Bronx, N.Y., May 23, 2008 — The Yankees made it three straight wins Friday night at the Stadium, and if that doesn’t sound unfamiliar enough to you, consider this. The weather was pleasant and dry with nary a cloud in the sky.
This one was supposed to be a gut check for Andy Pettitte, off on a bad streak of four losses, each resulting from one troublesome inning. In the latest of these, the Mets peppered him with bloops, walks, a seeing-eye grounder, and a swinging bunt, but it was four agonizing runs whatever way you slice it. And Andy was to be up against front-line lefty Eric Bedard. Seattle is off to a disappointing start and may have already played themselves out of the AL West race that held some promise at the season’s inception. But Bedard is a quality starter who had beaten the Yanks three times in four decisions for a middling Orioles team the last three years.
True, the Yanks actually beat Bedard 5-1 three weeks ago to start the only three-game sweep they have notched this year, but that is deceiving. The southpaw was torpedoed by his defense, as the Yanks jumped to a 3-0 lead through two innngs on four errors. The home team reached Bedard for only four hits and one walk through seven innings.
Pettitte would work a pretty good six innings Friday night, but this one was all about something the Yanks have rarely displayed of late: offense, and plenty of it. Joe Girardi’s umpteenth lineup had Derek Jeter leading off, with Bobby Abreu second and Alex Rodriguez moving up to an unfamiliar (recently, anyway) third. This set up the superb Hideki Matsui, subbing in left field for Johnny Damon this night, DH Jason Giambi, and first baseman Shelley Duncan hitting four-five-six. A different mix for sure, but the results were bombastic. The trio combined for seven runs scored and five rbi’s, numbers that grow to eight and eight when seventh place batter Robbie Cano’s results are added in. That is how the Bombers put up 13 runs.
Pettitte used his fastball and cutter to do something he often does: He retired eight of 18 M’s through six frames on ground balls. Less characteristic was the way he got the other 10 outs. Abreu made a nice grab on a Yuniesky Betancourt deep liner to right to close the fourth inning, and the other nine outs were strike outs. Look at them two ways: Seven of nine were swinging, or he got Ichiro Suzuki twice taking, and the rest of the team swinging seven times. The second of the Ichiro K’s closed a second frame where Andy struck out three, but allowed the game’s first run on three singles too.
The talented Seattle center fielder argued with home-plate ump Mike DiMuro on both of his punchouts, and the second cost Manager John McLaren his stay on the bench, as he was tossed pleading Ichiro’s case. Yankee fans were thrilled when Bombers skipper Joe Girardi argued himself out of Thursday’s game. Ironically, they benefitted from this one too, as ex-Yankee and ex-Yankee pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre was then forced into duty, and he appeared three times for pitching changes. Throw in that former Pinstriped backup infielder Miguel Cairo subbed at third once the game got of hand, and this one just got better for the home crowd.
Matsui started the first two Yankee rallies with hard singles up the middle. Giambi walked following the first single in the second, and Duncan drilled his first home run of the campaign for a quick 3-1 lead. Bedard struck Shelley out twice May 2, and walked him once, but the hard-working rookie pounded an 0-1 bender for the no-doubt-about-it bomb. Seattle closed it to 3-2 on the second base hits of both DH Jose Vidro and third baseman Adrian Beltre in the third, but Pettitte got through that one on three ground balls. A strike out and a groundout got Andy to two outs in the fourth, with Duncan making a fine scoop on a Jeter throw for out number two. Abreu flagged Betancourt’s liner, and it was the Yanks’ turn.
Matsui led off yet again, and he took ball one this time, then singled again. Giambi worked the count to 2-2, then stroked a sharp liner into the left field corner for two bases. Cano floated a one-out, two run double over third and the Yanks held a 5-3 lead. Two more strike outs got Andy through the top of the fifth after a Lopez single, and the Yanks put it away with an eight-run fifth. Jeter assumed the setup duties this time. Derek has been scrapping to get a hit since he was hit by a pitch the other day, but Bedard hit him in the foot to start the inning. With Derek running at 1-1 on Abreu, Bobby grounded a single through the vacant shortstop hole, with Jeets cruising into third. Then the “Captain” showed how it’s done when A-Rod grounded to third on a 3-0 pitch. Off on contact, Jeter not only stayed in a rundown long enough for Abreu and Rodriguez to each take an extra base, he directed traffic too. Serving as the run deliverer this time, Matsui knocked in two runs now with his third one-base hit, and Giambi drove Bedard from the mound with an rbi single to just right of second base.
Sean Green looked to have settled things down when he came on and struck out Duncan, but four hits and a walk later he was replaced by knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who finally retired Matsui to end the frame, but not until A-Rod drove in run number 13 with a single up the middle. Pettitte finished the sixth after a leadoff Beltre single just the way you would think, first with a ground out and then his ninth K. Stubborn catcher Jamie Burke’e eight-pitch at bat drove Andy’s pitch count past 100, but Rodriguez made a good play flagging down his base-hit bid to the shortstop hole and pegged him out. The Seattle and New York pens kept the madness right there, a 13-2 Yankee victory, with Latroy Hawkins and Edwar Ramirez doing the home-team chores.
Ian Kennedy produced a quality start Thursday, and this night Pettitte did the same. His numbers were excellent, a 75/30 strikes/balls ratio, and 19 of 26 first-pitch strikes. The 12 swings and misses he got from Seattle bespoke a killer curve and a really very good cutter. He pounded fastballs too, but the problematic change was not to be seen. But while Kennedy’s work was good, an honest assessment finds that he still didn’t throw enough strikes. With Pettitte too, the report card is mixed. It’s not at all certain how this one would have turned out had the Yanks not piled on the runs. Most of the cutters were sharp and effective, but a few were smacked, and a struggling Mariners team reached Andy for eight hits, all well struck. We welcome the win, as do Pettitte and the Yanks, but Andy has more to prove.
It is interesting that although the two victories over Bedard over three weeks could not have been more different, the first pitches came within a minute of one another, and both games ended at 10:06 pm. It was a rare sight indeed to see a big Yankee crowd relaxed and confident in the latter innings, with all those runs on the board. And who could blame them? Back in the game’s early days, the Indians rallied for nine runs with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Senators 14-13 on May 23, 1901. This night? Facing the same onslaught, the Yanks win 13-11 anyway. And speaking of the fans, Freddy the Fan, a Stadium original with his multicolored signs, frying pan, and the big spoon with which to clang and make noise, had a special announcement this night. Seems May 23, 2008 is his 83rd birthday! All he wanted for the occasion was a win, the sign said. I wonder if a win by 11 runs makes the cake taste that much better.
So not only have the Yanks won three straight, they managed two of those with impressive offense. And on top of that, they played tonight’s game in superb weather, with predictions for two more. It certainly should have not been surprising that this assembly of players would be capable of scoring runs in bunches, even with key contributor Jorge Posada still unable to join in all the fun.
May 23, 2008, represents what would have been the 274th birthday of scientist Franz Anton Mesmer. If that doesn’t ring any bells for you, consider this: It is from the name of this early explorer in the fields of animal magnetism and hypnotism that we now have the English word mesmerize. Watching this Yankee team score runs in bunches, and enjoying the sport we love under superb conditions, I couldn’t help but muse about what has transpired the last six weeks. Yes, I know the team still lingers in last place. And three wins in a row hardly proves that things are now running on a different track.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if what has transpired until now is not real, a dream so to speak. The real Yankees? Perhaps they are the ones who have stormed back into contention from behind several times in the last decade. Maybe we’re all coming out of a bad dream, with the real season beginning now before our very eyes. Tune into tomorrow, and let’s see.
BTW,TYW
YANKEE BASEBALL!!!