September call-ups

Chad Jennings brings us the list of the Yankees' September call-ups. They are:

• Francisco Cervelli
• Ramiro Pena
• Mark Melancon
• Edwar Ramirez
• Mike Dunn (pictured)
  

The new name here is Dunn, a 24-year-old left-handed reliever, who has appeared in 73 1/3 innings between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In 20 innings with the latter club, he struck out 23 and walked 14, allowing five earned runs.

Marte’s back; Jim Rice is a fool

First, Damaso Marte is finally back up with the big club.  He had been on the 60-day disabled list with left shoulder tendinitis since April 26.  Ramiro Pena was sent down, as the Yankees have decided to carry 13 pitchers.  Remember, the rosters expand to 40 on Sept. 1.

However, this isn’t the biggest news of the day.  One of the newest Hall of Famers, Jim Rice, is none too pleased with today’s major leaguers, calling some of the big names self-absorbed.

It was fine when he cited Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez as examples.  I dislike both and agree with him there.  But then he put Derek Jeter in that category.  I honestly have no idea how he gets off lumping Jeter with Ramirez and Rodriguez.

"You see a Manny Ramirez, you see an A-Rod [Alex Rodriguez], you see [Derek] Jeter ... Guys that I played against and with, these guys you're talking about cannot compare," Rice said to Little Leaguers gathered in the cafeteria.

Have at it, Yankees fans (even A-Rod die-hards).

Extra! Extra!

The Yankees recorded eight, count ‘em, eight extra base hits in tonight’s 8-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.  Amazingly enough, only one of those hits went for four bases and five of these came in their five-run second inning, including two triples.

Down 1-0 after the first, Melky Cabrera led off the second with a double.  Brett Gardner followed with his first career home run that just cleared the right field wall by the foul pole.  Ramiro Pena then hit a triple and scored on Johnny Damon’s triple.  After a ground out, Mark Teixeira doubled home the Yankees’ fourth run.  Robinson Cano added an RBI single for good measure.

This was all against Scott Richmond, a pitcher the Yankees have never before faced (which usually isn’t a good thing for the Yankees).  He only retired five batters, allowing five earned runs on seven hits.

Gardner hit an RBI triple in the fifth inning to give the Yankees three triples on the night.  The RBI gave him three.  Teixeira raised his batting average .011 points with his 2-for-4 night, driving in two runs.

Andy Pettitte pitched six innings, allowing only one earned run.  He walked four and struck out only two, but buckled down with runners on base.  Three of the four walks were in the first inning as well.

The Yankees are now 16-17 and will look to take the series tomorrow night with CC Sabathia on the mound.

Teacher defeats student

Roy Halladay was fantastic; A.J. Burnett, not so much.

The Yankees lineup with players like Brett Gardner, Kevin Cash and Ramiro Pena was no match for Halladay, as he retired 17 batters in a row at one point, throwing a low amount of pitches in the process.

For the first three innings, Burnett matched him.  Then the fourth inning happened.  Two doubles, two walks and a sacrifice fly scored three runs for the Jays, and that was all Halladay needed in the team’s 5-1 victory.

Burnett finished the evening pitching 7 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits.  He walked four and struck out three.

The Yankees were able to score their only run in the seventh on Alex Rodriguez’s two-out single with Johnny Damon on second.  Damon actually had two hits against Halladay.  He singled in the first inning but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

Scott Rolen was 3-for-4 with three RBI tonight.  Before tonight’s game, he was 0-for-18 against Burnett.

The Yankees are now 15-17, and will try to rebound with Andy Pettitte on the mound tomorrow night.

Yankees win battle of comebacks

The Yankees scored six runs in the final two innings to come back from a 9-4 deficit.  Jorge Posada came through with the big hit with no outs and the bases loaded in the ninth.  The Yankees are now 13-10 and are carrying a four-game winning streak.

The Yankees scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, after Hideki Matsui hit a sacrifice fly, Robinson Cano hit a single and Jorge Posada hit a two-run home run.

Andy Pettitte held that lead until the top of the sixth when he fell apart.  With two outs, the Angels scored six runs (five charged to Pettitte) to take a 6-4 lead.  They would score three more in the seventh against Jose Veras and Edwar Ramirez.  Gary Matthews Jr. had four RBI in the two innings, including a three-run triple.

However, the Yankees put together a rally themselves in the bottom of the eighth.  Melky Cabrera had an RBI single and Ramiro Pena followed with a two-run single.  Derek Jeter then hit an RBI groundout to cut the Angels’ lead to 9-8.

They were then able to fully come back against Angels’ closer Brian Fuentes.  Mark Teixeira led off with a walk.  Hideki Matsui and Cano’s consecutive singles loaded the bases with no outs for Posada.  He then laced a single to left-center to drive in Teixeira and pinch-runner Angel Berroa to end the game in walk-off fashion.

CC Sabathia will look to keep the line moving tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 p.m.  Matt Palmer will oppose him.

Welcome back, Abreu, and thanks!

Bobby Abreu’s trap in right field on Robinson Cano’s line drive in the eighth inning started the eventual game-winning rally.

In Abreu’s return to Yankee Stadium, Abreu decided to be, well, Bobby Abreu.  After Cano’s single, which extended his hitting streak to 17 games, Jorge Posada hit a ground-rule double.  Nick Swisher was then intentionally walked.

Melky Cabrera (RBI single) and Ramiro Pena (two-run double) came through with the big hits to break the 4-4 tie.  The Yankees won 7-4 to extend their winning streak to three games.

A.J. Burnett pitched seven innings, giving up four earned runs and eight hits.  Phil Coke pitched a scoreless eighth and was credited with the win.  Mariano Rivera recorded his fifth save of the year with a scoreless ninth.

Every Yankee starter had at least one hit, while Derek Jeter, Cabrera and Pena had two apiece.  Pena’s two RBI were the first of his career.

The Yankees finish April at 12-10, the first time they had a winning April since 2006.

Andy Pettitte and Jered Weaver start for their respective teams tomorrow night at 7:05 p.m.

Offense explodes in victory

The Yankees finally got the money off their back, recording their first victory of the season and avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles.

After falling behind 1-0 in the third, the Yankees showed some power in the top of the fourth.  Mark Teixeira hit a first-pitch ball over the center field wall for his first home run as a Yankee.  After Robinson Cano drew a two-out walk, Nick Swisher, starting in his first game as a Yankee, homered just out of the reach of Nick Markakis to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead.

Starter A.J. Burnett surrendered a solo shot to Luke Scott in the bottom half of the frame, but that was all the Orioles would score.  The Yankees right-hander threw 98 pitches in 5 1/3 innings – many of them coming in the third inning.  With the bases loaded in the frame, Burnett got Aubrey Huff to strike out swinging to end the threat.  He pumped his fist and ran off the field.

Overall, he gave up two earned runs and seven hits while striking out six and walking one.

Swisher would help the Yankees extend their lead in the sixth with an RBI single.  He finished the day going 3-for-5 with five RBI after hitting a two-run double in the top of the ninth.  A big error by Orioles’ reliever Brian Bass led to two more runs, and Jose Molina had a bloop RBI single in four-run sixth inning.

Cano added a two-run shot in the seventh inning to give the Yankees a seven-run lead.  He went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a walk.  He is now 6-for-11 with one home run, two RBI and three walks on the young season.

Prior to Swisher’s ninth-inning double, Ramiro Pena record his first major league hit in his first at-bat.

Relievers Phil Coke, Jose Veras, Brian Bruney and Mariano Rivera each had scoreless and hitless outings.

The Yankees travel to Kansas City to begin a three-game series.  Andy Pettitte will face old friend Sidney Ponson tomorrow at 4:10 p.m.

AP Photo

Pena added to 40-man roster

Peter Abraham reported on the Yankees' roster moves following this afternoon's exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs.

The team added Ramiro Pena to the 40-man roster, sent Angel Berroa to the minor-league camp and designated Dan Giese for assignment.

Pena has opened up some eyes this spring, so it'll be nice to have him around until Alex Rodriguez comes off of the disabled list.