The Heisey Effect

The Heisenberg Effect states that the "very act of becoming a player changes the game being played". Of course this is in scientific terms. The Heisey Effect states, no shows, that when Chris Heisey hits three home runs in one game the Cincinnati Reds earn a split of a day-night doubleheader with the New York Yankees.

Heisey's heroics helped ruin the second big league start of Brian Gordon and made a rare trainwreck out of Hector Noesi's performance. The Reds 10-2 win avoided a sweep at the hands of the Yankees, who had won the second game of the series earlier in the day, 4-2.

Heisey entered the game with just five home runs on the season, but didn't wait long to hit number six, depositing Gordon's delivery into the left field seats to start the bottom of the 1st inning. Nick Swisher tied the game in the 2nd with an opposite field blast that was just one of the two hits allowed by Johnny Cueto (5-2, 1.63) over seven innings.

Jonny Gomes quickly put the Reds back ahead in the home half of the 2nd with his 9th home runs of the season. In Gordon's fifth and final inning Heisey extended the lead to 4-1 with a 2-run shot. Gordon, whose path to the Majors as a converted outfielder has been well documented, got to bat in a big league game for the first time. He drew a walk in his first appearance, but struck out in his only other at-bat.

Gordon wasn't the only one who had trouble though, as the Yankees managed just four hits on the night, two of them by Alex Rodriguez. Their one chance to get back in the ball game came in the 7th when they were still down three. Rodriguez led off with a single and Swisher followed with a walk. Cueto struck out Russell Martin, but then gave the Yankees a break when he dropped Joey Votto's toss on a Robinson Cano grounder to load the bases.

Cano had pinch-hit for Eduardo Nunez, meaning the Yankees had to let Ramiro Pena bat for himself. The light hitter lightly hit a grounder to Votto, who threw home for the force out. Jorge Posada then pinch-hit for the pitcher's spot, but unlike his heroics earlier in the day, grounded out to end the inning.

The Reds then took Noesi apart with three runs in both the 7th and 8th innings, the latter of which featured Heisey's third blast of the day.

The first game of the day was much different with Freddy Garcia tossing a fairly effortless seven innings to improve to 6-6. With the game tied 2-2 in the 6th, Cano reached on a lead off single against starter Mike Leake and Posada followed with his first home run since April 23, a stretch of 126 at-bats. David Robertson worked the 8th before giving way to Mariano Rivera who picked up his 19th save.

The Yankees had broken a scoreless tie in the 3rd when Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson stroked back to back one out singles and Swisher provided an RBI ground out. Cano followed with a single for 2-0 lead.

The Reds tied the game up with the help of rare sloppy defensive play from Pena, who was playing third base in the first game. Drew Stubbs reached on a Pena throwing error to start the 5th (Had Mark Teixeira been playing first base instead of Jorge Posada, it's likely the ball would not have been out of reach.) Edgar Renteria then singled to put runners on the corners with no one out. What followed was both a physical and mental error by Pena.

Ryan Hanigan hit a chopper to third that likely was not hit hard enough to turn a double play, but Pena should have gotten the sure out at second. Instead he threw a one hopper home that catcher Francisco Cervelli couldn't handle for Pena's second error of the inning. (He would later pick up a third error when a ball when right between his legs.) Leake sacrificed the runners over and Fred Lewis brought in Renteria with the tying run on a deep play to Granderson in center. Garcia wild pitched Hanigan to third, but got Brandon Phillips to fly out to end the inning.

Notes

The Yankees bad baserunning continued in game one. Eduardo Nunez doubled, but was picked off second and was eventually charged with a caught stealing as he attempted to take third.

Prior to the games, the Yankees placed Jeff Marquez on the DL with a sore shoulder and called up Buddy Carlyle.

Let's Play Two...Far Apart

I hate day-night doubleheaders. As with most things in baseball they are all about greed. The Yankees actually had a choice when Tuesday's game was called- play a split DH today or play on Thursday's off day. The Yankees wisely opted for the twin-bill.

Freddy Garcia will pitch the opener against Mike Leake with Brian Gordon making his second start against Johnny Cueto and his sub-2.00 ERA tonight. Game 1 is on YES and Game 2 is on my9 (I hate that name). The irony in the night game is of course that Gordon, the one time outfielder, will finally get a chance to hit in a Major League game.

W-I-N in Cincinnati

Among the most fun shows in the late 1970's and early 1980's was WKRP in Cincinnati. Arthur "Big Guy" Carlson the boss, the rock Andy Travis, the wild Dr. Johnny Fever, the cool Venus Flytrap, resident jackass Herb Tarlik, the nutty Les Nessman, sweet Bailey Quarters, and the voluptuous Jennifer Marlowe. A great cast of characters. "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly".

Getting back to Tuesday night's game, Ivan Nova pitched his best game of the season, with eight innings of work. After being handed a 4-0 lead, Nova gave one back immediately and looked like he might be on his way to another rough outing. But the rookie righted the ship and took an important step towards trying to stay in the rotation once Phil Hughes and Bartolo Colon return. He'll be battling Garcia and Gordon for that final spot.

The Yankees had their hitting shoes on in the first inning with a lineup that had Nick Swisher in the leadoff spot against left-hander Travis Wood and Andruw Jones starting in left over Brett Gardner...which of course is absurd since Gardner has been red hot and Jones has done nothing.

Jones temporarily staved off the nay sayers with an RBI single in the 1st inning, but later did not run out a grounder and then motioned as if he had tweaked something in his leg. His act was not very convincing.

Boone Logan's failures continued as well. With a 5-1 lead in the 9th, Joe Girardi went to Luis Ayala to start the inning. After yielding a single to Brandon Phillips, Ayala was pulled in favor of Logan to face lefty and reigning NL MVP Joey Votto. The at-bat lasted one pitch as Logan hit Votto to put two men aboard. Girardi wasted no time in going to Mariano Rivera, who may or may not have warmed up enough. Scott Rolen singled in a run and another scored on a Chris Heisey ground out before Rivera notched his 18th save.

Notes

Phil Hughes will make his next rehab start for Trenton on Friday in New Britain. The plan is to increase his pitch count to 75 and then he will have one more start for the Thunder.

Bartolo Colon has begun long tossing and Derek Jeter is hoping to return on June 29 as he continues baseball activities.

Gardners Bake Pies Too

Brett Gardner started the day as he did yesterday, sitting on the bench watching Andruw Jones play in left field against a left-handed pitcher. But in a case of "it's not who starts, but who finishes", Gardner got the last swing. His one out RBI in the 12th brought home Curtis Granderson for a 3-2 win over the Texas Rangers.

After the Boston Red Sox swept the Yankees in three games to start the homestand, the Bombers won six of the final seven games (the one loss was 1-0 to Cleveland). The Yankees also continued their solid play against the Rangers this season with their third series win and are 7-2 against the team that beat them in last year's ALCS.

The game started out with the unknown Brian Gordon making his first Major League start. The 32-yr old veteran of 15 minor league seasons was outstanding. He allowed two runs in 5.1 innings (7 H 3 BB 3 K) and threw 55 of 84 pitches for strikes. He managed the major jam he got into in the 5th inning and limited the Rangers to a pair of runs (on an Ian Kinsler double) despite having the bases loaded with one out.

Russell Martin had provided an RBI single in the 2nd inning (and threw out two would be base stealers) and Jorge Posada tied the game up in the 6th with an RBI double against starter C.J. Wilson. The Yankees bullpen provided 6.2 of scoreless relief with Corey Wade throwing the final two for first his win as a Yankee and his first victory in the majors since June 13, 2009. (The Yankees are now 18-3 (.857) in day games.)

The Yankees wasted a golden opportunity when they loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the 9th against Darren Oliver. After getting ahead in the count, 3-1, Granderson struck out for the second out of the inning and Mark Teixeira grounded out to end the inning. But Granderson started things in the 12th with his third hit of the day. Teixeira flew out, but lefty Michael Kirkman hit Robinson Cano with a controversial pitch. Texas manager Ron Washington came out to argue with home plate umpire Mike Everitt, feeling the ball hit the knob of the bat rather than Cano. (Replays were inconclusive, though Cano didn't show much reaction)

Gardner, who should be starting against left-handers rather than Jones, then singled through the right side to plate Granderson and sent the Yankees off to Wrigley Field with a victory.

It's Throw It At The Wall...

...And See If It Sticks Day in the Bronx. The Yankees had "Deja vu all over again" last night, pounding Texas for the second straight night, 12-4, but today should be "interesting". Getting the start is career minor leaguer Brian Gordon.

Gordon is a converted outfielder that has spent 15 seasons in the minor leagues. He has three games of big league experience, ironically, as a member of the Texas Rangers in 2008 (4 IP 0-0, 2.25). Gordon was originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the seventh round of the 1997 draft, or one year before Arizona actually started playing as a Major League franchise. He showed promise when he drove in 46 years in 54 rookie league games after finishing up at Round Rock High School in Texas, but moved slowly up the Arizona chain, spending two years each in 'A' and advanced 'A' ball.

After his first season at Triple-A Tucson, Gordon opted for minor league free agency and signed with the then Anaheim Angels. After two years at Triple-A Salt Lake, the 26-yr old Gordon left via free agency again, and signed with the Houston Astros. After another season at the top minor league level, Gordon decided it was time to give pitching a go, something he hadn't done since high school.

Gordon was most recently pitching for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs of the International League when he used his opt out clause for a chance to pitch in the Bronx. As in the big leagues. As in starting a Major League game against Texas' C.J. Wilson. No one knows how he'll fare, but GM Brian Cashman figures he has nothing to lose and hopes the low risk gamble works out as well as Aaron Small and Shawn Chacon did for a time.

Hector Noesi will be ready to go whenever Gordon is done.

Back to last night, the Yankees infield went homertastic, with each starter hitting one out of the ball park. Mark Teixeira led the parade with a pair of blasts, Robinson Cano smashed a deep three-run shot, Eduard Nunez celebrated this 24th birthday with a home run, and the third baseman? No it wasn't Alex Rodriguez, who DH'ed. Light hitting Ramiro Pena even got into the act with a home run. August 22, 1939 was the last time the Yankees pulled off the trick - Babe Dahlgren, Joe Gordon, Frankie Crosetti and Red Rolfe hit the home runs.

Teixeira's home runs came from each side of the plate, the 11th such time he had accomplished the feat. In doing so, Teixeira tied the Major League record jointly held by Eddie Murray and Chili Davis.

With left-hander Derek Holland getting the start for Texas Wednesday night, Joe Girardi moved Nick Swisher into the lead off spot. It was the first time Swisher batted in the top spot since he was a member of the White Sox in 2008. Swisher responded with a 1-3 night with two walks and a run scored. He'll be in the top spot again today with Wilson going for Texas.

Per Newsday's Ken Davidoff, to make room for Gordon on the 25-man, Lance Pendleton was optioned to the minors and Amauri Sanit was released to free up a spot on the 40-man roster.

Gordon isn't the first Yankee this season to opt out of a minor league deal to sign with the Yankees. Reliever Cory Wade excelled for the Dodgers in 2008, but after a shaky 2009 season had not been back in the Major Leagues until last night. After pitching well in the Tampa Bay Rays organization (Triple-A Durham), Wade opted out and signed with the Yankees. He appeared in one game for Scranton before being recalled prior to last night's game. Kevin Whelan was sent down to Scranton to make room on the 25-man roster. Wade pitched a 1-2-3 7th inning and picked up his first Major League strikeout in two years.

Ivan Nova won his sixth game last night, but it was mostly due to run support. The rookie usually pitches well in the early innings, but struggled from the get-go and allowed four runs in 5.2 innings.