(Once again, good but not great. Courtesy of The AP)
The Orioles are the closest threat to the Yankees' slim division lead after taking 2 of 3 over the weekend, but the Rays have been no slouch right behind them. Tampa isn't just playing for a Wild Card spot with their recent hot streak, they are very much in the discussion for the AL East crown and can make that discussion even more interesting with a series win over the stumbling, bumbling Bronx Bummers. The Yankees had the right man on the mound to put the breaks on their skid in
CC Sabathia yesterday afternoon, and a recent whipping boy across the way in
James Shields. A-Rod was back in the lineup,
Game Notes:
- Tough start for CC. He got dinked and dunked to death in giving up an RBI single in the 2nd inning, then gave up a solo HR to
B.J. Upton to start off the 3rd.
- After getting shut down the first time through the order, the Yankee lineup broke out for 3 runs off Shields in the top of the 4th. The big hits were a
Robinson Cano double and a
Raul Ibanez RBI triple with some infield hits sprinkled in, including A-Rod's first hit off the DL.
- The Rays manufactured a run on a double steal and an RBI groundout in the 5th to tie the game back up, but they wouldn't have been able to if CC hadn't given up a walk and a base hit to start the inning.
- As they've done time and time again, the Yankee offense went completely off the grid after their 1 big inning. Shields sat them down in order in the 5th and the 6th, and they wasted the 2 baserunners they did get in the 7th and 8th with immediate GIDPs.
- Sabathia was hardly the shutdown pitcher his team needed him to be yesterday, but he gave them a chance with 7 innings of 3-run ball. I was surprised to see Joe go to him to start the 7th, but with the kind of middle relief he's gotten lately, a tired CC is a way better option and CC came up with arguably his best inning of the game.
- D-Rob came in to hold a 3-3 game in the bottom of the 8th and promptly gave up a leadoff single. That one was erased by a nice call and great throw by
Russell Martin to nail the pinch runner stealing, but Robertson did allow 2 more hits and steal after that to give Tampa the 1-run lead heading into the 9th.
- Joe played the bench game brilliantly in the 9th, pinch running
Eduardo Nunez and getting a steal and pinch hitting
Curtis Granderson for Martin against Rodney, but Granderson struck out and the division lead was down to 1.
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