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Ivan Nova pitched a magnificent game tonight, throwing six and a third innings of five hit, one run baseball. Nova left the game pumped up, as he should have been, and expected his second victory of the season.
Sadly, Nova would not get the victory, due to Rafael Soriano's pitching, and Joe Girardi's managing.
Nova left the game in the top of the 7th with a 2-1 lead, thanks to solo home runs by Robinson Cano and Brett Gardner. In came David Robertson, who finished the inning easily.
Thanks to the binder and the formula, it was Rafael Soriano's turn to pitch in the eighth inning. After an Alexei Ramirez strike out, Kyle Farnsworth's spirit took over Soriano's body. Soriano hit the next batter, who would be pinch-ran for by Brent Lillibridge. Following the HBP, Paul Konerko hit a pitch Rafa wishes he could opt out of over the fence for a take the lead two run shot. The rest of the inning was no walk in the park, but Soriano managed to get through it without giving up any more runs.
Brent Lillibridge was placed in right field for the bottom of the eighth, and the Yankees went down 1-2-3.
The Yankees, being a team that does not give up easily, had a rally in their bones in the bottom of the ninth. Derek Jeter hit a leadoff single, and up came Curtis Granderson. You may be thinking "so, Granderson swung for the fences, right?" Wrong. Granderson was given the bunt signal by Joey Binders, and gave the White Sox a free out.
After the bunt, Mark Teixeira walked, and Sergio Santos was brought in to close. The man who deserved the save, though, was Brent Lillibridge.
Alex Rodriguez hit a fly ball to the wall, but there was Brent Lillibridge, to make a stretching catch to save the lead.
Next, Robinson Cano hit a line drive to right. There was Brent Lillibridge to make a diving catch to end the game.
The Yankees offense barely showed up, but Rafael Soriano and Joe Girardi are the ones to blame for tonight's loss.
Comment of the Game: Wraithpk