Things That go Boom in the Night

Teixeira’s 9th Inning Heroics a Blast

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: A-Rod • andy pettitte • Ichiro • Johnny Damon • Ken Griffey Jr. • mariano rivera • Mark Teixeira • Ryan Rowland-Smith • Yankees 8/14 recap • Yankees vs. Mariners

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	2		4	7	0
Seattle	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		2	7	0

WP - Hughes (5-3) SV - Rivera (34) LP - Lowe (1-5)

I was probably off the mark when I predicted Mark Teixeira would be the American League MVP this year. That being said, Teixeira has been plenty valuable to the Yankees this season. Last night Teixeira cracked his 30th home run to snap a 2-2 in the top of the 9th and the Yankees went on to a 4-2 win over the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. The win gave the Yankees the first two games of the four game set and kept them 6 1/2 games ahead of Boston in the AL East.

Starter Andy Pettitte had a rough 1st inning, but settled down and struck out a season high 10 hitters. It gave the Yankees a chance to come back from a 2-0 deficit against Mariners’ starter Ryan Rowland-Smith and set up the 9th inning scenario. Hard throwing reliever Mark Lowe left a change up in Teixeira’s wheelhouse and the 1st baseman turned on it and sent a high arcing shot about 15 rows back in the right field stands. The Yankees then gave Mariano Rivera some breathing room with an insurance run. Robinson Cano reached on a 2-out ground rule double and scored on Nick Swisher’s single to right for a 4-2 lead.

Rivera who sat out Wednesday’s game with a sore shoulder and wasn’t needed Thursday night, got three ground ball outs in the bottom of the 9th for his league leading 34th save. Phil Hughes worked out of a 2-on, 2-out jam in the 8th to pick up his 5th win of the season and first since July 17. He’s allowed just 3 earned runs in his last 28.2 innings pitched.

Pettitte went deep in the count most of the night and ran into immediate trouble in the 1st inning. He allowed consecutive singles to Ichiro Suzuki and Franklin Guitierrez to start the game and an RBI double to Jose Lopez. Ken Griffey Jr. drove in the M’s 2nd run of the inning with a ground out to Cano, but Pettitte stranded Lopez at 3rd by striking out Russell Branyan and Jack Hannahan.

The Yankees got a run back in the 2nd on Jorge Posada’s near-home run double off the yellow stripe in right-center field and an RBI ground out by Jerry Hairston Jr., and tied things up in the 5th on 2-out singles by Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon, sandwiched around a wild pitch.

Game Notes

Mariano Rivera became the 22nd pitcher in MLB history with 900 appearances.

Johnny Damon reached 600 hits as a Yankee, becoming just the third player to accomplish the feat with three different teams. The others were “Wee” Willie Keeler and Doc Cramer.

Damaso Marte is nearing the end of his rehab assignment, but Joe Girardi said the left-hander’s fastball is still not up to par.

Alex Rodriguez sat out again with a sore elbow and his 50/5o to play on Saturday.

Godzilla Outshines Ichiro

Didn't think we would be awake for all of last night's game, but in fact we were. It was a big night for Hideki Matsui (2 HR, 5 RBI) and CC Sabathia (8 IP 10 K) as the Yankees clobbered Ian Snell and the Seattle Mariners, 11-1, in the series opener.

Any time Matsui or Ichiro play, it's big ratings back in Japan, so when both are on the field at the same time you can really expect big numbers. And Matsui gave them plenty to talk about.

Godzilla put the Yankees up 5-0 in the 3rd with a 2-run shot, added an RBI single in the 3-run 7th, and put some icing on the cake with a 2-run shot in the 8th that barely got over the glove of a leaping Ichiro.


CC was dominant from the start. His 10 Ks were a season high and he allowed just 3 hits. In winning his last 2 starts Sabathia has allowed 1 earned run, 5 hits and has struck out 19 in 15.2 innings pitched. Overall, he's now 13-7, 3.64 in 25 starts) 170.2 innings pitched. Sabathia has had his ups and downs this year, but he's clearly the best free agent signing the Yankees have had in years.


Had a good debate on Twitter last night with some fellow Yankees fans concerning the 2010 prospects for Matsui and Johnny Damon. Almost everyone agrees that Matsui shouldn't be back next year. As much as I love Godzilla, I agree. It's not good to have one player, unless it's a really dominant player, be a full time DH. Matsui isn't as productive as he was, though as he is doing right now, he can still get hot in stretches. But he's become too injury prone and even more prone to ground out to 2nd.


Damon is having a resurgent season- a resurgent season in a contract year. While he's had decent numbers during his time in New York, he's be'll 36 in November and his body seems to be older. Though he's rarely been on the DL, he's been a constant source of bumps, bruises, and injuries. His play in left field has become a nightly adventure and his arm is weaker than my 10-month old nephew's. While the consensus seems to be to keep him, I think the Yankees should let him go.


It's too easy to fall in love with the players you like and root for. For example, Scott Brosius was tremendous for the Yankees in 1998, but signing him to a long term deal and trading Mike Lowell was, in hindsight, a mistake.

Austin Jackson may not be ready next season, but Brett Gardner should get a shot at center field every day. Melky Cabrera could play a corner, be a 4th outfielder, or be dealt. There are free agent options such as Jason Bay, and trade options like Jermaine Dye and Carl Crawford to fill the outfielder. The main is to get younger and better.