Grandy and Tex

DET 5
NYY 9


WP Moseley (3-2)
LP Bonderman (6-9)

Players of the Game: Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira. Granderson's new and improved swing has been productive so far and he's really been playing good defense. Another diving catch and another home run tonight for the Grandy Man. Teixeira was the only Yankee with a multi-hit game tonight going 3-for-4 with a home run, double, and two RBI.


Play of the Game: Granderson's diving catch in the fourth. He was frozen for a second then had to come in on the ball and made a nice diving catch.


Turning Point of the Game: I'd say Granderson's home run. It broke the game open and it was key because the Yankees bullpen had to work out of a lot of threats in the late innings.


Notes:

• David Robertson and Mariano Rivera both pitched on back-to-back days in non-save situations. This might affect the way the bullpen is used tomorrow.
• The Yankees remain tied in first with the Tampa Bay Rays with tonight's win.
• Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira went back-to-back in the first inning to give the Yankees a quick 3-0 lead.
• The Yankees bullpen once again did a great job. Joba, Kerry Wood, Chad Gaudin (who actually wasn't effective, David Robertson, and Mariano Rivera). Robertson got out of a bases loaded jam that Gaudin got into by only allowing one run.
• I fell asleep at the beginning and wasn't really watching late so I don't fully understan what was going on with the home plate umpire and hit batsmen tonight. Apparently the benches were warned in the first and I believe it was the eighth when Miguel Cabrera was hit in the back after he hit two home runs already. Jim Leyland thought Chad Gaudin should be ejected but he wasn't. Leyland argued and was thrown out. The following inning the Tigers pitcher threw behind Jeter and was also not thrown out. And Girardi was irritated by this because it was blatantly with intent. So very confusing night for the umpire behind the plate.

Tomorrow:

Yankees vs Tigers 1:05 p.m. Yankee Stadium

Phil Hughes (14-5, 3.94) vs Rick Porcello (5-10, 5.53)

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Hughes Continues to Impress in Win

NYY 10 11 0
BOS 3 9 0

WP: Hughes (4-0)
LP: Beckett (1-1)


Player of the Game: Phil Hughes. Man has Hughes put together a good start or what. Seven innings, seven hits, two earned runs, and seven strikeouts while only walking one. Seventy of his 101 pitches were strikes.

Play of the Game: Nick Swisher's 3-run home run. It was the only home run of the game and it put the Yankees up 3-0 early, and Beckett began to get rattled.

Turning Point of the Game: Francisco Cervelli's bases loaded walk. The walk made it 4-1 and signaled that Beckett had lost control of the ball and couldn't find the plate if he had a GPS.

Notes:

• The fact that Beckett lost the plate in the sixth was a bit nervewracking and infuriating, to both the fans, and the Yankees. Robbie Cano left the game, although Girardi said he'll play tomorrow, he came close to Cervelli twice, and Jeter got hit. When Jeter got hit it looked like the Yankees bench was a bit fed up and were up on the front step yelling out onto the field. Now, it's tough to determine if he was throwing on purpose being the bases were loaded, but nobody likes to see their players get hit. Beckett was pitching more like Daniel Cabrera or Vicente Padilla today, guys known for not having control and hitting batters. And nobody likes those pitchers.
• Phil Hughes did not retaliate, and we'll see what happens tomorrow, since CC looked very agitated during that sixth inning. But Hughes has been brilliant. He just went into Fenway Park and basically shut down the Red Sox, bringing his ERA down to 1.69 and is a perfect 4-0 on the season.
• Another disheartening outing from David Robertson. In a 10-2 blowout you don't want to walk two batters and give up a run. If he allows a 3-run homer after those two walks, it's 10-5 and suddenly the Red Sox have life.

Tomorrow

Yankees at Red Sox 3:05 p.m. Fenway Park

Sabathia (4-1) vs Buchholz

UPDATE: One more thing I want to add. I was listening to the last inning on the radio and when the final out was made John Sterling just simply said "Yankees win." What's up with that? I know it was a blowout but he always at least half-asses a "Thheee Yankeeees win!" A bit disappointing if you ask me. I wonder what the IT IS HIGH blog will say about this.

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Slow and Painful Loss

CWS 7 9 0
NYY 6 11 0

WP: Linebrink (1-0)
LP: Robertson (0-2)
S: Jenks (5)

Players of the Game: A.J. Pierzynski and Andruw Jones. Jones had 2 home runs for the day while Pierzynski went 3-for-4 with a go-ahead double in the seventh.

Play/Turning Point of the Game: A.J. Pierzynski's go-ahead 2 RBI double in the seventh inning off of Damaso Marte. The Yankees had just taken the lead and the White Sox were able to take it right back.

Notes

• Curtis Granderson left the game with a strained left groin. Should be interesting to see how further results will come out on this. He may end up on the 15-day DL.
• Javier Vazquez had another rough outing, and you can tell he's nervous out there when he couldn't field a groundball after allowing a home run. He just needs to pitch with some more confidence.
• Speaking of pitchers struggling, David Robertson and Damaso Marte have been nothing but disappointments this year. They were the unsung heroes of the 2009 postseason, but it seems like they can't get anyone out now. Boone Logan actually had a pretty good outing today, hitting 97 mph on the gun so Marte better watch his back.
• Nick Swisher finally broke out of a slump at home by hitting a go-ahead 2-run home run which seemed like it would be enough for the Yankees to win.
• Mark Teixeira certainly happy it's May as he went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
• The game was almost 4 hours long. It was "embarassing and pathetic" for Joe West. It was a slow and painful loss for Yankees fans as it appeared we may have pulled off the comeback victory during the sixth.

Tomorrow

Yankees vs White Sox 1:05 p.m.

Hughes (2-0) vs Buehrle (2-3)

See Ya!

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Too Little Too Late

NYY 4 9 2

BAL 5 9 2



WP: Castillo (1-0)
LP: Robertson (0-1)
S: Simon (1)


Player of the Game: Cesar Izturis. Despite almost blowing the game for the Orioles with an error in the ninth, Izturis drove in 3 runs and singled twice in the win.



Play of the Game: Curtis Granderson made an outstanding play in the first inning robbing Miguel Tejada of a base hit by diving forward to make the catch.


Turning Point of the Game: When David Robertson hit Ty Wiggington in the seventh inning. It set up a 2-out, 3 run rally for the Orioles and Robertson just didn't have his stuff tonight.


Notes:

• The Yankees made an effort to comeback in the ninth, scoring 2 runs off Alfredo Simon on an error by Cesar Izturis and RBI single by Teixeira. But it was too little too late (hence the headline) as A-Rod made the last out grounding into a fielder's choice at second.
• Jorge Posada hit his fifth home run of the year which gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead at the time.
• Curtis Granderson is looking awful at the plate. He is hitless in his last 16 at bats and could use a day off. Meanwhile Cano looks hot as he went 3-for-4 today, however, he couldn't capitalize on a bases loaded opportunity in the third.
• Boone Logan was unable to get the job done as he allowed the tying run to reach base.
• The Yankees have now lost 4 of their last 5 games...it's official, first slump of the season.

Tomorrow

Yankees at Orioles 7:05 p.m.
Sabathia vs Guthrie

See Ya!

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Smells Like Team Spirit

While you were sleeping, the Yankees won again, defeating the Seattle Mariners 5-2. The Yankees were clicking on all cylinders in this one. Nick Swisher and Derek Jeter led the charge as both hit home-runs to provide the offense. Sergio Mitre did his job by only allowing 2 runs in 5.1 innings pitched. David Robertson got the two biggest outs of the game, by bailing Mitre out of a bases-loaded one out jam without letting any of the runners score in the sixth. The bullpen went on to pitch 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. The Yankees are now 74-43 and have been 23-6 since the All-Star Break. They are simply in cruise control.

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