Hank sure knows how to motivate.
Sidney Ponson was awful in his second start, but Jason Giambi drove in six and Alex Rodriguez scored four runs as the
Yankees thrashed the Rangers 18-7 at The Stadium. The Bombers unloaded with nine runs in the seventh and followed that with a three-run eighth to bury Texas. It was an orgy of singles, doubles, homers and walks as every Yankee regular finished with at least one hit. Even rookie Brett Gardner got in on the act, picking up his first Major League hit and run batted in with a single to right in the seventh.
The offensive outburst snapped the Yankees mini-malaise at three games.
The Good:Jason Giambi. The legend of the mustache continues. The Giambino stepped up to the plate in the third with the bases loaded and the Yanks down 3-1. Not for long. Giambi drilled a 2-1 pitch into the upper deck to give the Bombers a 5-3 lead. With one swing of the bat, Jay Jay equaled the Yankees offensive output in the past three games. But Giambi wasn't done. The Yanks blew a 6-3 lead and trailed 7-6 when Giambi batted with runners on first and second in the seventh. The Giambino laced a double into the left field gap to give the Yanks a lead they would never relinquish. I think it's time the Yanks waive their obviously discriminatory "no beard or long hair" rule and allow Giambi to grow his locks and chops. I'm tellin ya -- he would be an unstoppable offensive force! Giambi finished 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 6 ribbies.
Alex Rodriguez. The game was already out of hand, but A-Rod launched career homer No. 535 to cap the Yankees nine-run seventh. It wasn't one of the typical, high-arching boomers that Rodriguez usually hits -- it was a line-shot to the short porch in right. I guess that shows that A-Rod is completely locked in right now. Rodriguez finished 2 for 3 with 2 walks, 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs.
Edwar Ramirez. It may get lost in the shuffle of all the runs scored, but Ramirez really gave the Yanks a chance to rally back with two innings of shutdown relief. Edwar had a rough month of June (7.36 ERA), but he looked great in his first July appearance. Keep it up, Urkel. Ramirez picked up the win and upped his record to 2-0 with this: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K.
The Bad:Sidney Ponson. I guess lightning doesn't strike twice. Ponson wiggled out of trouble in his first Yankee start against the Mets and finished with six shutout innings and the victory. That wasn't the case Wednesday night. Ponson zipped through the first two innings, but then the wheels started to fall off. The Arubian Knight couldn't hold on to an early 1-0 lead and then blew a 6-3 lead by giving up two homers in the sixth. Shake it off, Sidney. Ponson was fortunate to pick up a no-decision with this: 5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 3 BB, 1 K, 2 HR.
The Ugly:The end for
Godzilla and Frankenstein? Hideki Matsui will be out until at least the All-Star break with that sore left knee. The Yanks had hoped to have Godzilla take batting practice this weekend, but that's not going to happen. "He did some work with the physical therapist and he hasn't
gotten cleared to do anything," Cashman said. "Once the knee calms down, the
swelling gets out of there, he'll start doing some work. But he's not there
yet." Maybe I'm just being a nervous Nancy, but I get the feeling Matsui's season is sitting on a razor's edge. And the season may be over for Shelley Duncan. The Yankee sparkplug separated his shoulder making a diving catch Tuesday night for Scranton. "We're going to deal with some timeframe, it's just a
matter of how long," Cashman said. "That's a lengthy injury. That's all I got right
now."
The Red Sox head into the Bronx for a four-game set starting Thursday night. Andy Pettitte (9-5, 3.98 ERA) will go against Jon Lester (6-3, 3.48 ERA). Lester is 3-0 in his past five starts and hasn't lost since May 25 against the Oakland A's. But the young lefty was rocked for six runs and allowed two homers in his last start against the Houston Astros. Lester has had one career start against the Yanks and was ripped for seven runs in 3 2/3 innings. Pettitte was super in June, going 4-0 in six starts with a 3.76 ERA. Andy was won four straight starts and hasn't been on the losing side of the ledger in six weeks. Pettitte is 15-6 with a 3.45 ERA in 27 lifetime appearances against the BoSox.
First place may not be on the line this holiday weekend (damn Rays), but I don't think that will diminish the intensity.
Do you?
Leave a comment
Hate to give Michael Kay credit but he predicted on his radio show yesterday that Ponson would not last. He said something to the effect of "I see him giving up six runs." Pretty good prediction. What he didn't predict was the offense the Yankees would produce. It was good to see.