Moose Bags a Big Game

Mike Mussina threw a solid 5.2 innings and Alex Rodriguez slugged career home run number 499 as the Yankees continued to roll with a 7-1 win over the Royals. It was the Yankees 6th straight win, 17th in their last 22 games, and locked up their 6th straight series win.

Mussina was coming off one of his worst outings, having allowed 6 runs in 4.2 innings last Friday night against Tampa. This time he was effective, mixing a good fastball with his array of pitches. And the Yankees quick start offense gave him immediate support.

After leaving 2 men on in the 1st, Robinson Cano singled off of Gil Meche with 1 out in the 2nd. Two batters later, Melky Cabrera belted his 5th home run of the season to right for a 2-0 lead. Meche was solid though through the 6th, keeping the Royals in the game.

Mussina (5-7) retired the 1st 2 batters in the 6th, but a double by Ross Gload and RBI single by Reggie Sanders sent him to the showers. Ron Villone came on and needed just one pitch to retire Alex Gordon on a fly to right.

The Yankees got the run right back in the 7th when Jorge Posada and Cano, who went 3-4, stroked back to back singles, Andy Phillips sacrificed them over, and Cabrera delivered his 3rd RBI with a sacrifice fly.

Meche (7-7) was still pitching an effective game, but manager Buddy Bell left him too long. Meche had a history of shoulder problems in Seattle, but Bell extended him to 120 pitches on the night. After allowing a lead off single to Derek Jeter in the 8th and retiring Bobby Abreu on a force out, Meche's 2-2 pitch to A-Rod was driven deep over the fence in right-center for a 2-run shot. It was A-Rod's 35th of the season, matching last year's total. It also gave him a major league leading 102 RBI.

Bell finally sent for lefty Jimmy Gobble, but the reliever would fare no better. Hideki Matsui greeted him with his 10th home run of July and number 18 on the season for a 6-1 lead. Phillips would add the final tally with an RBI double.

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The win kept the Yankees 4.5 back of Cleveland in the wild card and moved them within 6.5 of Boston in the AL East. Fausto Carmona out dueled Josh Beckett in a 1-0 Indians victory.

Royals closer Octavio Dotel, the subject of many trade rumors and a member of the '06 Yankees, pitched the 9th and hit Derek Jeter just above the left elbow. Jeter went down to 1st Base, but was in obvious pain and left for a pinch-runner. Between innings Dotel spoke with Yankees 1st Base coach Tony Pena, apparently to explain that he didn't hit Jeter on purpose. Needless to say, Pena was still not happy.

Robinson Cano's 3 hits raised his season average to .299, and is hitting .402 in July. He now has a 7 game hitting streak.

Johnny Damon got a hit in his final at-bat to join Hideki Matsui in extending their hitting streaks to 6 games.

Andy Phillips' RBI gave him 15 in 21 July games.

photos courtesy of AP