After sweeping the Mets in New York over the weekend, the brilliant idea must have struck in the Yankees brain because they decided to do it to the Atlanta Braves as well. In a rematch of the 1996 and 1999 World Series, the Yankees headed down to the confederate state to lock horns with Ted Turner's boys.
Ivan Nova took the ball for the first game and was just as dominant as his past start last week against the Rays. Staked to a 3-0 lead, Nova knocked them dead for 7 innings and only allowed one Braves hitter to reach second base, which was done via a called balk on the pitcher. His adversary, Randall Delgado, only lasted 5 innings and was darn luckily he only give up 3 runs as Yankees put runners on each inning, but the hitting with RISP plague continued. Nick Swisher robbed Brian McCann of a 2-run homer with a nice over the wall catch, and Nova flashed some leather himself by catching a line-drive comebacker, and then tossing it to first for the doubleplay.
Rafael Soriano was listed as unavailable due to a blister on his finger, as well as a blister on his brain for saying he doesn't care about the fans, in response to him getting unfairly booed off the Yankee Stadium mound after blowing a save against the Mets. Girardi instead had to piece a bullpen by committee and eventually it was Boone Logan sealing the 3-0 win.
The next game wasn't as easy and actually it was the Yankees who were behind 3-0, and then 4-0, after another run was tacked on later. CC Sabathia, who has actually been the sloppiest starter during this hot streak the Yanks are on, gave up 3 of the runs immediately in the 1st inning. Braves lefty Mike Minor got the start and baffled the Yankees over 7.1 innings of work, but then an innocent single by Jeter started an avalanche.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez brought in Jonny Venters, and luckily for the Yankees, the reliever probably had the worst game he would ever have in his career. Thanks to a single and then a walk, the bases were loaded for Alex Rodriguez. With one swing of the bat, the ball barely tucked over the left field wall and the Yanks had tied the score 4-4. For for the first time in ions, a Yankee hitter delivered with the bases loaded. The historic shot tied A-Rod with Lou Gehrig on the all-time grand slam list with 23, keeping it in the Yankee family.
After giving up another single to Cano, Venters was finally pulled in favor of Cory Gearrin, and he did no better. The next batter, Nick Swisher, smacked a 2-run homer to right and put the Yanks up 6-4, which also put CC Sabathia in line for the win, despite the unsatisfactory start. Back from the blister blues, Rafael Soriano got back into the save column with his 10th for the exciting 6-4 comeback win. The victory also brought CC to tie Nova in the number of team wins with 8.
It was a rainy night in Georgia for the final came as the Braves sent Tim Hudson to the mound to try to salvage a win out of the series. Former US President and Georgia-native Jimmy Carter came out to support the home team and it turned out to be as useful as his tenure in the White House. Alex Rodriguez kept the hitting with RISP thing going from the night before to drive Derek Jeter in the 1st inning for an early 1-0 lead. Hiroki Kuroda continued to shine as he battled on the mound with the Braves have runners during every inning. The rain came down harder and harder, and both Kuroda and Carter toughed it out.
Eventually, the Braves would break through for once with one of their runners on as Brian McCann hit a 2-run homer, this time over Nick Swishers glove to give the Braves a 2-1 lead. Curtis Granderson answered back immediately in the 6th inning by poking a 2-run homer out of his own to re-take the lead for the Yankees 3-2. Joe Girardi had the work the bullpen magic once again with the new kids on the block, and side-winder Cody Eppley threw a huge doubleplay ball to get the Yanks out of a dangerous first and third with one out scenario to hold onto the lead. The ever-pleasant Rafael Soriano was called upon again to finish it off and the blister must be gone-gone as he was able to get the save, and the sweep.
Thanks to help from the Mets, who seemed to take their Yankee fustrations out on the Tampa Bay Rays, a stunning sweep of the Rays put the Yanks in 1st place in the AL East. At 37-25, twelve games over .500, the Yanks head to Washington DC to visit the also red-hot Nationals, winners of their last six games as well. If things haven't been happy enough lately in Yankeeland, it was announce reliever David Robertson should be able to join the team in DC to improve an already strong Yankee bullpen....
Ivan Nova took the ball for the first game and was just as dominant as his past start last week against the Rays. Staked to a 3-0 lead, Nova knocked them dead for 7 innings and only allowed one Braves hitter to reach second base, which was done via a called balk on the pitcher. His adversary, Randall Delgado, only lasted 5 innings and was darn luckily he only give up 3 runs as Yankees put runners on each inning, but the hitting with RISP plague continued. Nick Swisher robbed Brian McCann of a 2-run homer with a nice over the wall catch, and Nova flashed some leather himself by catching a line-drive comebacker, and then tossing it to first for the doubleplay.
Rafael Soriano was listed as unavailable due to a blister on his finger, as well as a blister on his brain for saying he doesn't care about the fans, in response to him getting unfairly booed off the Yankee Stadium mound after blowing a save against the Mets. Girardi instead had to piece a bullpen by committee and eventually it was Boone Logan sealing the 3-0 win.
The next game wasn't as easy and actually it was the Yankees who were behind 3-0, and then 4-0, after another run was tacked on later. CC Sabathia, who has actually been the sloppiest starter during this hot streak the Yanks are on, gave up 3 of the runs immediately in the 1st inning. Braves lefty Mike Minor got the start and baffled the Yankees over 7.1 innings of work, but then an innocent single by Jeter started an avalanche.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez brought in Jonny Venters, and luckily for the Yankees, the reliever probably had the worst game he would ever have in his career. Thanks to a single and then a walk, the bases were loaded for Alex Rodriguez. With one swing of the bat, the ball barely tucked over the left field wall and the Yanks had tied the score 4-4. For for the first time in ions, a Yankee hitter delivered with the bases loaded. The historic shot tied A-Rod with Lou Gehrig on the all-time grand slam list with 23, keeping it in the Yankee family.
After giving up another single to Cano, Venters was finally pulled in favor of Cory Gearrin, and he did no better. The next batter, Nick Swisher, smacked a 2-run homer to right and put the Yanks up 6-4, which also put CC Sabathia in line for the win, despite the unsatisfactory start. Back from the blister blues, Rafael Soriano got back into the save column with his 10th for the exciting 6-4 comeback win. The victory also brought CC to tie Nova in the number of team wins with 8.
It was a rainy night in Georgia for the final came as the Braves sent Tim Hudson to the mound to try to salvage a win out of the series. Former US President and Georgia-native Jimmy Carter came out to support the home team and it turned out to be as useful as his tenure in the White House. Alex Rodriguez kept the hitting with RISP thing going from the night before to drive Derek Jeter in the 1st inning for an early 1-0 lead. Hiroki Kuroda continued to shine as he battled on the mound with the Braves have runners during every inning. The rain came down harder and harder, and both Kuroda and Carter toughed it out.
Eventually, the Braves would break through for once with one of their runners on as Brian McCann hit a 2-run homer, this time over Nick Swishers glove to give the Braves a 2-1 lead. Curtis Granderson answered back immediately in the 6th inning by poking a 2-run homer out of his own to re-take the lead for the Yankees 3-2. Joe Girardi had the work the bullpen magic once again with the new kids on the block, and side-winder Cody Eppley threw a huge doubleplay ball to get the Yanks out of a dangerous first and third with one out scenario to hold onto the lead. The ever-pleasant Rafael Soriano was called upon again to finish it off and the blister must be gone-gone as he was able to get the save, and the sweep.
Thanks to help from the Mets, who seemed to take their Yankee fustrations out on the Tampa Bay Rays, a stunning sweep of the Rays put the Yanks in 1st place in the AL East. At 37-25, twelve games over .500, the Yanks head to Washington DC to visit the also red-hot Nationals, winners of their last six games as well. If things haven't been happy enough lately in Yankeeland, it was announce reliever David Robertson should be able to join the team in DC to improve an already strong Yankee bullpen....
No comments:
Post a Comment