The Yankees returned home with a large part of their soul torn out with the season ending loss of Mariano Rivera (think "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" when the Enterprise returns to base after the death of Spock).
It was on with the show as the Tampa Bay Rays came to town, looking to add onto their six game regular season win streak against the Yankees. "Big Game" James Shields (with no rings but is still "Big Game"...?....) opposed the Yanks number two guy, Ivan Nova. Bouncing back from his previous bad start against the Orioles, Nova went 7 strong innings with 8 strikeout and only gave up 2 earned runs to pick up the win. Raul Ibanez, making Brian Cashman look wiser by the week, whacked two homers, on off of Shields. The Grandy Man added a homer of his own as well. The big moment came in the top of the 9th when a save opportunity was there to be had, and there was no Mo to be called on. Girardi went with David Robertson and although he loaded the bases for the dangerous Carlos Pena, Robertson was able to get Pena to look at a called third strike to end the threat, as well as the game. The Yanks snapped the Rays streak with a 5-3 victory.
The second game was even more of a nail bitter as the Yanks spent the bulk of the game clinging onto a 1-0 lead. David Phelps made his second start of the season and gave a decent 4.2 innings of work, needing Boone Logan to bail him out of a bases loaded jam in the 5th inning. The Yanks lone run occurred in their first at bat as Cano doubled in Jeter to take the early lead. Jeff Niemann for the Rays kept the Yanks at bay and it all came down again to the top of the 9th when there was another save opportunity to be had. Even though he threw 25 pitches the night before, Girardi went with Robertson again for the save, and again Robertson made it dicey with a bases loaded situation. Unfortunately for the Yankees, this time Robertson wasn't able to escape this water-tank trick and ended up surrendering 4 runs to the Rays, highlighted by a 3-run homer by Matt Joyce. The Yanks couldn't answer back and took the painful 4-1 loss.
Licking their wounds from a bad loss the night before, the Yanks had to look down the barrel of facing tough lefty-pitcher David Price.
The good news for the Yankees was that they had their own powerhouse lefty on the mound to combat Price. CC Sabathia fell behind early 2-0 thanks to two errors gift wrapped by Eduardo Nunez's continued feeble attempts to play defense. The offense chipped back, starting with a Curtis Granderson solo homer, who continues to haunt Price with the deep ball.
CC Sabathia breezed through the weak-hitting Rays lineup going 8 innings and only giving up those two unearned runs. Robinson Cano finally resembled a number three hitter this season by getting three hits, including a mammoth homerun which went over the Yankees bullpen and into the right field bleachers. With David Robertson shut down for the night after pitching the two previous nights, Rafael Soriano and his $14 million a year as a set-up man contract was given the mission to save the game. Sory was up to the task and smoothly saved the 5-3 win for the Yankees. Tampa did plate a run in the 9th inning, but it was originally caused by an infield single which Jeter momentarily bobbled. Other than that, Soriano went off without a hitch.
At 17-14 and 2.5 games out of first place, the question for Joe Girardi becomes; next save situation, who gets the ball, Robertson or Soriano?....
It was on with the show as the Tampa Bay Rays came to town, looking to add onto their six game regular season win streak against the Yankees. "Big Game" James Shields (with no rings but is still "Big Game"...?....) opposed the Yanks number two guy, Ivan Nova. Bouncing back from his previous bad start against the Orioles, Nova went 7 strong innings with 8 strikeout and only gave up 2 earned runs to pick up the win. Raul Ibanez, making Brian Cashman look wiser by the week, whacked two homers, on off of Shields. The Grandy Man added a homer of his own as well. The big moment came in the top of the 9th when a save opportunity was there to be had, and there was no Mo to be called on. Girardi went with David Robertson and although he loaded the bases for the dangerous Carlos Pena, Robertson was able to get Pena to look at a called third strike to end the threat, as well as the game. The Yanks snapped the Rays streak with a 5-3 victory.
The second game was even more of a nail bitter as the Yanks spent the bulk of the game clinging onto a 1-0 lead. David Phelps made his second start of the season and gave a decent 4.2 innings of work, needing Boone Logan to bail him out of a bases loaded jam in the 5th inning. The Yanks lone run occurred in their first at bat as Cano doubled in Jeter to take the early lead. Jeff Niemann for the Rays kept the Yanks at bay and it all came down again to the top of the 9th when there was another save opportunity to be had. Even though he threw 25 pitches the night before, Girardi went with Robertson again for the save, and again Robertson made it dicey with a bases loaded situation. Unfortunately for the Yankees, this time Robertson wasn't able to escape this water-tank trick and ended up surrendering 4 runs to the Rays, highlighted by a 3-run homer by Matt Joyce. The Yanks couldn't answer back and took the painful 4-1 loss.
Licking their wounds from a bad loss the night before, the Yanks had to look down the barrel of facing tough lefty-pitcher David Price.
The good news for the Yankees was that they had their own powerhouse lefty on the mound to combat Price. CC Sabathia fell behind early 2-0 thanks to two errors gift wrapped by Eduardo Nunez's continued feeble attempts to play defense. The offense chipped back, starting with a Curtis Granderson solo homer, who continues to haunt Price with the deep ball.
CC Sabathia breezed through the weak-hitting Rays lineup going 8 innings and only giving up those two unearned runs. Robinson Cano finally resembled a number three hitter this season by getting three hits, including a mammoth homerun which went over the Yankees bullpen and into the right field bleachers. With David Robertson shut down for the night after pitching the two previous nights, Rafael Soriano and his $14 million a year as a set-up man contract was given the mission to save the game. Sory was up to the task and smoothly saved the 5-3 win for the Yankees. Tampa did plate a run in the 9th inning, but it was originally caused by an infield single which Jeter momentarily bobbled. Other than that, Soriano went off without a hitch.
At 17-14 and 2.5 games out of first place, the question for Joe Girardi becomes; next save situation, who gets the ball, Robertson or Soriano?....
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