Yankees Overcome One Man Band, 9-7

Win Despite Slugger's 7 RBI

Bernie Williams went 5-5 and the Yankees rallied from three deficits to top Ryan Howard and the Philadelphia Phillies 9-7. The Yankees won the game, but Howard was the talk of the game. The 2nd year slugger belted two home runs and drove in a career high 7 runs - accounting for all the Phillies runs. Mariano Rivera faced Howard in one final showdown with the tying runs on base and two out in the bottom of the 9th. Howard could only manage a weak grounder to Miguel Cairo at 2nd for the final out of the game. The anticipated showdown only took one pitch - a cutter of course.

Arthur Rhodes came in to start the eighth for the Phillies, which probably brought a smile to the Yankees faces. Any Yankee fan over the age of 4 remembers David Justice's ALCS bomb off of Rhodes in 2000. That's just one of the many successes the Yankees have had against the lefty. Bernie Williams hit one in the hole on the left side that went off of third baseman David Bell's glove. It was originally scored an error, but was later changed to Bernie's 4th hit of the night. Rhodes then proceeded to walk Cairo, who had replaced Robinson Cano in a double-switch, to put the tying runs on base. Melky Cabrera mired in a June swoon at the plate, delivered with an RBI single between Howard and the first base line to shave the lead to 7-6. Rhodes then got ahead of Johnny Damon 1-2, before Damon hit a shot to deep center for a two-run triple and an 8-7 Yankees lead. Charlie Manuel finally gave Rhodes the hook, but Derek Jeter provided an insurance run with an RBI single off of Ryan Franklin. Joe Torre wasn't going to mess with his pen any longer and brought in Rivera for a six-out save.

Mike Mussina quickly found out how much power Howard has in the first inning. With one on and two out, Mussina's 3-1 pitch was clearly a strike to Pat Burrell. But home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom clearly missed it. It led to a quick exchange of words between the two. Howard then crushed a Mussina offering into the upper deck in left-center, some 416 feet away. It was the first ball hit in the upper deck in the brief history of Citizens Bank Park.

The Yankees got one run back in the 2nd on Williams first hit of the night. It scored Robinson Cano who had doubled to break an 0-8 slide. Jason Giambi belted his 20th home run to start the 4th and Kevin Reese later singled in a run to briefly tie the game at 3-3. It was brief because in the bottom of the inning Howard took Mussina deep again. This time a 2-run shot that put him one behind the league leader Albert Pujols with 25.

Jorge Posada hit his 10th home run of the season in the 6th to cut the margin to one and the Yankees tied it up in the 7th when Alex Rodriguez singled through the right side to score Johnny Damon from 2nd.

The lead was short-lived again though as the Phillies took the lead right back in the bottom half of the inning. Once again Howard delivered the big blow. Ron Villone hit Chase Utley with a one-out pitch, but bounced back to strike out Bobby Abreu for the 2nd out. Joe Torre sent for Scott Proctor to face Pat Burell, but Proctor failed to do his job, walking Burrell on 4 pitches. Torre then sent for lefty specialist Mike Myers to face Howard. Howard roped a pitch into the right field corner that results in a two-run triple and a 7-5 lead. Torre quickly exited the dugout and brought in rookie T.J. Beam to face Aaron Rowand. Though it's starting to look like Bernie Williams needs a golf cart to get to balls int the far reaches of the outfield, he made a sliding catching on Rowand's blooper to save another run from scoring.

Notes

Derek Jeter was hit just above the left knee by a Corey Lidle pitch and was noticeably hobbling. Of course Jeter said he expects to play tonight.

Jorge Posada's home run gave him 185 for his career. It tied him with Paul O'Neill for 13th on the all time Yankee list.

Bernie Williams's double in the 9th gave him a perfect 5-5 evening. It was the 5th five hit game of his career and his first since 2002.

Mariano Rivera batted for the first time in a regular season game. He had previously come up to hit three times in the post-season. Rivera took strike one from Franklin and then took two weak swing and misses. If Mo had been standing any further away from the plate he would have been sitting in the stands. It provided a good laugh for the whole team though.

Outfielder Kevin Reese was recalled before the game and contributed immediately with an RBI single. Jose Veras was sent back to Columbus after a one game recall in which he did not make an appearance.