largely off walks early, the Yanks responded in kind late. Both teams made good plays, both bad, but the visitors made the last error, and it cost them. Continue reading →

August 19, 2012, Bronx, N.Y. – The Yankees cashed in their second straight series win while concluding their seven-game homestand Sunday night with a 4-1 victory over the Red Sox in the ESPN Sunday night game, the second time in three weeks Yankee fans have been “thrilled” to spend a late Sunday night in the Bronx. A home team win this time around notwithstanding, however, locals could be forgiven for having visions of the major league scheduling department filled with images of monkeys and dart boards. Continue reading →

August 15, 2012, Bronx, N.Y. – It’s not rare that a fan’s mood undergoes a sudden change during a baseball game, but it’s usually directly attributable to something that has taken place on the field of play. I was weary from the 100-minute rain delay Wednesday night, but with wins in two straight vs. Texas, the Yanks had just taken a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third, and I was psyched. Continue reading →