Phillips Screws Mets 5-4

Yankees rally against fake Sandman

As the Mets fans stretched in the middle of the seventh inning on Saturday, visions of a three game Subway Series sweep danced through their heads. Pedro Martinez had just dominated the Yankees hitters allowing just four hits and striking out eight in a very tidy 102 pitch performance. The fans knew they were just one inning away from seeing Billy Wagner throw 98-99 mph fastballs to close things out. Wagner had struck out the side on Friday to pick up the win in the Mets 7-6 victory. Everything was laid out just as it should be. Only probably was no one told Wagner or the Yankees. Wagner was torched for 4 runs in an improbably 9th inning rally and Andy Phillips singled in the game winner in the 11th as the Yankees prevailed 5-4.

Jason Giambi started the 9th with a single up the middle and Alex Rodriguez followed with a walk. Robinson Cano slapped a single to center to score Giambi and the shut out was broken. Miguel Cairo flied out to center and Wagner quickly got ahead of Melky Cabrera, 0-2. But Cabrera hung tough and worked out an 11 pitch at-bat that culminated in a walk to load the bases. A flustered Wagner then walked catcher Kelly Stinnett on 4 pitches to force in the second run of the inning. When Wagner hit pinch-hitter Bernie Williams in the leg to force in a third run, manager Willie Randolph had seen enough. He signaled for Pedro Feliciano to set up a lefty-lefty match up with Johnny Damon. Randolph got what he wanted as Damon bounced to Jose Reyes at short for the start of a potential game ending double play. Damon busted it down the line though and beat Kaz Matsui's relay to first to tie the game. Randolph came out and briefly argued the call, but replays showed that first base ump Tom Hallion had made the correct call. Chad Bradford then replaced Feliciano and got Derek Jeter to bounce out to keep the game tied.

After Scott Proctor retired the side in order in the 9th, including a pair of strike outs, Jason Giambi led off the 10th with a walk against Jorge Julio. A-Rod quickly ended any thought of a rally by bouncing into a double play. Mariano Rivera gave up a 1-out single to Kaz Matsui in the Mets half of the inning, but struck out Carlos Beltran and got Carlos Delgado to bounce weakly to second.

Any Yankee fan worth his salt knew that if the Yankees didn't score in the top of the 11th the Yankees were toast. Scott Erickson was warming up in the pen and it was obvious Joe Torre might not go back to Rivera if the game was still tied. Thankfully Miguel Cairo and Andy Phillips took care of that. Cairo worked a walk to start the 11th. Julio struck out Cabrera, but Cairo stole 2nd on the play without drawing a throw. After Stinnett k'ed, Cairo stole 3rd as well. Then it was up to Phillips who was batting just .174 at the time. He raised it to .191 with a line single to center to score Cairo and put the Yankees in front for the first time all day. Then it was up to the real Sandman to shut things down. And that's just what Mariano Rivera did.

David Wright who won Friday's game with a hit over Johnny Damon's head, and had repeated the fete in Saturday's game for an RBI double, was the first to go down swinging. Cliff Floyd who had blasted a solo shot off of starter Mike Mussina was the next victim, flailing at a cutter for the 2nd out. Rivera then blew away Xavier Nady and the Yankees had set up a rubber game for national TV on Sunday night.

Notes

The Yankees started the game poorly, as A-Rod was charged with an error on lead off man Jose Reyes's little tapper. A-Rod's throw pulled Giambi off the bag at first. It was a tough play though and surprisingly was not called a hit by the home team official scorer. Reyes promptly stole 2nd and Stinnett threw the ball into center field for a second error with Reyes advancing to third. The teams combined for 7 errors in the game; all 4 Yankee errors were on throws.

The oddity of official scoring rules leads to things like this. Despite the implosion by Billy Wagner he wasn't charged with a blown save. When he left the game it was still 4-3, so Pedro Feliciano gets a blown save despite the fact that he produced a potential game ending double play that Damon's speed foiled. It was clear to everyone who blew this game though.

Jorge Posada sat out the game to rest his back and is hopeful of playing Sunday night though holding him out for this week's Red Sox series would make more sense.

Kyle Farnsworth also sat out Saturday's game, but should be good to go on Sunday. The Yankees may not have Rivera available after 3 innings in two days, so Farnsworth would be needed if the game is close.

It remains to be seen if Billy Wagner will be available for the Mets after throwing 31 pitches on the heels of Friday night's game.