2 Bad Pitches Don't Spoil The Whole Game Girl

Russell Martin strokes game winner - courtesy of Buffalo News

If you hadn't known better you would have sworn tonight's game between the LA Angels and Yankees was being played on the left coast.

It was one of those typical games where the Yankees had a lead for most of the game, but then everything went to hell in the last few innings. This time around it was Hiroki Kuroda holding a 2-1 lead on his home mound in the 7th.

Had there been a full moon Friday night, you clearly would have seen a baseball pass by it, much like ET and his bicycle did many moons ago (no pun intended). The ball had launched off the bat of Angels' left fielder Mark Trumbo with two aboard and came back to Earth in the seats behind the Yankees bullpen. The Yankees suddenly were in a 4-2 hole and the once smooth sailing Kuroda had encountered choppy water. (The Trumbo home rnu was bad pitch #2 after hitting Kendrys Morales with a 1-2 pitch.)

It didn't get any better in the 8th when for some reason, Joe Girardi left Kuroda in the game and the Angels tacked on an insurance run on Albert Pujols' bloop double to right. But the Yankees had some magic of their own in the bottom of the 8th inning.

Derek Jeter started things off against lefty Scott Downs by lacing a double up the alley in right-center. Curtis Granderson, hitless against Downs in 12 career at-bats, worked a tough walk to bring Mark Teixeira to the plate as the tying run.

Teixeira had provided the first two Yankees runs with a bullet home run to left off Angels' starter C.J. Wilson in the 3rd inning. While that Teixeira home run got out in a hurry, his home run off Downs to tie the game was a high majestic shot to left field.

Downs finally retired Alex Rodriguez (who heard many boos on the night) and Robbie Cano, before he walked Nick Swisher to end his night on the mound. With right-hander Kevin Jepsen on the hill, pinch-runner Dewayne Wise swiped second base to put the go ahead run in scoring position. Angels' skipper Mike Scioscia decided to intentionally walk pinch-hitter Raul Ibanez to force Russell Martin and his sub-.180 batting everage into a clutch situation.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering why Girardi didn't send Eric Chavez up to pinch-hit, but Girardi stuck with his catcher and his confidence was rewarded when Martin lashed a go ahead single to right. Martin wasn't done coming up big in the game though.

Rafael Soriano came on in the 9th to close things out, but Yankees killer Howie Kendrick reached on a one out single. Soriano retired Erick Aybar on a foul pop, but then uncorked a pitch in the dirt. Though pinch-hitter Maicer Izturis put up the hold sign, Kendrick took off for second base. Martin quickly got to the baseball and fired a strike to an awaiting Derek Jeter to end the ball game. A fired up Martin pumped his fist and celebrated a night in which he threw out three of four would-be base stealers in addition to his game winning hit.


Notes

The comeback would not have been possible had Swisher not robbed Trumbo of another home run in the 8th inning.

The Yankees signed Kosuke Fukudome to a minor league deal. The Japanse born veteran had been recently released by the Chicago White Sox after hitting just .171 in 24 games. The 35-yr old is in his 5th Major League season and has been on the decline since breaking in with the Cubs in 2008.

Austin Romine was expected to compete for a back up catching job on the Yankees at some point this season, but the 23-year old went down with a bad back in Spring Training. Romine returned to action Friday night with the GCL Yankees. He was 0-2 with an RBI and split the team's catching duties with Eduardo de Oleo.

Joba Chamberlain began his road back from a busted ankle and continued his recuperation from Tommy John surgery with a scoreless inning in Tuesday's GCL game. He's expected to pitch again this weekend.

Andy Pettitte will be getting his broken ankle x-rayed to see what progress has been made.

Mike Trout, with his family in Derek Jeter's private box, had another ho-hum night. Two hits, two steals, and a run scored. He's an incredibly dynamic player to watch.