Yankees 8, Rays 3: Get Ahead and Never Look Back

The results were good for Phil Hughes tonight, even if his pitching was not his best.  He allowed only 4 hits over 6.1IP, but he matched his career high by walking 5.  I cloud-sourced Hughes' performance and we decided it was a B.  He was missing some spots, but his pitches were moving enough that there were only a few good swings against him all night.

The Yankees brought the early thunder, scoring 5 times in the bottom of the first inning.  After that, though, the Yankees wouldn't really threaten again until the 6th. Then 1st and 2nd with one out turned into 2nd and 3rd with two out, and that turned into stranded runners.

The Tampa Bay Rays, on the other hand, seemed to strand runners every inning: they left first and third in the 3rd, bases loaded in the 4th, a runner on first after a small 7th inning rally, bases loaded in the 8th.

I couldn't believe that Joe Girardi sent Phil Hughes back to the mound to start the 7th inning, but I guess it worked out.  Hughes threw 112 pitches, 60% strikes. Here's the logic that I think makes it ok- Joe G. wanted to see Javy Vazquez come into a game in the middle of an inning.  Javy gave up 3 hits, allowing an inherited runner to score in the 7th and leaving Joba a mess to pitch out of in the 8th, so hopefully we won't see to many more experiments like that.  At least no earned runs were charged to Javy, so his ERA will come down a little.

The Yanks tacked on two runs in the 7th on a Robbie Cano double, and another in the 8th on a Derek Jeter double.

Joba cleaned up for Javy Vazquez in the 8th and then pitched a clean 9th.

Another scary moment for Jorge Posada, who took a foul ball in the manly bits. DFA MIchael Kay, who said, "At least you know he's not really hurt."  I hate Michael Kay almost as much as I hate Joe Buck, probably 1/4 Joe Morgan.

Play of the Game: Lance Berkman's first inning, 2 RBI double made the game look like an early rout, and it increased the Yankees' odds of winning by 12.6%.

Comment of the Game: 5689 wished for it, Captain_Mick predicted it, and Robbie Cano made all our dreams come true with a 2 RBI double.