Game recap: Pirates at Yankees 6/8/07

Of all the dramatic things I've ever seen!

For a mid-season game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday night's game was pretty dramatic. It had everything, from an inside-the-park home run to a walk-off infield single. Derek Jeter delivered the latter, as the Yankees defeated the Pirates in extra innings by a score of 5-4.

The Pirates took an early 1-0 lead off Andy Pettitte on a home run by Xavier Nady in the second inning. They were able to plate another run in the fifth to go up 2-0.

The Yankees were able to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth when Hideki Matsui hit a line drive over the right field wall off Pittsburgh starter Tom Gorzelanny. It was his sixth home run of the year.

However, trouble struck Pettitte and the Yankees in the seventh. With two outs and a runner on at first, Chris Duffy hit a catchable ball to center fielder Melky Cabrera. Unfortunately for Cabrera, he misplayed the ball and fell down, leading to a two-run inside-the-park home run to give the Pirates a 4-2 lead.

The Yankees rallied in the bottom half of the inning. Jeter and Jorge Posada both hit RBI singles to tie the game at 4.

The game could not be decided in regulation. In the bottom of the tenth, with closer Matt Capps (3-3) in the game, Robinson Cano led off with a double that was less than a foot from being a home run. Cabrera then sacrificed Cano over to third.

Miguel Cairo then hit a ball to third baseman Jose Bautista. Instead of throwing to first, he was preoccupied with the runner at third and held onto the ball. Johnny Damon was intentionally walked, followed by Jeter's infield single to win the game.

Pettitte pitched a solid eight innings, but left with another no-decision, his sixth of the season. He gave up four earned runs, but two of those were on the Duffy home run ball that should've been caught.

Young Gorzelanny pitched 6 1-3 innings, giving up four runs as well. For most of the game, however, he confused the Yankee bats.

Mariano Rivera (2-3) pitched two innings of relief and got the win.

With this victory, the Yankees improve to 28-31 and will have Roger Clemens on the mound tomorrow afternoon.

AP Photo