Which team was fighting for the playoffs Thursday night?
Mike Mussina was shaky early but finished strong, Derek Jeter picked up two more hits and a ribbie and Bobby Abreu went deep twice and drove in six runs as the
Yanks destroyed the White Sox 9-2 at The Stadium. Robinson Cano picked up two more hits and has five hits in his last six at-bats. I guess his brief stint in the corner resonated.
The Yankees blew the game open with a four-run fourth inning and Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen pulled most of his regulars by the fifth. If I didn't know better I would have believed the Yanks were fighting for first place and not the White Sox. Sadly, that's not the case.
Baby Bombers Juan Miranda, Francisco Cervelli and Humberto Sanchez all saw some action. Miranda got the start at first base and finished 0 for 2 with 2 walks and a run scored. Cervelli suffered a broken wrist on a play at the plate against the Tampa Bay Rays in spring training and missed three months. Who knew that play would prove prophetic to the Yankees this season? Cervelli came in to catch in the eighth inning and didn't get a turn at the dish. Sanchez needed just 11 pitches (8 strikes) to get through the eighth. He didn't allow a baserunner and struck out one.
The Yanks will welcome in the Baltimore Orioles for the final three games at The Stadium beginning Friday night. Radhames Liz (6-5, 6.90 ERA) will go against Carl Pavano (3-1, 5.26 ERA) in the opener. Liz went eight shutout innings in his last start against the Minnesota Twins, but is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in three September starts. The Bombers tagged Liz for nine hits and three runs in 4 2/3 innings during a 9-4 Yankee win on Aug. 22. Pavano picked up a win in his last start despite leaving in the sixth with a hip injury. Carl is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in two home starts this season.
Let's see if the Yanks can send the old girl out with a sweep of the O's.
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Mike Francesa said he heard rumblings about Mussina retiring after this year. I wonder.