Game 82 Wrap-Up: NYY 10 MIN 4

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A change of scenery from New York to Baltimore didn't do much to turn things around for the Yankees.  Maybe a change in time zone would.  They started a 4-game series in Minnesota last night - an hour behind in my neck of the woods - with Andy Pettitte on the mound.  That was the good news.  The bad news was that they had both Vernon Wells and Travis Hafner in the lineup against a lefty starter hitting 4th and 5th.  That's about as little protection as Joe can offer Robinson Cano right now, and if Twins starter Scott Diamond could safely navigate his way around Cano he could have had an easy night in front of him.

Game Notes:

- He did a pretty poor job of it in the top of the 1st.  Diamond threw 4 straight fastballs and missed with 3 to put Cano into a great hitter's count.  He threw a 5th 4-seamer and Cano parked it way out in center field for a 1-0 Yankee lead.

- Andy didn't do much to inspire confidence in the bottom of the 1st.  He missed his spots with 2 strikes, walked 2 batters, and made a blooper reel-worthy error on his way to a 42-pitch, 3-run frame.

-  Cano came up with a runner on in the top of the 3rd and once again Diamond tried to go to the fastball well.  It was a 87 MPH one and Cano took it to left field this time for a 2-run homer and a tie ballgame.

- After needing 42 pitches for the 1st, Andy settled down and worked the next 3 in just 28.  He had some difficulty finishing off the 5th and it might have cost him in the 6th when he left a 2-2 slider up to Chris Parmalee that turned into a go-ahead solo HR.  It was Andy's first HR allowed to a lefty this year.

- Cano continued to will the offense forward with a leadoff double in the 8th, and Ichiro reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners with no outs.  Relief pitcher Jared Burton did the work for Hafner by throwing a ball away to score Cano, and a Zoilo Almonte GB single through short gave the Yanks the lead.

- The offense tacked in 5 (holy shit 5!!!) more insurance runs in their final 4 outs, D-Rob and Mo actually got to do their jobs for a change, and the Yankees got back on the right side of the ledger.


F*ck Yeahs:

 - Cano: 3-4, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB.  That turnaround we've been waiting and praying for from Robbie?  It's happening.  He's now 10 for his last 17 with plenty of HR and walks.  He's seeing the ball incredibly well and he's locked into everything.  Seeing him hit 2 HR to 2 different parts of the field off a lefty was a very good thing.

- Zoilo: 3-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 1 LOB.  Nice night for Zoilo, getting a couple of run-scoring hits in big late-game situations and looking comfortable at the plate all night hitting from both sides of the dish.  After the recent slump he's reaffirming the decision to make him the new full-time left fielder.

Oh Nos:

- Pettitte: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K.  It wasn't a bad start by any means, but it was another uneven one for Andy.  He was on the verge of getting yanked in the 1st inning, which the Yankees definitely didn't need again, and that' not a good sign.  Yes he battled back and got into the 6th, but the bottom line is that 10 baserunners in 5 innings is too many and 4 ER with his offense is going to be too many more times than not.


Next Up:

Feels good to get back in the W column.  Would feel even better to make it 2 in a row today.  Phil Hughes and Samuel Deduno are the starters.