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Javy Vazquez pulled an AJ, giving the Yankees only 3+ innings of 8 hits and a walk on 65 pitches. Vazquez gave up 3 home runs, 2 to Ichiro (no shame), and one to Russel Branyon that was the first ball ever hit into the upper deck at new Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees scored 4 in the first inning, before I even turned the game on. Of course, as has been the case lately when the Yankees score in the first, the starter gave it all right back.
Thank goodness that the Yankees have a great bullpen and the M's are bad at baseball.
Chad Gaudin is my pick for player of the game, pitching 3 innings (matching Javy), 1 hit and 0 R (besting Javy).
Boone Logan pitched another scoreless inning. He'd earn the win when the Yanks put together a string of singles (Kearns, Granderson, Nunez and Jeter) to take a 3 run lead.
David Robertson recorded the first 2 outs of the 8th, before making way for the Great One.
Mariano Rivera recorded his first 4 out save of the season. I don't really understand the move to bring in Rivera an out early, as Robertson appeared to be in control, but it starts to prep Rivera for October. The Yanks tacked on 2 more in the bottom of the 8th to blow the game wide open.
Comment of the Game: Another joint COG - Xavier_10 posted this picture of a bat on fire, which launched these brilliant observations
didn’t you see the bucket of kerosene on the dugout step?
by pastor2b
I saw one on the mound through the first three.
by Q-TDSK
Play of the Game: Jorge Posada's 2 run homer in the first increased the Yankees' odds of winning by 16.4%. Javy Vazquez gave that all back, but thankfully, Eduardo Nunez's first career hit involved an RBI that increased the Yankees odds by another 10.8%.
Breaking News: Arod to the DL, Nova up to start Monday.
I like Arod hitting the DL; because I want him healthy, I think it's better to play it safe. He'll miss series with the Jays, A's and White Sox. He'll be eligible to return against the Orioles, just before the September stretch run against the Rangers and Rays.
For Nova, this gives every starter an extra day to rest, and gives the Yanks' best pitching prospect a taste of the Show. Javy could always be skipped after his next bullpen.