It was more exciting that it should have been, but a win is a win.
Mike Mussina spun six shutout innings, Brett Gardner contributed with his bat and arm, and Mariano Rivera danced with the devil in the ninth as the
Yanks edged the Red Sox 2-1 in the Boogie Down. The Bomber offense continued to spin its wheels, but the Yanks can't really worry about how they win ballgames at this point.
The Yankees handed Rivera a 2-0 lead thanks to a two-out, RBI-single from Melky Cabrera in the second and a sacrifice fly from Gardner in the sixth. A 2-0 lead for Rivera? Turn your sets off, right? Well ...
Rivera allowed a leadoff single, hit Manny Ramirez and then Mike Lowell singled to trim the lead to 2-1. Mo then clipped Kevin Youkilis to load the bases with nobody out. But then The Sandman realized just who he was and what the hell was going on. Rivera struck out Coco Crisp, got Jason Varitek to pop to first and ended the drama by K'ing Julio Lugo for his 23rd save in as many chances. What a showman!
The Good:
Mike Mussina. It didn't start off well for The Moose. Mussina allowed a single, double, hit a batter and uncorked a wild pitch in the first inning, but escaped without giving up a run. That frame would be the hardest part of Mussina's afternoon. Mussina allowed only two more hits the rest of the day and they both came with two outs. The Yanks aren't giving Mussina any room for error lately (the Bombers have scored a total of five runs in Mussina's past three starts), but he made it stand up and earned his first win against the Red Sox in three chances this season. Mussina improved to 11-6 with this: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 2 hit batsman, 1 WP.
Brett Gardner. The rookie is getting more playing time because of the injuries to Hideki Matsui and now Johnny Damon, and he's making the most of his opportunities. Gardner came up big in the first inning when he gunned out Dustin Pedroia at second base. It's hard to predict future events, but J.D. Drew followed with a double and Pedroia would have walked home with the game's first run if not for Gardner. Gardner then delivered what turned out to be the game-winning RBI with a sac fly to left. It wasn't a sexy day in the box score, but Gardner was key Saturday afternoon. Gardner finished 0 for 3 with a run batted in.
Melky Cabrera. The Melk-Man has been feeling the heat and is probably looking over his shoulder, but so far he's responding to the pressure. Cabrera came through with a two-out single to the right side that brought home Jason Giambi (who had a nifty slide at the plate) for a 1-0 Yankee lead. Melky also delivered a single during the Yankees one-run sixth inning and made a snazzy catch on a liner in the fourth. It's been a rough couple of months, but Cabrera is off to a hot July -- he's hitting .357 in four games. Cabrera finished 2 for 4 with an RBI.
The Bad:Bobby Abreu. The Yankee offense has been struggling and the team's No. 3 hitter is as guilty as anyone. Abreu batted. 252 in June and isn't off to a hot start so far in July. Bobby picked up two hits in the Yankees 18-7 beating of the Rangers earlier in the week, but he's 3 for his last 23 (.130) and has driven in just two runs in his past eight games. Abreu finished 0 for 3 with a walk.
The Ugly:Jose Molina. They don't call them the tools of ignorance for nothing. Molina was drilled right in the nuts with a 90-plus-mile-an-hour heater Monday night against the Rangers and took a shot off the neck on a check swing by Pedroia in the eighth. Both incidents sent Molina sprawling to the ground. The Yanks are carrying three catchers for fear of losing Jorge Posada again, but they may have to worry about Molina if this keeps up.
Joba Chamberlain (2-2, 2.22 ERA) will try and give the Yanks the split against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (5-6, 3.72 ERA) Sunday night. Wakefield is putting together a pretty solid season and has gone at least seven innings in seven straight starts. Wakefield is 9-16 in with a 5.03 ERA in 45 career appearances against the Yankees. Chamberlain lasted only four innings in his last start against the Rangers, but picked up a no-decision. Joba is holding righty batters to a .202 average and is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in three career appearances against Boston.
Let's see what the Baby Ace can do against the Red Sox in a starting capacity.
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