Best Games of the 2011 Yankees Season: #9-7

We are nearing the finish of our Best Games of the 2011 Yankees Season, as Wednesday Yankees2 will provide #6-4, and Friday I will bring you the top three games. Today's three include two young catchers and a hefty lefty.

9. May 8th: New York Yankees 12, Texas Rangers 5: In this Sunday day game, Derek Jeter came out to play. Jeter hit his first two home runs of the season, hitting one in the fifth inning off of Dave Bush, and another in the seventh inning off of Arthur Rhodes. Still, the Yankees only held a 6-5 lead when Francisco Cervelli came up with the bases loaded and zero outs in the top of the eighth inning. Cervelli hit a fly ball to dead center that kept on carrying, and just like that the Yankees lead was at five. It was Cervelli's first grand slam of his career.

8. July 10th: New York Yankees 1, Tampa Bay Rays 0: A day after Derek Jeter hit his 3,000th hit, fans piled into Yankee Stadium hoping for a consolation prize. The fans in attendance, which included myself, instead saw a player get pied. Normally players get pied for hitting walk off hits, or scoring walk off runs. Instead, CC Sabathia was the recipient of the pie. No, CC was not hungry, but instead he threw an absolute gem. After surrendering a double in the first inning, CC buckled down and threw a four hit shut out. James Shields was also spectacular, only allowing a run on a fielding error. Still, it was a fantastic atmosphere, and CC Sabathia certainly provided a great consolation prize.

7. September 5th: New York Yankees 11, Baltimore Orioles 10: The game was a complete mess, as Freddy Garcia allowed seven runs in only two and two thirds pitched. The next pitchers were Scott Proctor and Aaron Laffey, which shows just how little the Yankees expected of this game. However, Jesus Montero had other plans. Montero hit his first two home runs of his young MLB career, both being off of Orioles reliever Jim Johnson. Montero's home runs provided the difference for the Yankees, as they defeated the Orioles 11-10.