Matsui Return Perfect, Yankees Roll 12-4

There aren't many nights when a hitter can knock in 7 runs and get overshadowed. But that's what happened to Bobby Abreu last night when Hideki Matsui played his first game in Pinstripes since May 11 as the Yankees pounded the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 12-4. Abreu drove in 7 runs, 6 in the 1st inning, but it was the return to the lineup of Matsui that really pumped up the paid crowd of 52,265. It started with a standing ovation his first time up, which resulted in a bloop RBI single and ended with another standing ovation when he left for a pinch-runner after going 4-4 with a walk. Matsui did all that batting 8th in an even deeper Yankees lineup.

The Yankees jumped all over Ray's starter Tim Corcoran, sending him to the showers before the first inning was even over. After a lead off single by Johnny Damon and a walk to Derek Jeter, Abreu crushed a Corcoran pitch over the right-centerfield fence for a 3-0 lead. It was Abreu's first home run at Yankee Stadium. An Alex Rodriguez walk and stolen base was followed by an RBI double by Jorge Posada. Consecutive singles by Robinson Cano and Matsui pushed the score to 5-0 and sent Corcoran home early. Reliever Brian Stokes didn't fair much better, allowing a single to Melky Cabrera to load the bases and then issued a bases loaded walk to Jeter to force in the 6th run. Abreu blew the game wide open when his fly to deep left-center was played into a 3-run double by Carl Crawford, who ran a poor route to the ball. Abreu's 6-RBI inning tied the AL record and is the 2nd highest total in MLB history.

Of even greater importance than Matsui's return was the effective, free throwing performing by starter Mike Mussina. Mussina had one ineffective start after returning from a groin injury and had his start pushed back from Sunday due to a sore shoulder. Moose retired the first 10 hitters before allowing a single to Delmon Young. He departed after 6 1-3 innings and 87 pitches, having allowed no runs, 5 hits, struck out 5 and walked none.

T.J. Beam threw a scoreless 1 2-3 innings, before Octavio Dotel got lit up for 4 runs in the 9th to end the shutout. But this game was about offense. Abreu added a 7th RBI on a sacrifice fly and narrowly missed a grand slam and 11 RBI. Now if only Gary Sheffield could pitch.

Notes

In a quirk of the official rulebook, Derek Jeter's 21-game hitting streak is still alive despite not getting a hit in 4 trips to the plate. That's because all 4 trips were not official at-bats. In addition to walking 3 times, Jeter was also hit by a pitch.

Gary Sheffield took live batting practice before the game, but swung lightly. Sheffield is hoping to return this weekend.

Mariano Rivera continues to feel better and is hoping to throw back-to-back bullpen sessions this weekend if he continues to progress.