MLB 09 The Show: Girardi takes over for Torre

[MBMavs20]

Thursday, June 4th, 2008. Rangers 3 Yankees 4

The Yankees managed to avoid the sweep and take the finale of a 3 game series with the Rangers.

Mike Mussina was called up from AAA to take the place of Carl Pavano in the rotation. Pavano (2-2. 7.12) lasted 7 starts but was hit hard and never got comfortable. Mike Mussina, (1-5, 7.50) got his first win of the season, lasting 6.1 innings and giving up 3 ER's.

Johnny Damon continues his hot hitting, going 2-4 with a RBI. Bobby Abreu went 2-4 with a 2-Run HR and Jason Giambi hit a solo HR for his 3rd HR in the past 4 games. Mariano Rivera picked up his 12th save of the season.

The Yankees open a 4 game series against the Rays this weekend at the Stadium. Matt Garza will face Ian Kennedy in game 1.

[MBMavs20]

Friday, June 5th, 2008 (28-29) Rays 3 (34-23) Yankees 8

The Yankees opened up a 4 game series with the Rays tonight and took game 1. The Yankees jumped on Matt Garza for 3 runs in the 1st inning, highlighted by Jason Giambi's 2-R HR.

Bobby Abreu added a 2-R HR and Jorge Posada had a solo HR. Ian Kennedy pitched 7.1, giving up 3 ER's for his 7th win of the season. Kennedy was looking for a complete game but hung a Slider to Evan Longoria in the 8th inning for a 2-R HR. David Robertson moped up in relief and is starting to pitch better after a terrible start to the season.

Darrell Rasner (2-1, 3.48) will face Scott Kazmir (3-2, 4.78) in game 2.

[MBMavs20]

Saturday, June 6th, 2008 (29-29) Rays 4 (34-24) Yankees 3

The Yankees suffered one of their toughest losses today, going down to the Rays 4-3.

Scott Kazmir cruised into the 5th inning with a 2-0 lead when Johnny Damon hit a 3-R HR to take the lead back for the Yankees.

Mariano Rivera came in for the save and with 2 out, Dioner Navarro blooped a single to RF. The very next batter was Cliff Floyd, who crushed a knee high Cutter from Rivera into the RF stands for a game winning HR. It was the 2nd blown save for Rivera this year, both of them coming this week.

Game 3 will be Andy Pettitte vs David Price.

[MBMavs20]

Sunday, June 7th, 2008 (30-29) Rays 5 (34-25) Yankees 4

The Yankees dropped their 2nd straight 1 run game to the Rays. With the game tied at 3-3 in the 8th inning, LaTroy Hawkins gave up a run to give the Rays a 4-3 lead headed into the 9th inning. However, Dan Wheeler blew the save when he gave up a RBI single to pinch hitter Hideki Matsui with 2 out in the bottom of the ninth. The Rays added a run on a RBI double by Rocco Baldelli in the 11th inning which turned out to be the game winner.

Andy Pettitte went 6 innings and allowed only 3 hits and 2 earned runs. Alex Rodriguez went 2-5 and currently has a 19 game hitting streak.

The Yankees will close out their 4 game series on Monday with Phil Hughes against Andy Sonnanstine.

[MBMavs20]

Monday, June 8th, 2008. (30-30) Rays 1 (35-25) Yankees 4

The Yankees came out victorious in the last game of their 4 game series with the Rays. Phil Hughes continues his incredible season, going 6 innings and giving up 4 hits, 1 ER, 2 BB's, and 3 K's. He improves to 9-2 with a 1.92 ERA. Mariano Rivera shook off Saturday's blown save and nailed down his 13th save on the season.

Hideki Matsui went 2-4 with a double and a solo HR. Alex Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to 20 games.

The Yankees now travel to Boston for a 3 game set with the 1st place Red Sox. Then they head back to New York for a weekend Subway series with the New York Mets.

It doesn't get any better than that folks.

[MBMavs20]

Tuesday, June 9th, 2008 (36-25) Yankees 6 (37-23) Red Sox 5

Crazy wouldn't even describe this game. The Sox and Josh Beckett had a 1-0 lead entering the 5th inning when the Yankee bats came alive and scored 3 runs thanks to some timely base hits. The Yankees finally got aggressive with Josh Beckett and went up there free swinging.

Mike Mussina entered the game 1-5 with a 7.50 ERA. He kept the Sox in check by relying mostly on his 4 Seam, 2 Seam, and Cutter. Just kept pounding the corners and ignoring the signs from Posada. He probably threw 3 or 4 Curveballs all night.

Mussina had a 3-1 into the 7th. Dustin Pedroia singled with 2 outs and, of course, Manny Ramirez came up and took a 4 Seam Fastball that was supposed to be low and outside (instead, I missed my mark and it ended up belt high inside) and crushed a 2 run HR, 444 ft. over the Monster in LF.

J.D. Drew then hit his 2nd HR of the game off LaTroy Hawkins in the 8th inning and the Sox took a 1 run lead into the 9th inning with Jonathan Papelbon looking to close it out.

Robinson Cano led off the 9th inning with a dribbler in front of the plate that Jason Varitek fielded but threw over Big Papi's head at 1B for a 3 base error. Hideki Matsui singled home Cano to tie the game at 4. Next batter was Johnny Damon, who promptly took a high, outside fastball over the Green Monster for a 2-run HR.

LaTroy Hawkins gave up a double to Manny Ramirez (who else?) to lead off the 9th inning, so Girardi summoned Mariano Rivera (his 3rd straight day of work) to try and close it out. Rivera got Ortiz to strike out, but gave up a single to Mike Lowell to make it 6-5. With 2 outs, and J.D. Drew due up next (Drew was 2-3, with 2 HR's), Terry Francona sent up Sean Casey to pinch hit... WTF??? Casey grounded out and the Yankees took the first of three against the Red Sox.


It was a crazy game and I felt a little bit of a comeback code in this one... Just a weird game. I turned off the PCI and I think I will keep it off for a couple of games. Use my fastball more and see how it goes...

[MBMavs20]

Wednesday, June 10th, 2008. Yankees 3 Red Sox 4

The Yankees dropped a tough one tonight and wasted a great effort by Ian Kennedy. (7IP, 5 Hits, 3 ER). Joe Girardi gave some his starters the night off because the Yankees were playing their 13th straight game. Posada, A-Rod, Damon, and Cano got the night off, until Cody Ransom got hurt and Cano had to play.

Manny Ramirez continues to kill the Yankees, homering in his 2nd straight game and is 6-8 in the 2 games so far.

The finale of the 3 game set will see Darrell Rasner against Clay Buchholz.

[MBMavs20]

Thursday, June 11th, 2008. Yankees 6 Red Sox 5

This final game of this set will go down as the biggest win of the season so far.

Darrell Rasner was amazing, pitching the game of his life. (His pitch count was 33 heading into the 6th inning!) The Yankees put up 2 runs in the 2nd inning, 1 in the 5th, and 1 in the 7th. Then disaster struck.

With 1 outs in the bottom of the 8th, Julio Lugo took Rasner deep over the Green Monster for a solo HR. 4-1. No problem. Rasner gets Varitek out for 2 outs. Then Ellsbury tripled, so Girardi got Joba Chamberlain up in the bullpen. Pedroia singles Ellsbury home to make it 4-2. Joba is not warmed up yet, so Manny Ramirez comes up, who was 0-3. Well, you guessed it. Rasner throws a fastball low and outside and Ramirez hits a 2-Run HR...

I WAS LIVID!!

I blew a 4 run lead in the blink of an eye... I was so mad I wanted to throw my controller and shut off the game. But I didn't... Didn't want to give the CPU the satisfaction...

Joba came in and pitched 2 solid inning as the game went into the 11th inning. The Yankees pushed across 2 runs and turned it over to Mariano Rivera. Coco Crisp doubled off Rivera and Sean Casey singled him home before Rivera got Lugo to fly out to RF to hold on for a 6-5 Yankees win.

Series notes: in 3 games, the Yankees hit 1 HR and the Red Sox hit 7. Every game was a 1 run victory. Manny was 7-13 with 2 HR's, but David Ortiz was 1-13. Wilson betemit had 7 hits and Bobby Abreu had 6.

The Yankees head home for a 3 game set with the crosstown Mets. The Yankees remain 1.5 games behind the Red Sox in the A.L. East, and the Yankees picked up 2 games on the Chicago White Sox in the A.L. Wildcard standing as the Sox lost 3 of 4 against the Detroit Tigers, who own the best record in the Majors at 47-14.