Struggles return as Twins pound Yankees
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W: Blackburn (6-1, 4.28)
L: Vazquez (3-5, 6.86)
Thursday brought the unwelcomed return of last week’s struggles. The Yankees bats failed to back up Javier Vazquez, who struggled again, and the bullpen faltered when they were called upon.
The Twins were able to dodge a four game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, as they beat the Bronx Bombers, 8-2.
The Yankees only offense came from their red hot second baseman, Robinson Cano. Cano had a huge RBI-single in the fourth inning, which made it a 3-1 game at the time. Cano also came through with an RBI-double to right field, which cut the lead to 4-2.
Vazquez put the Yankees in a hole during the first two innings, and they were unable to work their way out of it. In the first inning, Justin Morneau hit a sac-fly to left, which gave the Twins their first lead of the night.
In the second inning, Jason Kubel doubled another run home, and then Alexi Casilla knocked in a run on a double play.
After Cano’s fourth inning double, Minnesota earned that run back with a Jim Thome sac-fly.
Cano once again helped cut the lead down with his rbi-double, but Minnesota again had an answer. Jason Kubel hit a solo homer to extend the lead back to three runs.
Vazquez was yanked shortly after, and Chan Ho Park entered in relief, and that was once again a complete disaster.
Park escaped the 6th inning, but fell apart in the 7th inning. Park walked Joe Mauer and gave up a single to Morneau, and then he was relieved of his duties by Damaso Marte. Marte did his job, as he retired lefty batter Jim Thome.
Chad Gaudin came in to replace Marte, and after striking out Michael Cuddyer, he gave up a three-run homer to Jason Kubel. The rout was on after that as the Twins took full control.
The Yankees finished with ten hits, but only two runs. Seven of the starting nine for New York had at least one hit, but nobody aside from Cano could deliver a clutch hit to keep the Yanks in the game.
With the Yankee loss and the Rays win, the Rays now hold a 4.5 game lead over the Yankees.
The Bronx Bombers finally return home to Yankee Stadium, and finally play a weak opponent, as the Cleveland Indians come to town.
Phil Hughes (5-1, 2.72) will challenge Cleveland’s ace, Fausto Carmona (4-2, 3.45). First pitch is set for 7:05 ET.
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Silent bats give Hughes first loss
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WP: Pelfrey (6-1, 2.86)
LP: Hughes (5-1, 2.72)
S: Rodriguez (7)
Phil Hughes gave his best effort, and pitched well enough to win, but the Yankee bats did not show up. Hughes picked up his first loss of the season, and the Mets beat the Yankees, 5-3.
Hughes pitched 5 2/3 innings, while giving up four earned runs. He surrendered a run in the sixth inning, courtesy of an Alex Cora single, and that forced him out of the game.
Meanwhile, the Yankees failed to back up their starter. The Bronx Bombers had 15 total base runners, including 11 hits during the game, but they only crossed the plate three times. The Yanks left 13 runners on base, and finished the game 3-14 with runners in scoring position.
The Yankees were playing from behind from the beginning of the game, as Hughes got into early trouble. With two outs in the inning, Jason Bay doubled to left, and Ike Davis followed with a walk.
After a visit to the mound, David Wright singled to center, which scored Bay. Then, Angel Pagan singled on a blooper to left, which scored Davis. The Mets had an instant 2-0 lead, which they would not let up.
In the third, the Mets middle of the order would deliver again. David Wright ripped another RBI single to center, and it was 3-0, Mets.
The Yankees finally scored in the sixth inning, when Francisco Cervelli singled off the leg of Pelfrey. The lead was cut to 3-1, but the Mets would again respond.
Hughes had found his command, but things fell apart in the bottom of the sixth. Angel Pagan doubled to lead off the inning.
Hughes would retire the next two batters, but Alex Cora singled in Pagan, and the Mets took a 4-1 lead. Joe Girardi replaced Hughes with reliever Chan Ho Park.
The Yankees scrounged together a pathetic attempt at a comeback in the eighth inning. Robinson Cano singled to center to start out the inning. Nick Swisher was hit by a pitch immediately after. Cervell followed with a single to load the bases. The Yankees had the bases loaded with no outs.
Juan Miranda failed to make contact with the ball, and he struck out swinging for the first out. The Yanks then scored their second run of the game when Kevin Russo was hit by a pitch. Fernando Nieve was then replaced by Met closer Francisco Rodriguez.
K-Rod got the job done as he always does. He forced Derek Jeter to ground out, but a run scored, and the score was 5-3. But Brett Gardner grounded out, and the best chance of the night was squandered.
After a pair of singles from Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher, Francisco Cervelli represented the tying run. But K-Rod struck him out, and the game ended.
The series wraps up with a thrilling game on primetime television. Yankee ace CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.43) will take on the Mets’ ace, Johan Santana (3-2, 3.72). That game is set for 8:05, and can be seen on ESPN.
Yankees walk-off to beat Red Sox
[picappgallerysingle id="8835168"]With the way things started between the Yankees and Red Sox, none of the 47,000+ fans at Yankee Stadium could have ever predicted a walk off win.
The Yanks scored early and often, and appeared to be en route to a blowout victory of the archrival Red Sox.
New York had starter Phil Hughes and his 5-0 record on the mound, and after his Yankees gave him an early five run lead, it seemed like New York would walk to a win, not walk-off. Ah it’s amazing how a rivalry game works. The Yankees needed ninth inning heroics to beat the Red Sox, 11-9.
Marcus Thames came through with a walk off home run off of Jonathon Papelbon, which won the game in the ninth.
Hughes pitched just give innings, while surrendering five runs, and earning a no decision.
The Yankees got off to a quick start. Derek Jeter led off with a single, Brett Gardner followed with the same, and Mark Teixeira walked to load up the bases for Alex Rodriguez.
A-Rod started the first inning scoring spree with an RBI single, which drove in Jeter and Gardner. Robinson Cano followed Rodriguez with an RBI single of his own, and Francisco Cervelli doubled to drive in two more runs. Cano was out at the plate, but the Yankees owned a 5-0 lead with just one out in the first.
Adrian Beltre would cut the lead to 3-5 with an RBI single, but the Yankees responded with an RBI double from Teixeira, which scored Brett Gardner. The Yankees still owned a comfortable 6-1 lead with Hughes on the mound, who had been the Yanks most consistent pitcher.
Hughes had been masterful entering Monday’s game, but things just weren’t the same. David Ortiz hit a fourth inning homer to right. In the fifth inning, the New York lead was cut to one, when J.D. Drew hit a three run home run. The score was 6-5 after that.
Marcus Thames added a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning, when he hit a double over the head of center fielder Darnell McDonald. Francisco Cervelli scored on that.
However, the Red Sox would not back down. Victor Martinez sparked another rally with a solo homer to left field off of Boone Logan, and the Yankee lead was then 7-6.
In the eighth inning, Joe Girardi stuck to his word by not pitching set-up man Joba Chamberlain. After both Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera struggled on Sunday, Girardi refused to say which reliever would pitch on Monday.
Girardi opted to leave long reliever Chan Ho Park in the game, who was just taken off the disabled list. Park surrendered back-to-back homers to Kevin Youkillis (two run homer) and Victor Martinez, and the Red Sox took a 9-7 lead, their first of the game.
Yankee Stadium was full of stunned and silence fans, who were wondering where the back end of the bullpen was.
Starter Javier Vazquez worked a scoreless ninth inning in a rare relief appearance, and then the bottom of the ninth began.
The Yankees trailed by two runs as they entered the bottom of the inning, and they desperately seeked a rally. If they wanted to win the game, they’d have to rally against Red Sox closer Jonathon Papelbon.
Brett Gardner doubled to left field to spark up the rally. Mark Teixeira flew out to deep right field, and with one away, Alex Rodriguez came to the plate. A-Rod delivered with a game-tying two run home run, and the game was tied at nine.
The Yankees didn’t stop after that. With two outs, Francisco Cervelli was hit by a pitch. After a brief delay, he was left in the game to run. He didn’t need to run.
Marcus Thames was given the start over usual starter Nick Swisher because Swisher was sidelined with an injury. That worked out alright for the Yanks.
Thames delivered with a walk off two run home run to left field, and the Yankees beat the Red Sox.
Vazquez earned his second victory of the season, and the first of his career coming in relief.
After a wild walk off win, the two teams return to the stadium for the second game of the two game series. CC Sabathia will take on Boston’s ace, Josh Beckett.
Yankee bats return as Hughes shuts down Tigers
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Yankee bats return as Hughes shuts down Tigers
Game 2:
Yankees: 8
Tigers: 0
WP: Hughes (5-0, 1.38)
LP: Jeremy Bonderman (1-2, 5.08)
The Yankees found their rhythm on offense in Game 2 of their Mo-Town double header, and they beat the Tigers, 8-0, to force a split of the twin bill.
After being shutout in Game 1 of the double header, the Yankees scored right away in the evening matchup. Alex Rodriguez singled in the first inning, which gave the Yankees a quick 1-0 lead, which would end up being all they would need.
The Yankees scored again in the third inning, when 1B Mark Teixeira hit an RBI-single to give the Yanks a 2-0 lead.
New York starter Phil Hughes was magnificent again. Hughes pitched seven shutout innings, while only surrendering five hits, and striking out eight Tiger batters. Hughes earned his fifth win of the season.
On the other side, Tigers’ starter Jeremy Bonderman also pitched seven innings while only giving up two runs, and five hits. Bonderman gave his team a chance to win, but his Tigers’ offense failed to score, and the bullpen imploded eventually.
Set-up man Joba Chamberlain worked a scoreless eighth for the Yankees, and with Mariano Rivera warming up, the Yankee offense exploded in the ninth inning.
Former Yankee Phil Coke worked a scoreless eighth for the Tigers, but was left in for the ninth inning, which would end up being a mistake. With Randy Winn on base, Francisco Cervelli lined an RBI-single to center, to give the Yanks a 3-0 lead.
Brett Gardner would soon after hit and RBI-single, which extended the lead. After that, Mark Teixeira stayed hot with another RBI-single, which scored a pair of runs. The lead with then 6-0.
A-Rod would follow with an RBI-double, which scored another run, and then later, Teixeira would score on a wild pitch.
Yankee closer Mariano Rivera expected to come in to the bottom of the ninth with a 2-0 lead and facing a save situation, instead, he entered the with an 8-0 lead. He would shortly finish off the Tigers in the ninth.
In earning his fifth win of the season, Hughes lowered his season ERA to 1.38. In addition to that remarkable number, Hughes is the first pitcher since 1958 to win at least five games, and have an ERA below 1.50 in his first six starts.
The Yankees seek to split the four game series as they take on the Tigers in a Thursday matinee game. First pitch of that game is set for 1:05 ET. in Detroit, as each team’s ace faces off. CC Sabathia (4-1, 3.04) will take on Justin Verlander (3-2, 4.50).
Porcello Outduels Vazquez in Game 1 of Double Dip
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Game 1
Tigers: 2
Yankees: 0
WP: Porcello (3-3, 6.08)
LP: Vazquez (1-4, 8.10)
S: Valverde (10)
Detroit starter Rick Porcello finally regained his form at the expense of the Yankees. Porcello pitched seven shutout innings, and outdueled New York starter Javier Vazquez, and the Tigers took Game 1 of the double header, 2-0.
Porcello allowed just four hits in his seven innings, and the Tigers bullpen took over the rest. Set-up man Ryan Perry pitched a one-two-three eighth inning, and closer Jose Valverde shut the door in the ninth.
Vazquez pitched seven innings, while only allowing two runs and five hits, but earned his fourth loss of the young season.
Detroit scored both of their runs in the sixth inning. The Tigers put runners on the corners with nobody out after a pair of singles from Austin Jackson and Johnny Damon. Magglio Ordonez then followed with a fielders choice to knock home Jackson.
Miguel Cabrera then singled which forced a Yankee mound visit. Soon after, Vazquez’s rough inning continued as Tiger RF Brennan Boesch ripped an RBI-single to score Ordonez.
Vazquez soon escaped the inning as he forced Tiger 3B Brandon Inge into a double play.
The Yankees simply could not put together a rally. The Bombers only had four hits, and one of those was an extra base hit, when Jorge Posada doubled. Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher, and Randy Winn also had hits during the loss. Porcello and the Tigers pen were just too much for the Yankees.
Vazquez has struggled miserably during the early portion of the 2010 season, but he pitched what was by far his best outing of the season. His seven innings, two runs, five hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts are all a season best for Vazquez. In the end, the bats failed to back up Javy, and he earned his fourth loss of the season.
After the shutout, each team did not have long to regroup. The game was the first of a double header. The two teams took the field a little bit later. Check out BronxBombersReport.com later for the recap of that game.
