Why is it that victories for the Yankees inevitably come with an injury, usually to a pitcher? In tonight’s finale at Fenway, Phelps was struggling and I was pissed off that he was serving up fat ones to the Red Sox – until I heard he was injured. Rogers, our latest pickup off somebody’s scrap heap, saved the day with three scoreless innings and it’s possible he’ll take Phelps’ spot in the rotation. Kind of scary, but I’m used to the game of musical chairs the Yanks have been forced to play this season.
Scarier still was Clay Buchholz, who kept giving back the leads the Sox hitters handed him and was eventually lifted. Our offense looked determined to take advantage and we actually scored more than a few runs for a change – just enough to get the win. Gardner continues to be our Babe Ruth. What a season he’s having. Beltran and McCann looked good at the plate too.
Dave Robertson nearly blew the save on that almost homer by Pedroia, speaking of scary, but recovered just in time. Tense!
Can the Yankees continue to win series down the stretch? They’ll have to if they want to get into the postseason. Everybody’s bunched up in the standings right now and I have no idea which teams (Blue Jays? Orioles? Mariners? Angels? Us?) will emerge with playoff berths. The only guarantees in the AL at the moment are the A’s and Tigers, and I’m not looking forward to playing the latter starting tomorrow. Gulp.
Poor Pedroia tried his little chipmunk heart out last night but to no avail. Thank goodness for Clay Buchholz! But even more, thank goodness for Brett Gardner – he has been incredibly hot of late (five homers in the last week? Really!? – he deserves AL player of the week, no doubt about it!). Beltran has also been Beltran and even Steven Drew contributed some timely offense last night. And how about that defense combo of Headley-Teixiera? OMG, I already feel so much more secure when ground balls come our way.
Boston games are always a combination of enjoyment and tension so it was nice to take this series and worth staying up till midnight to make sure last night’s ended with a W. We can do this but this Detroit series is going to be key. We seriously need to pull another Reds.
I commend you for staying up to watch that marathon, Audrey. I’m back in CA now so I was fine with the loooong game but it was crazy when I looked up after a couple of hours and we were only in the 3rd or 4th inning. I agree about the Headley-Tex combo. Now may they please stay healthy, especially Tex. I’d love for Ellsbury to get hot again against the Tigers. That would help.
I couldn’t stay up for the end but was happy to see a “W” when I awoke this morning. Happy to take 2 out of 3 from Boston. I know they’re in last place, but they are always our toughest competition. Now on to Detroit. Scary but do-able. By the way, I’m not sure if its all the changes that have been made this season or because I’m getting old, but I’m beginning to think our team had better start putting the players names on the back of their jerseys. I look at the faces on the bench and I don’t know who half of them are. GO YANKEES!!!
I said the same thing last night, Diane. Somebody would come into the game and I’d say to Michael, “I couldn’t pick him out of a crowd if you paid me.”
Another enjoyable viewing at 5am at the gym this morning. Yes we should names on the jerseys. Yes I enjoy good defense, Gardner and Beltran finally hitting. It worries me that we struggle with poor teams and are relying on scrap heap pick ups but we are still in it. I fear that only prolongs the inevitable pain. But my Red Sox friends are more unhappy.
You shame me with your mornings at the gym, Barbara. I feel like such a slacker!
Anybody see The New Joba last night? Sheesh! Brian Wilson (and the House of Sawx) would be envious of that beard!! Sorry he hit The Captain…sorrier still that he didn’t get hammered…but happy for him, I guess.