Without an A-Rod to kick around anymore, it's time to start hoping for some selective amnesia. The kind where Eric Chavez forgets that he always gets injured, Ramiro Pena forgets how to find Yankee Stadium, Eduardo Nunez forgets his stone glove, and Jayson Nix forgets that he's Jayson Nix. Because Jayson Nix -- the proud owner of a .194/.268/.336 line in 628 career PA against right handed pitchers -- could never hit a game-winning bases-clearing double off of a righty. Jayson Nix hit a game-winning bases-clearing double off of a righty!
Also, Eric Chavez drew two walks and Ramiro Pena still has not entered a game. So things are off to as good of a start as we can reasonably expect. If those asked to fill in at third base can tread water and avoid disaster until A-Rod comes back, I think we'd all be happy with that.
In other news, Ivan Nova walked the ballpark but limited the damage to only two first inning runs by allowing only two hits. He was pulled after walking the first two batters in the sixth inning, but Clay Rapada and David Phelps were able to avoid further trouble.
In his last three appearances, David Phelps has faced sixteen batters. He has retired all sixteen and struck out nine.
Derek Jeter was 3-4, including a long home run to left-center field in home run unfriendly Safeco Field. Until the 8th inning, the Jeter home run was all of the offense that the Yankees could scratch across, despite threatening in many of the early innings.
After an off day tomorrow, the Yankees will welcome the Red Sox to the stadium for a weekend series.