The Bomber offense hasn't flexed its muscles yet, but it was good enough to capture a victory.
Phil Hughes went six strong, the bullpen continued its impressive start and Bobby Abreu made up for a base running mistake in the sixth by driving in the eventual game-winning run as the
Yanks dropped the Jays 3-2 at The Stadium. The Bombers also used some small ball as two bunts in the eighth helped them take two of three from their AL East rival.
The Good:Phil Hughes. After enduring an offseason filled with trade whispers, Hughes took the hill sporting his new No. 34 and breezed through the first three innings. He did a good job spotting his fastball and kept Toronto off balance with his off-speed pitches. Hughes also showed some grit by working out of a jam in the fourth. Alex Rios (the newest Yankee killer) gave the Jays a 1-0 lead with a one out, RBI-single and quickly stole second and advanced to third on Robinson Cano's error. But Hughes got tough and struck out Vernon Wells and Frank Thomas to end the threat. (Thomas didn't like the called third strike and was promptly given the heave-ho.) Hughes didn't factor in the decision, but he showed the Yanks they made the right choice by keeping him in pinstripes. Hughes' ND looked like this: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 B, 4 K. Nice job, kid.
Bobby Abreu. Abreu is one of the few Yankees who brought his hitting shoes up from Florida. Bobby was in the middle of the Yankee "rally" in the sixth when he walked to load the bases with nobody out. But he soon helped kill the threat. With the score 2-1 Toronto and runners on second and third with one out, Jason Giambi lifted a fly ball to right. Derek Jeter tagged from third and scored, but for some reason Abreu tried to advance to third on the play. It wasn't close. Jeter knotted the game at 2-2, but Abreu was out by a mile at third. But Bobby made amends with a single in the eighth to give the Yanks a 3-2 advantage. You can't keep El Comedulce down! Abreu finished 2 for 3 with a walk and the game-winning ribbie.
The pen. Manager Joe Girardi used four pitchers after Hughes' departure and they all helped wrap up this win. Newly acquired southpaw Billy Traber's herky-jerky motion K'd Lyle Overbay in the seventh and then Brian Bruney came in to record the next two outs. Bruney has given up drinking and cutting his hair and so far you can't argue with the results. Joba Chamberlain came in and pitched a scoreless eighth and picked up his first win of the year when the Yanks took the lead in the bottom of the inning. And finally, Mariano Rivera closed the door in the ninth for his second save of the young season. It took the Sandman until May 3 to record his second save in 2007. Add it up and the bullpen did this: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.
The Bad:Alex Rodriguez. Hey, even the superstars have clunkers. A-Rod could have busted the game wide open for the Yanks in the sixth, but he struck out swinging with runners on second and third and nobody out. He also whiffed with runners at first and second and one out in the eighth. Shake it off, Alex. Rodriguez finished 0 for 4 and left 5 runners on base.
The Ugly:Rally time? You don't get style points in the Big Leagues, but the Yankees weren't awing anyone with the way they pushed runs across Thursday. The Bombers loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth, but scored two runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly that turned into a double play. Ugly, ugly stuff.
Next up for the Yanks -- a three game set against the spunky Tampa Bay Rays. Andy Sonnanstine will get the ball for Tampa and Baby Bomber Ian Kennedy will toe the slab for the Yanks. Sonnanstine went 1-1 against the Yankees last season with a 3.14 ERA. Kennedy earned his only Major League victory against the then
D-Rays last season with 7 innings of one-run ball.
The weather is supposed to be terrible in the Bronx Friday night, but here's hoping they can somehow squeeze this one in.
After all, the Yanks are doing a good job of squeezing out wins so far.
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