Day at the Stadium- a sweep and new pitcher showcase

I was looking forward to a good day at the Stadium and the day did not disappoint.  I was excited to see what it was about Brian Gordon that Cashman and Co. liked enough tograb out of someone else's AAA and hand him the ball as a starter.  I had felt confident that we had plenty of arms in Scranton or the bullpen to make a spot start.  I was in fact a little disappointed the start didn't go the Noesi.

I went to the game with John.  He's a relatively new acquaintence who is becoming a friend.  He made congenial company and claim responsibility for the day's good luck.

You guys who saw the game on TV probably have a better idea than I how Gordon pitched. I was glad to see them give out 22 in a low stress situation.  With Gordon being new I didn't hear any comment on Rocket's old numeral.  He pitched quickly and had good control.  He showed a lot of speed change.  He threw a fastball in the low 90's.  He threw a big overhand curve that he made some mistakes with but also got some awfull looking swings at.  The curve was in the 60's or 70's for velocity.  He threw an occasional slider in the low 80's and was throwing some pitch the scoreboard miss ID'd as a 83 more or less fastball.

I was thrilled with 5+ innings and 2 runs. Althoigh he left behind 2-1.

 More after the jump

Hector Noesi pitched 1 2/3, looking better to my eye than Gordon but it was a small sample.  The Yanks tied it then the Texas bullpen and the Yanks traded a buch of zero's. 

Mariano pitched the ninth and tenth.  In the 10th Young fouled on of Mariano's pitches into the Terrace seats behind first.  Not many balls come there and I moved right to get a hand on it.  I was the first to touch it but didn't catch it.  I did manage to recover it out of an empty seat.  A guy from several seats away was very agressive trying to take it from me, but I ended up with it.

via i269.photobucket.com

I've been going to games for 50 years+ and this is my first game ball.  I bought one at age 10 a friend got,  (Howie Shelton I think) but I never got one myself.

Cory Wade, our other shinny new toy pitched two scoreless and got the win when a disputed HBP of Cano pushed Granderson to second where he scored on Brett Gardner's ground ball single.  I have been in the stadium for 2 of Brett's 3 walkoff hits.  I saw the first one, a little bleeder up the middle vs Boston years ago.

Wade looks like a big league reliever, he may be a good pickup.

Thanks for the good luck John, we have to do it again.