You just knew the first replay in the history of MLB would be focused on Arod. It's just amazing how he finds himself at the center of every controversy. In case you missed it, Arod crushed a ball down the left-field line that seemed to go over the foul pole. The problem was that it curved and landed on the foul side of an additional foul pole about 30 feet behind the relevant foul pole. But that back pole doesn't matter. As long as the ball travels directly over or on the fair side of the foul pole, it's gone.
But the game was really decided when Edwar escaped a bases-loaded, no out jam with the Yanks up by three in the fifth. Tonight was the opposite of the way the season has gone. It seemed like every break went our way.
For all the purists who are against instant replay, the official time for the replay review was 2:15, no more than half of what an argument from Joe Maddon would have taken. I hoped the umpires wouldn't be too stubborn or arrogant to use replay, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The win tonight goes to the offense and the bullpen. After Carl Pavano allowed three runs in four innings, and loaded the bases in the fifth, it looked like Tampa would make a game of it. Instead, Edwar escaped danger, Phil Coke pitched two perfect, then Bruney and Veras nailed it down. But it wouldn't have mattered if the offense hadn't jumped on Edwin Jackson, tagging him for six runs in just 3.1 innings.
- The Scranton Yankees cruised to a 7-1 win over the Pawtucket Red Sox, taking a 1-0 lead in the best of five series.
- Trenton edged the Portland Sea Dogs, 2-1, behind 5.2 strong innings from Eric Hacker, also taking a 1-0 series lead.