What a great night for Kuroda and Ichiro.
Kuroda has been a model of consistency in a rotation that’s begged for consistency. I just love the way he’s adapted to the Yankees and the American League after his somewhat shaky start. He’s so smart and such a warrior. Great, great pickup by Cashman.
I was not a fan of Ichiro and didn’t think we’d see even flashes of his former glory. I was wrong. He has indeed elevated his game since putting on the pinstripes, and tonight’s two homers were resounding evidence. I loved his curtain call after the second one.
Jeter continues to amaze. When he got that leadoff hit off Beckett, I relaxed and knew the Yanks would prevail. I’m always happy when we score first.
And then there’s Soriano, AKA “Mr. Untuck,” as we call him on Twitter.

Supposedly, he untucks his shirt after a save because it means he’s finished his work for the day. All righty then. He’ll never be Mo, but I don’t want to think where we’d be without him. Great, great pickup by Hal.
As for the Red Sox, this felt like an unusual series with them. The games didn’t last forever, although Saturday’s felt that way. Beckett took his customary eternity between pitches, but even so it went faster than the old days. The biggest story in the ESPN booth was the “drama” over when Carl Crawford would have surgery. Yawn.