Bronx, N.Y., June 16, 2011 – The Yankees finished a sweep of the Texas Rangers Wednesday afternoon in, yes, the first true hot afternoon of baseball of the season. They got great outings from two pitchers who weren’t even in the organization a few days ago, and completed what started as an 0-3 homestand at 6-4.

Brian “Flash” Gordon, a 15-year pro making just his fourth big league appearance, pitched into the sixth and gave the Yankees a solid chance to win, at the same time answering the question as to how the Yanks would fill injured Bartolo Colon’s place in the rotation, at least for the time being. Given a 1-0 lead, all the Yanks were able to collect against C.J. Wilson on four hits, a walk, and an error in the first two innings, he proved himself to be a strike thrower more than anything else.

Featuring an around 90 mph fast ball and a lollipop curve easily 20 mph slower, he cleared three innings around two singles and a hit by pitch on just 29 pitches, all but five of them strikes. Gordon found the zone 20 times on first pitches to 26 batters and garnered three strike outs, all of which makes it ironic that when he did bend and allow two very quiet runs in the sixth, it all started on a five-pitch walk to Taylor Teagarden, who has been in the majors in 2011 perhaps two games longer than Gordon.

The Rangers worked an effective hit and run with veteran center fielder Endy Chanvez singling to the shortsop hole once Eduardo Nunez had broken to cover second. Nunez did reverse field and catch the hopper, but had to eat it once he slipped and fell. Ian Kinsler’s double tied the game but following a strike out, an intentional walk to Josh Hamilton and an infield popup, Gordon appeared to have escaped after going 0-2 to Adrian Beltre. Following two more fouls, however, a curve ball got away and hit Beltre and Texas had a 2-1 lead.

Quite a good team debut really, but the inning had taken its toll, and Gordon walked David Murphy to start the sixth. But Russell Martin, back in the lineup and looking good with a walk, two hits, and an rbi, re-established some normalcy behind the plate by throwing out both stolen base attempts he faced, the second being Murphy at this point just before a Teagarden single. Hector Noesi replaced Gordon and held the Rangers through the seventh, and David Robertson threw a one-two-three eighth.

But although the afternoon was gorgeous, the mood in the stadium was tense because Wilson righted his game after the second, and the Yanks would reach him for just two more hits through eight innings. Somewhere Nolan Ryan was smiling, I’m sure, when C.J. ended the eighth by strking out Jorge Posada on his 129th pitch. But Wilson didn’t do so well with Posada two innings earlier once he invited trouble by walking Robinson Cano to open the home sixth. One out later, the veteran Yankee DH drove the first pitch deep into the left center field gap, with Cano scoring easily as the ball hopped to the wall.

The Yanks had a great chance to win in regulation against veteran southpaw Darren Oliver once Mariano Rivera set the Rangers down in order in the top of the ninth. A walk, sac bunt and intentional walk to the pinch hitting Alex Rodriguez got it started, and Nick Swisher, leading off for the second straight day, walked to load the bases. Oliver fell behind Curtis Granderson with the infield, the outfield, and maybe even the ball boys in, but after fouling off the 3-1 pitch, Curtis couldn’t hold up on what would have been ball four and a “walkoff walk.” When Mark Teixeira grounded to short the game went to extra innings.

Mo pitched a scoreless 10th, and another new Yankeee, righthander Cory Wade, dove into the action for two innings, retiring six straight, two with strike outs. The Yanks had multiple chances against lefty Michael Kirkman, who took over for Oliver starting the 10th. When Brett Gardner, who had replaced Andruw Jones in left after Wilson left, singled with one down in the 10th, he was all the way to second base once Posada’s hot shot liner caromed off Beltre’s glove, but Adrian grabbed it in the air with a lunge and doubled Brett off. And following a one-out Nunez walk in the 11th, Rodriguez’s laser liner was grabbed at short, and Swisher flew out to center.

But the leadoff base hit that Granderson dunked into short right in the 12th would make a loser of Kirkman. One out later, Cano became the fifth hit by pitch victim of the day, all on offspeed throws. Texas manager Ron Washington protested that the ball hit Robbie’s bat, but to no avail. When Gardner rolled a single through the second base hole, the speedy Granderson scored and the game was won.

The pitching heroes were, well, everyone. “Flash” Gordon contributed a solid start against a team with some big bats, Noesi had another good outing, and Robertson and Rivera did the jobs we’ve come to expect. Cory Wade-d in and made quite a “splash,” making it nine up and nine down in two games, and earning the win for his trouble.

Listing offensive heroes is not as unanimous a reckoning, as Granderson had three hits, and Martin, Cano, and Gardner two apiece. Curtis scored once and Robinson twice, and Martin knocked in the first run. Then when things looked bleak and Wilson unhittable, Posada “smashed” the game to a tie , and six innings later Brett “the dash” Gardner hit the game winner.

It was a flash, smash, splash, dash win.

BTW,TYW
YANKEE BASEBALL!!!