Things are getting pretty interesting as we head down the stretch.

Hideki Matsui hit his first home run in over a month, Phil Hughes won his first game at Yankee Stadium and Mariano Rivera cleaned up a Kyle Farnsworth mess in the ninth as the Yanks beat Baltimore 8-5 on a Monday night in the Bronx.  The win extended the Bombers lead in the wild card chase to 3.5 games over the Tigers.  And don't look now, but the Yanks trail the Red Sox in the AL East by only 3.5 games.

I gotta be honest with you Yankee fans, I didn't make it to the end of this one.  I was beat and the pace of this game destroyed me.  I was in and out of consciousness from the seventh inning on so bear with me with this half-ass roundup.

The Good:

Hideki Matsui.  Matsui has been in a nasty funk and he hadn't hit a homer since the beginning of August.  That didn't stop him from belting the go-ahead dinger in the third.  The clout was Godzilla's 24th of the season and the Yanks would never look back.  Matsui finished 1 for 5 with a run scored and his 95th RBI.

Doug Mientkiewicz.  Mientkiewicz drew the Yankees even with a two-run single in the second.  Dougie was thrown out trying to take the extra base, but he's done a great job since his return from the DL.  With Andy Phillips lost for the season, Mientkiewicz's glove at first will be key down the stretch.  DM finished 1 for 1 with 2 walks, a run scored and 2 ribbies.

Edwar Ramirez.  Ramirez came in for Phil Hughes in the bottom of the sixth and inherited a bases loaded jam.  The Yanks were clinging to a 5-2 lead and the O's had the always pesky Melvin Mora at the dish.  Ramirez wasn't rattled.  He calmly struck out Mora, ended the threat and gave Hughes a shot at a win.  Nice job.  His final numbers aren't outstanding, but Edwar played a key role in Monday's win.  Ramirez's work: 1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K.

The Bad:

Kyle Farnsworth.  I would normally give a guy the benefit of the doubt if I didn't actually see him pitch, but Farnsworth will get no such reprieve from me.  I might have been in La-La Land, but I know how to read a box score.  Kyle, apparently recovered from his "stiff neck," inherited an 8-3 lead and quickly turned it into a save situation for Rivera.  Nice going.  Better get your head screwed on right, Kyle.  Farnsworth's "work" went like this: .2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP.

The Ugly:

Is there anybody out there?  Phil Hughes induced two quick outs in the sixth, but fell into trouble and was facing a bases loaded jam.  He threw ball one before Torre emerged from the dugout.  Why did he throw one pitch before getting yanked?  Because Torre couldn't get the OK from the bullpen that Ramirez was ready.  The phone lines were apparently dead.  Outstanding.  Maybe this is why they're building a $1 billion stadium across the way.

Tuesday night will feature Mike Mussina against Jon Leicester.

The Moose pitched well in his last start.  Let's see if he can repeat the performance against his former squad.