Jeter ties Gehrig, Yanks sweep Rays

Derek Jeter’s 3-for-4 night put him in a tie with Lou Gehrig for first place on the Yankees’ all-time hits list with 2,721.  He had been hitless in his previous three games.  As for the team, the Yankees scored four in the eighth to defeat Tampa Bay 4-2 Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Joba Chamberlain only lasted three innings, throwing 56 pitches and allowing two earned runs and three hits.

The three hits and two runs allowed were recorded in the first inning, meaning the Tampa Bay Rays were no-hit over the final 8 2/3 innings.

Jorge Posada hit a go-ahead pinch-hit three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to lead the Yankees to victory.

The Yankees were able to avoid using Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera in the ninth.  Brian Bruney got the first two outs, while Phil Coke earned the save by striking out the only batter he faced.

New York is now 91-50 and will begin a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday.

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Swisher walks off

Nick Swisher joined the long line of Yankees who have had walk-off hits this season.  Swisher hit a one-out solo home run to right against Dan Wheeler in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Yankees to a 3-2 victory.  They have now reached 90 wins and are 40 games above .500.

The home run, his 26th, was Swisher’s second of the game.  This was strange because he had only hit three previous home runs at Yankee Stadium this season.  He also homered from both sides of the plate.

Chad Gaudin allowed one earned runs and six hits over 6+ innings, striking out six.  Phil Hughes actually faltered in his inning of work, allowing a game-tying home run to Jason Bartlett in the eighth.  It was his first blown save of the season and it was the first earned run he allowed in a game since Aug. 4.

The Yankees will go for the four-game sweep of the Rays tomorrow night with Joba Chamberlain on the mound.

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Teixeira, bullpen ensure sweep of White Sox

(Originally posted for Baseball Digest)

Mark Teixeira drove in four runs and the Yankees bullpen pitched six innings, allowing only one earned run, in the team’s 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Teixeira hit a sacrifice fly in the first and then hit a three-run home run in the five-run seventh inning to pass 100 RBI on the season.  He has now reached 30 home runs and 100 RBI in six straight seasons.

Starter Joba Chamberlain only went three innings, as the Yankees instituted their revised version of the “Joba Rules.”  They are essentially simulating spring training and will get him up and around 100 pitches near the end of the season.  He threw 35 pitches, allowing four hits and two earned runs.

Alfredo Aceves relieved Chamberlain, pitching three shutout innings, to earn his ninth win of the season.  Damaso Marte, David Robertson and Phil Hughes combined to pitch two shutout innings.  Phil Coke allowed a solo home run in the ninth.

On the offensive side, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada each had two hits, while Johnny Damon was the other Yankees aside from Teixeira to drive in more than one run (he hit a two-run home run in the third to give the Yankees the lead).  The home run, which was his 24th, ties a career-high.  Damon left the game in the seventh with cramping in both calves.

With the sweep of the White Sox, the Yankees are now 34 games over .500.  They now embark on a seven-game road trip with the first stop being in Baltimore for three games starting tomorrow night.

Cano walks off

Robinson Cano hit a walk-off three-run home run in the 10th inning to defeat the Chicago White Sox 5-2 Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

The duel between CC Sabathia and Mark Buehrle lived up to the hype for the most part.  Sabathia struck out 10 through seven and Buehrle only allowed two solo home runs – from Derek Jeter to lead off the game and Johnny Damon in the third inning – over six innings.

Sabathia had a 2-0 lead until the seventh.  But Jermaine Dye led off with a double, Carlos Quentin walked and Alex Rios hit an RBI double to cut the lead to 2-1.  After a line out, Alex Rodriguez, with Ramon Castro batting, made a nice throw home to cut down the lead runner at the plate.  He also saved another run when he made a diving stab at third to hold Jayson Nix to a leadoff single.  Gordon Beckham then singled to right to tie the game at 2, but Nick Swisher’s throw home beat Castro to the plate for the third out of the inning.

After that, it was a battle of the bullpens.  Phil Hughes, Mariano Rivera and Brian Bruney each pitched scoreless innings, while Matt Thornton and Scott Linebrink combined for three shutout innings as well.

But in the bottom of the 10th, Randy Williams walked two batters with two outs before Cano came out.  He then belted one into the Yankees’ bullpen in right center to win the game.

The Yankees have now reached 80 wins with tonight’s victory.  Sergio Mitre will start tomorrow’s game, with first pitch at 1:05 p.m.

Beckett bombed in Yankees' 8-4 victory

(Originally posted for Baseball Digest)

The New York Yankees belted five home runs against Josh Beckett, a career high, Sunday night at Fenway Park in their 8-4 victory, to win the three-game series against their archrivals.

Derek Jeter led off the game with a home run and Hideki Matsui added two home runs to give him a total of four in this series. Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano also hit home runs.

CC Sabathia went 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) while striking out eight to record his 15th victory of the season.

Beckett allowed eight runs and nine hits over eight innings, throwing 120 pitches. He has now given up 15 earned runs in his last 13 2/3 innings. The eight earned runs also tied a season high, which also came against the Yankees on April 25.

Phil Hughes struck out one and allowed one hit in 1 1/3 relief innings, and Mariano Rivera struck out two and walked one to close out the game in the ninth. Both pitchers hadn't pitched since Aug. 19.

After a day off on Monday, the Yankees will begin a three-game series at home against the Texas Rangers.

AP Photo

Teixeira drives in all 3 in Yanks' victory

Ho-hum, the Yankees win another series. But what made last night's 3-2 win against the Oakland A's interesting was that Chad Gaudin started, allowing no runs and one hit, but only pitched 4 1/3 innings. He was removed by Joe Girardi, later citing his pitch count (91), largely due to his five walks, as the reason he was taken out and not because he loaded the bases.

Alfredo Aceves relieved him and quickly induced a 1-2-3 double play to end Oakland's threat.

The Yankees were up 3-0 thanks to an RBI groundout and two-run home run from Mark Teixeira who is now at 89 RBI on the season.

After Aceves got out of the fifth inning, he allowed a solo home run to Jack Cust in the sixth and gave up three hits (including an RBI single from Mark Ellis) before being removed. Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera combined to record the final seven outs of the game, with the latter earning his 36th save.

The Yankees are off today before beginning a three-game series in Boston tomorrow.

The 2009 Michael Kay/YES Network Drinking Game

Love or hate Michael Kay, he is here to stay. After years of listening to him, both on television and the radio, I have noticed some of Kay’s favorite sayings and actions from the booth. I call these “Michael Kay clichés,” or “Kaychés.”

The 2008 Michael Kay/YES Network Drinking Game is still one of Scott Proctor’s Arm’s most popular posts. In response, I have made an updated version for this season. I hope you enjoy it and please drink responsibly should you decide to play along. I take no responsibility for you or your actions as a result of playing this game. And no, I don’t really expect you to take 22 drinks if Kay says, “Deuces wild.”

• Kay shamelessly plugs his ESPN radio show – 1 drink / Take additional drink if he says the time of day it’s on
• Kay screams, “See ya!,” “there it goes,” and/or “looking up” – 1 drink / If he says all three in the same call, finish drink.
• Kay says, “Fallacy of the predetermined outcome” – 1 drink
• Kay laughs like a maniacal moron, and then is joined by the others in the booth – 1 drink
• Kay says, “Put a bow on it” – 1 drink
• Kay says, “We’ll make sense of it all” – 1 drink
• Kay gets on his soapbox – 1 drink
• Kay says, “We thank you for joining us” – 1 drink
• Kay says, “If you’re just joining us” – 1 drink
• Kay says, “The crowd is still buzzing” a few minutes after something big happens in the game – 1 drink
• Kay asks if the batter should get the green light on a 3-0 count – 1 drink
• Viewer notices that the YES cameras cut off the top of Kay's head during a booth shot – 1 drink
• Kay talks about baseball strategy, and is probably incorrect – 1 drink
• Kay uses a word you have to look up in the dictionary – 1 drink
• Kay says, “Hey!” (i.e. “Hey, Yankee fans!” or “Hey, check out…”) – 1 drink
• Kay says, “Who but?” – 1 drink
• Kay says, “Tough league” when a pitcher throws a changeup or breaking ball when down in the count – 1 drink
• Kay says, “If it’s fair, it’s gone/trouble/a base hit/etc.” – 1 drink
• Kay talks about how Nick Swisher always has a full count on him – 1 drink
• Kay says, “Lineups, first pitch, BASEBALL!” – 1 drink
• “Jeterian” or “Jeteresque” is said by anyone in the booth – 1 drink
• Food is mentioned by any of the announcers – 1 drink / If Kay gets made fun of because of his weight, take an additional drink and eat a slice of pizza
• Kay refers to a ball as “driven,” “laced” or “served” – 1 drink / Take 2 drinks if it’s a different verb
• There is awkward silence in the booth – 1 drink
• Kay says, “Big healthy cut” – 1 drink / Take an additional drink if the “big” is emphasized
• Kay says, “Works into, and out of, trouble” – 1 drink
• Kay says that Melky Cabrera was the last Yankee to hit for the cycle – 1 drink / Take an additional 2 drinks if Kay says anything about Tony Fernandez
  
  
• Kay talks about a starting pitcher’s pitch count before the third inning – 2 drinks
• Kay says, “Pretty play” or “Oh, what a play!” – 2 drinks
• Kay refers to a player by his full name (i.e. “Andrew Eugene Pettitte,” “Derek Sanderson Jeter,” “Carsten Charles Sabathia,” etc.) – 2 drinks
• Kay says, “People forget,” assuming that Yankees fans don’t have good memories relating to something that could be perceived as common knowledge (i.e. "People forget Cody Ransom was actually the starting third baseman at the beginning of the year") – 2 drinks
• Paul O'Neill makes fun of Kay for having too many shows on YES – 2 drinks
• Kay says, “Aforementioned New York Yankees” – 2 drinks
• Kay says, “If you’re scoring at home” – 2 drinks
• Kay says, “On what would be the infield grass” when a pop up is caught in the short outfield in a domed stadium – 2 drinks
• Kay explains the benefits of the staggered lineup – 2 drinks
• Kay says a player is “like the little girl with the curl” – 2 drinks
• Kay says, “Let’s take this baby _th inning” – 2 drinks
• Kay asks, “Do the Yankees have a rally in their bones?” – 2 drinks
• Kay holds out the “he” in “he struck him out” (i.e. “Heeeeeeeeee struck him out”), the “goes” in “there it goes” (i.e. “There it goessssssss”) or the “see” in “see ya” (i.e. “Sssssseeeee ya”) – 2 drinks
• Kay uses his “Philthies” nickname for Phil Hughes and/or Phil Coke – 2 drinks / If he calls both of them “Philthy” in the same game, take an additional two drinks
• Kay screams, “Bonus cantos!” and/or “Free baseball!” when a game goes to extra innings – 2 drinks
  
  
• Kay refers to a past conversation he had and says, “He said” at least three times (Seriously, pay attention to this. He really does this all the time.) – 3 drinks
• Kay says, “He ties a record held by many” when a fielder records all three outs in an inning – 3 drinks
• Kay mentions Fordham University – 3 drinks / If John Flaherty mentions George Washington University in response, take an additional drink
• O’Neill’s “Seinfeld” cameo is brought up – 3 drinks
• Kay says, “That’s a fan for life” when a kid receives a foul ball – 3 drinks
• Kay says, “How many times do you see a player make a great play and then lead off the next inning?” or some variation of that – 3 drinks
• Kay apologizes in advance for messing up any strike calls when Tim McClelland is the home plate umpire – 3 drinks
  
  
• Kay says, “Looking up” after the ball has already reached the stands – Finish drink
• Kay asks his analysts a ridiculous question and is promptly debunked – Finish drink / Take an additional drink for each time he responds with a “don’t you think...” question
• Kay says, “Hit DEEP to left/right/center” and the ball is then caught well in front of the track – Chug a beer
• Kay says, “Deuces wild” – 22 drinks
• Kay isn't calling the game – Spray champagne
  

Again, please drink responsibly.

Thanks to my Twitter followers for their various suggestions.

Yankees rally in sixth to cap 9-1 homestand

(Originally posted for Baseball Digest)

The Yankees came from behind twice Sunday afternoon to defeat the Oakland Athletics 7-5 and cap a 9-1 homestand that saw the team reach 22 games over .500.

The A’s scored quickly against starter Sergio Mitre in the first inning.  Orlando Cabrera hit a one-out single and, after he stole scored, scored on Scott Hairston’s double.  Hairston would then score on catcher Kurt Suzuki’s single to give the A’s a 2-0 lead.

However, the Yankees came right back, scoring four in the bottom of the first inning.  Hideki Matsui hit a two-out RBI single to halve Oakland’s lead.  Two batters later, Robinson Cano cleared the bases with a three-run double into the gap.  He then overslid third and was tagged out.  Nevertheless, the Yankees had a 4-2 lead.

Oakland got one run back in the fourth inning on Mark Ellis’ sacrifice fly.  However, Mitre was able to escape further trouble by inducing a double play to end the threat.  This cut the Yankees’ lead to 4-3.

After giving up a leadoff single in the sixth inning, Mitre was pulled.  He gave up nine hits and four earned runs in 5+ innings, striking out one and walking none.  After retiring the first two batters he faced, Phil Coke gave up a two-run home run to Ellis to give Oakland a 5-4 lead.

The Yankees roared right back in the bottom half of the inning.  Melky Cabrera walked with one out and third baseman Cody Ransom doubled.  Derek Jeter followed with a two-run single to center to put the Yankees back ahead 6-5.  Jeter was picked off, but Johnny Damon doubled and was driven home by Mark Teixeira to give the Yankees another insurance run at 7-5.

Phil Hughes pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief before being bullpen for Brian Bruney when he ran into trouble.  Bruney struck out his only batter and was replaced by Mariano Rivera, who retired all four batters he faced.  The save was Rivera’s 29th of the year.

Boston lost their game this afternoon, so the Yankees are back on top of the AL East by 2.5 games.  The Yankees begin a three-game series in Tampa tomorrow night.

Wang likely head to DL, won’t be replaced by Aceves or Hughes

Chien-Ming Wang is most likely headed to the disabled list with a strained right shoulder with bursitis.

According to this report, Joe Girardi has already ruled out using Alfredo Aceves and Phil Hughes as spot starters.

The name being thrown around is Sergio Mitre, who is currently pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  In 30 1/3 innings, he has struck out 23 and walked only three, compiling a 3.26 ERA.

Burnett rolls over former team

7 IP, 2 ER, 7 K for A.J. Burnett.  Over his last nine starts, he is 5-3 with a 2.59 ERA in 55 2/3 innings.  He has also struck out 63 while walking 30 over that span.

Meanwhile, Phil Coke, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera shut down the Jays after Burnett left, sealing the Yankees eighth win in their last night games to reach 12 games over .500 again.

Robinson Cano added his 13th home run of the season and Alex Rodriguez’s 14th home run gave the Yankees a little more breathing room.

Chien-Ming Wang faces Roy Halladay tomorrow afternoon.  Yikes.

Rivera saves 500th, drives in run as Yanks sweep Mets

(Originally written for Baseball Digest)

Mariano Rivera entered Sunday night's game at Citi Field in search of one milestone.  When the game was over, he came away with two milestones: his 500th career save and his first career RBI.  Yes, I said RBI.

Rivera, who entered with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, drew a based loaded walk against Mets' closer Francisco Rodriguez in the top of the ninth inning.  The run gave the Yankees valuable insurance headed into the bottom of the frame.  Rivera wouldn't need it, however, as he was able to nail down the Yankees' 4-2 victory to sweep their first series at Citi Field.

Another story seemingly lost in all this (as Rebecca pointed out on Twitter) is that Chien-Ming Wang picked up his first win of 2009.  But how did we get here?

The Yankees got on the board early and often in the first inning against starter Livan Hernandez.  Derek Jeter, playing in his first game of the series, led off with a double off the left field wall.  Nick Swisher then grounded to first, but Daniel Murphy threw to third in an attempt to get Jeter.  It turned out to be a mistake, as both runners were safe.  Mark Teixeira followed with a two-run double and Alex Rodriguez walked.  Robinson Cano was up next, and was bailed out by another Murphy miscue.  He grounded into a sure double play, but Murphy dropped the ball at first.  Jorge Posada hit a sacrifice fly to center to drive in the Yankees' third run.

Wang wasn't great, but he pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings.  He allowed four hits, two earned runs and three walks while striking out three.  He gave up his runs in the fourth inning on a Fernando Martinez RBI double and a Luis Castillo RBI single.

Wang was relieved by Phil Coke and Phil Hughes in the sixth inning.  Hughes would also go on to pitch a scoreless seventh before being replaced by Brian Bruney in the eighth.  Bruney's control failed him, as only six of his 15 pitches went for strikes.  This caused Rivera to be brought in for a four-out save.  But that's where the fun began.

Posada reached on another botched pop up by the Mets with Rodriguez on the mound.  Eventually, the Yankees loaded the bases on walks, bringing up Rivera with the bases loaded and two outs.  He only swung at one pitch and had a full count before taking a pitch inside for the walk.

Rivera only gave up a two-out single in the ninth before inducing a grounder to second for the third and final out.  His 500th career save was his 18th of 2009 in 19 chances.

After a day off Monday, the Yankees will begin a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners at home.  Joba Chamberlain takes the ball in Game 1.

The Phils provide sturdy bridge as Yankees power way to victory

How about watching Phil Hughes dominate in relief like Joba Chamberlain did?  Hmmm…

Phil Coke also pitched capably in the eighth inning, providing a sturdy bridge for Mariano Rivera who recorded his 14th save of the season in the Yankees’ 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.  They are now 34-23 and have the best record in the AL, pending the outcome of the Rangers/Blue Jays game.

The Yankees hit four home runs (Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter), Andy Pettitte struck out seven in six innings for his sixth victory of the season and the Yankees have won their fourth series in a row.

The Yankees travel to Boston for a three-game series that begins tomorrow.  As you may recall, the Yankees are 0-5 against the Red Sox this season.  A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett start the opener.

Hughes, offense dominate Rangers

Don’t be confused by the red hats.

Phil Hughes threw eight shutout innings and the Yankees recorded 11 runs on 19 hits to win the series opener against the Texas Rangers 11-1.  Hughes struck out six and only walked one in his 101-pitch effort.

Alex Rodriguez went 5-for-5 with four RBI to raise his batting average to .259.  Of the Yankees 19 hits and six extra-base hits, none were home runs, which is great to see.

You know it was the Yankees’ day when Kevin Cash had three hits.  Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano also had two hits apiece.

The 11 runs match a season-high and the team’s 19 hits set a season-high.

There’s not much more to add here.  Joba Chamberlain gets the start tomorrow night at 8:05 p.m.

AP Photo

Wang will pitch again in AAA

Joe Girardi told the media that Chien-Ming Wang will start tomorrow night for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

According to Erik Boland, the Yankees feel his stuff isn’t ready for the majors just yet.

Phil Hughes will start in Arlington, Texas, on Monday.

Meanwhile, Johnny Damon is not in tonight’s lineup after running into the wall last night.

Yankees make it eight in a row

Robinson Cano went 3-for-4 with three RBI and the Yankees hit back-to-back-to-back home runs in the second inning to extend their winning streak to eight games by beating the Orioles 11-4 Wednesday night.

Mark Teixeira got the scoring started in the first inning with an RBI double.  Then Nick Swisher, Cano and Melky Cabrera hit consecutive solo home runs in the bottom of the second to give starter Phil Hughes a 4-0 lead.  Swisher’s home run was his first of the season at Yankee Stadium.

Hughes would give up three earned runs on six hits (two home runs) while striking out nine and walking only one in five innings pitched.

Like last night, it was still a close game (5-3) until the later innings when the Yankees put up a six-spot in the eighth.  The big hit was a two-run Derek Jeter double off the right field wall.

Mariano Rivera came into the game with two outs in the eighth inning.  He hung around for the ninth inning to record his eighth save of the season.  In the process, he allowed a solo home run to Nolan Reimold, the first of his career.

Joba Chamberlain is on the mound tomorrow night as the Yankees look to sweep the Orioles and extend their winning streak.

AP Photo

Wang, Bruney pitch in Scranton

Chien-Ming Wang and Brian Bruney each pitched for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this afternoon.  Wang started Game 1 of the doubleheader, while Bruney started Game 2.

Wang pitched a seven-inning complete game shutout, throwing 75 pitches, striking out one and walking none.  He allowed four hits and 12 of the 21 outs he recorded were on the ground.  He hasn’t allowed a run in 13 innings for the Triple-A club.

Bruney pitched the first inning in Game 2, allowing a run on two hits (one of which was an infield hit).  Chad Jennings said Bruney reached 94 mph three times.  Yesterday, we learned Bruney could return as early as Tuesday if all went well during this outing.

With Phil Hughes not exactly pitching well, I wouldn’t be at all shocked if Wang gets the ball in his place.

Late-inning magic leads Yanks to victory

Heading into the bottom of the ninth tonight, the Yankees were down 4-2 with star closer Joe Nathan on the hill.

However, Brett Gardner quickly put a scare into him, tripling to lead off the inning.  It could have been worse, however, as he tripped over first base.  He actually had a chance for a second inside-the-park home run on the night, as he ran around the bases in the seventh inning for one.

Following the triple, Mark Teixeira singled to cut the Twins’ lead to 4-3.  Alex Rodriguez then walked (he had four walks in his first game in the new Yankee Stadium), advancing Teixeira to second.  However, Hideki Matsui struck out swinging and Nick Swisher was robbed of a hit by first baseman Justin Morneau.  With runners on second and third, Robinson Cano was intentionally walked to load the bases for Melky Cabrera.  On the first pitch, Cabrera hit a fly ball that dunked in in between Denard Span and Carlos Gomez to drive in the game-tying and the game-winning run.

Gardner, who went 3-for-3 and was a double shy of the cycle, wasn’t even in the starting lineup.  He entered the game in the fourth inning when Johnny Damon was ejected for arguing a call.  Home plate umpire Wally Bell had a rather inconsistent strike zone.

Phil Hughes started for the Yankees and only lasted five innings.  He walked four, struck out only two and allowed two home runs to Morneau.  Phil Coke also allowed a home run in his first game back from back stiffness.

Jose Veras retired the final batter in the top of the ninth inning and was rewarded with his second victory of the season despite his 6.89 ERA.  Relievers Jonathan Albaladejo, Brett Tomko and Edwar Ramirez also had scoreless outings.

The Yankees have won five out of their last seven and will look to take the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon with Joba Chamberlain on the mound.

Wang to pitch for Scranton

Chien-Ming Wang is set to throw 100 pitches for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday, according to Peter Abraham.

Abraham speculates that Wang could rejoin the team if he pitches well, as Joe Girardi said he is close.

On Thursday, Wang threw 72 pitches in Tampa, prompting Billy Connors to say to say he’s healthy.

Phil Hughes’ recent struggles will make the decision on the fifth starter spot a whole lot easier if Wang has a good outing for Scranton.

Saturday YanksBlog.com recap

Phil Hughes was awful and the Yankees lost 12-5.  If you want to read about this pitiful performance, click here for my Saturday YanksBlog.com recap.

CC, A-Rod power Yankees to victory

When Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run home run on the first pitch he saw since coming back from the disabled list, I thought he would be the story of the night.  However, that’s why they play nine innings.

And that’s exactly what CC Sabathia did tonight.

Yup, he pitched a complete game shutout, striking out the side in the ninth inning and throwing 112 pitches, in the Yankees’ 4-0 victory that snapped their five-game losing streak.  He struck out eight and allowed four hits (with two of those coming in the ninth inning).  He also retired 16 batters in a row at one point.  Oh yeah, Sabathia was throwing to Francisco Cervelli, who was making his first start. 

Sabathia gave the Yankees exactly what they needed, and then some.  The bullpen’s performance has been nonexistent for the better part of this season, so he did his best to make them even more nonexistent tonight.  This is why he’s the highest-paid pitcher in the game.

John Sterling called Rodriguez’s first-inning home run a “phenomenal sports moment.”  Relax, pal.

The Yankees, now 14-15, send Phil Hughes to the mound tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.

AP Photo