I love watching a pitchers' duel, and I hate writing about one.
I can't describe the tension of every pitch, the way I hate to tear my eyes from the screen even to read the game thread. There's something wonderful and horrible about the way my heart is in my throat every time either team swings the bat. I don't have the words to do it justice, so I hope you know what I mean.
This game was one of the best pitched games that I've seen this season. Pettitte and Vargas traded zeros until the bottom of the 6th when 3 straight singles with none out plated a run for Seattle and put two men on. Andy did what Andy do, got a quick grounder and two Ks to escape the inning. Pettitte stayed on the mound through the bottom of the 8th.
Vargas was just as good, writhing in and out of trouble, stranding baserunners, and starting the 8th inning. Arod walked and Cano singled to chase Vargas. Brian Sweeney came in and threw a wild pitch. Arod made it to third, but Cano stayed put on first. Posada ground into a double play, but the tying run scored.
In the top of the ninth, the All-Stars delivered for the Yankees. Jeter walked, Swisher doubled. Tex popped out to the catcher. Arod got beat by the fast ball early in his AB, so he shortened up his swing and laced a single into right. Jeter and Swisher scored, and Arod moved to third on the throw home. Cano received another intentional walk (I believe he's now past Jim Rice for career IBB, just saying). Unfortunately, the Yanks weren't able to blow the game open.
Mo sat down the side in order.
Tampa won and Boston was off, so the Bronx Bombers remain 2 games ahead of the Rays in the loss column and 5 ahead of the Red Sox.
Comment of the Game: Goes to Jedi-Master A-Rod for breaking out the secret weapon at exactly the right time.
Play of the Game: Your hint is, it was a 2-RBI single, and it swung the odds in the Yankees' favor by 42.1%.