Zack Greinke was coming off his best start of the season, but tonight, he didn't have his "A" game. The Yankees chased him following the second inning after Greinke allowed seven runs on five hits, three walks, a hit batter, and a three run homer off the bat of Nick Swisher, his 10th blast of the season.
Brett Gardner was hit by a pitch leading off the game, and Curtis Granderson followed with a "triple" (Nyjer Morgan fell in center field) to drive Gardner home. Mark Teixeira then drove Granderson in with a groundout.
In the second, Eduardo Nunez ripped a single and Brett Gardner walked to set up first and second with no one out. With Teixeira at bat, Nunez and Gardner executed a double steal, which led to Teixeira's second RBI groundout. Alex Rodriguez then walked, Robinson Cano singled to drive in a run, and Swisher capped the inning with his three run homer. The score was 7-0 Yankees, and Greinke's night was done.
The Yankees added another four runs in the sixth inning behind Texieira's two-run homer, his 24th home run of the season, Jorge Posada's RBI single, and Russell Martin's RBI groundout. Swisher's RBI double in the eighth gave the Yankees their twelth and final run.
Every starter with the exception of Brett Gardner had a hit, but even he reached base twice. Teixeira and Swisher had four RBI's each.
Despite scoring twelve runs, the team was only 3-16 with RISP and left eight men on base.
On to the pitching.
Freddy Garcia was solid but unspectacular. He completed six innings of work, allowed only two runs, and did not walk a batter. However, he allowed eight hits and several other hard hit balls while striking out only one batter. His GO/AO ratio was also nothing spectacular at 5-7.
Hector Noesi pitched the seventh and eighth innings and was very solid. He allowed two hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out three. Cory Wade pitched a harmless ninth inning to close out the ballgame.
The Yankees are now a season high fifteen games over .500 and have won three straight games. They've also won thirteen of their last seventeen games. And thanks to Cliff Lee's third straight complete game shutout, the Yankees are now two games up on the Red Sox in the loss column.
A.J. Burnett will take the ball tomorrow with hopes of securing another series win for the Yanks.
Play of the Game: Granderson's triple.
Comments of the Game: Two tonight. One to I'mGivingYouARaise, and one to long time listener.