Unit Fires Yankees Past Braves 5-2

Johnson Brings His 'A' Game

Randy Johnson was as intense as he has ever been as a Yankee last night in a dominating performance over the Atlanta Braves. Johnson struck out 9 in a 7 inning performance and Jason Giambi provided all the offense with a pair of home runs as the Yankees beat the Braves 5-2. Johnson was throwing on an extra day's rest after serving a 5 game suspension for throwing at the Indians Eduardo Perez. He limited the Braves to 4 hits and did not walk a batter in throwing 106 pitches. Over his last 6 starts, Johnson is 4-2, 3.10 (his ERA is 2.14 without his 4 inning, 5 run performance versus the A's on June 9).

Jason Giambi gave Johnson an immediate lead when he jumped on a Tim Hudson splitter in the first inning and hit into the right-center field bleachers. With Derek Jeter aboard with a single, it gave the Yankees a 2-0 advantage. One inning later Giambi struck again. The Yankees put two aboard on a Johnny Damon double and walk to Jeter who was celebrating his 32nd birthday. Hudson (6-7) left another pitch up in the zone and Giambi made him pay again, smacking another shot to right-center for a 5-0 Yankee lead. Giambi leads the team with 22 HRs and 61 RBI. It would be all the runs the Yankees would need and it was a good thing since they couldn't muster any offense the rest of the night.

The only real trouble Johnson (9-6) got into was in the 6th, when after striking out Todd Pratt and Marcus Giles, he allowed singles to Edgar Renteria and Chipper Jones. But Johnson struck out Andruw Jones to end the inning. Johnson triumphantly pumped his fist as he walked off the mound.

As has been the case most of this season the Yankees bullpen made the game interesting. After pitching a scoreless eighth, Scott Proctor gave up a 2-run homer to Chipper Jones with no one out in the 9th. Torre stuck with Proctor as he struck out Andruw Jones, but a single by Jeff Francoeur sent Torre to the mound to call on Mariano Rivera. Rivera struck out Matt Diaz for the 2nd out, but then walked Wilson Betemit to put the tying run at the plate. Rivera bounced back though, striking out Adam LaRoche looking to pick up his 17th save.

Notes

The Yankees are holding off on placing Robinson Cano on the disabled list with a pulled hamstring. Cano said it felt a little better and the team will wait a day or two to make a decision. It's most likely that Nick Green would be recalled if Cano is DL'ed.

Aaron Small passed through waivers and accepted an assignment to Columbus. Small could still return this season if he can turn his season around.

In addition to Derek Jeter, Mike Myers also celebrated a birthday yesterday, his 37th.

Randy Johnson's win was the 272nd of his career and his 9 strike outs pushed his career total to 4,457.