Posada Shoulders Early Load

Jorge Posada may not be ready to squat down behind home plate, but he's looking pretty good with the bat. Posada has homered and double to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead over the Rays after 5 innings.

Phil Hughes got the start for the Yankees and threw 2 solid innings as the Yankees opened the home part of the exhibition schedule. Phil Coke followed Hughes with 2 scoreless innings of his own before giving way to Brian Bruney.

Mark Teixiera and Xavier Nady each have a hit, with Nady scoring on Posada's double.

UPDATE: 3:49 PM

Yankees win it 5-1 for the second straight day.

Shelley Duncan put the game away with a tremendous 3-run home run in the 7th inning.

The Rays picked up their only run in the top of the 7th, putting three hits together against a struggling J.B. Cox.

Bernie Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the start of the game.

February 26, 2009

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Tampa Bay	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0		1	5	0
NY Yankees	0	0	1	0	1	0	3	0	X		5	7	0

Tampa Bay	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Kennedy, 2B	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Olmedo, SS	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Crawford, LF	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.333
Perez, F, LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Aybar, W, DH	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Jaso, J, PH-DH	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Ensberg, 3B	3	0	1	0	0	0	2	.333
Nowak, 1B	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Zobrist, SS	2	0	1	0	0	0	2	.333
Brignac, R, 2B	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Kapler, CF	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Johnson, E, 3B	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	.250
Richard, 1B	1	0	0	0	1	1	1	.333
Weber, J, RF	2	0	1	1	0	0	0	.200
Riggans, C	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.000
Sadler, CF	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.500
Ruggiano, RF	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.333
Hernandez, M, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000
Totals	31	1	5	1	1	5	13
a-Struck out for Aybar, W in the 8th.
BATTING TB: Ensberg; Zobrist; Johnson, E; Weber, J; Sadler. RBI: Weber, J (1). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Zobrist; Olmedo. Team LOB: 6. BASERUNNING SB: Johnson, E (1, 2nd base off Cox/Cervelli). FIELDING DP: (Ensberg-Kennedy-Richard).

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Davis	2.0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0.00
Orvella (L, 0-1)	1.0	1	1	1	0	1	1	9.00
Abreu, W	2.0	3	1	1	0	0	0	4.50
DePaula	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.00
Medlock	1.0	3	3	3	0	1	1	27.00
Thayer, D	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Gardner, LF	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.200
Jeter, SS	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.167
Nunez, E, SS	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Teixeira, 1B	2	0	1	0	0	1	0	.500
Ransom, 1B	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Rodriguez, A, 3B	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.333
Bernier, 3B	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.000
Cano, 2B	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	.250
Berroa, 2B	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	1.000
Nady, RF	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	.500
Duncan, S, RF	1	1	1	3	0	0	0	.250
Posada, DH	2	1	2	2	0	0	0	1.000
a-Anson, PH-DH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Molina, J, C	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Cervelli, C	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Cabrera, M, CF	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Curtis, CF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000
Totals	30	5	7	5	0	6	3
a-Grounded out for Posada in the 7th.
BATTING 2B: Nady (1, Abreu, W), Posada (1, Abreu, W). HR: Posada (1, 3rd inning off Orvella, 0 on, 0 out), Duncan, S (1, 7th inning off Medlock, 2 on, 0 out). TB: Teixeira; Bernier; Berroa; Nady 2; Duncan, S 4; Posada 6. RBI: Posada 2 (2), Duncan, S 3 (3). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera, M. GIDP: Rodriguez, A. Team LOB: 1. FIELDING Outfield assists: Gardner (Ensberg at 2nd base).

NY Yankees IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA Hughes, P 2.0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0.00 Coke (W, 1-0) 2.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Bruney 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Marte (H, 1) 1.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00 Cox (H, 1) 1.0 3 1 1 0 0 0 9.00 Melancon 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.00 Albaladejo 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00

HBP: Kennedy (by Hughes, P), Aybar, W (by Hughes, P). Groundouts-flyouts: Davis 2-1, Orvella 0-2, Abreu, W 4-2, DePaula 3-0, Medlock 2-0, Thayer, D 1-1, Hughes, P 2-2, Coke 1-4, Bruney 1-1, Marte 2-0, Cox 2-1, Melancon 2-0, Albaladejo 2-1. Batters faced: Davis 6, Orvella 4, Abreu, W 8, DePaula 3, Medlock 6, Thayer, D 3, Hughes, P 9, Coke 7, Bruney 3, Marte 3, Cox 6, Melancon 3, Albaladejo 3. Umpires: HP: Mark Wegner. 1B: Eric Cooper. 2B: Marty Foster. 3B: D.J. Reyburn. Weather: 76 degrees, sunny. Wind: 5 mph, R to L. T: 2:17. Att: 10,693.