The LoHud Yankees Blog

Well, not quite home, but I’m making my way to Baltimore this morning. The Yankees are already there, and they left Canada on a high note yesterday, rallying to beat the Blue Jays 4-3 in their series finale. The Yankees pitched well this series, but the offense didn’t really show up until yesterday’s eighth inning.

Today is an off day, which will be good for Alex Rodriguez and his sore groin. The notebook also has items on Jorge Posada, Marcus Thames, Joe Girardi’s ejection and Tony Pena’s bizarre pitching change.

Javier Vazquez said it was hard for him to learn much from watching Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett face the Blue Jays the past two days. Pettitte is a lefty, Burnett is a power pitcher and Vazquez was going to have to find his own way to handle this explosive Toronto lineup.

It was a good night to have his best changeup of the season.

“They always take a big swing, hit a lot of homers,” Francisco Cervelli said. “We just tried to change the rhythm a little bit and offspeed I think is the best way… I think the last four starts he has really shown who’s Javy Vazquez.”

After that awful start to the season, Vazquez is now 5-5, an even .500 for the season. He would be 6-4 had the Yankees scored some runs for him during that doubleheader start in Detroit.

“It was a tough first month for him, but I give him a lot of credit,” Joe Girardi said. “He kept fighting, and he did what we wanted him to do. He missed a start when he didn’t want to miss a start. Got a big strikeout out of the bullpen for us. He did what we asked him to do, and for that I really applaud him. He never stopped trying, and he never got so down that he didn’t do his work and go about his business.”

Vazquez has allowed two runs or less in four of his past five starts. He’s pitched through the seventh inning in two straight.

“I’ve been feeling like that the last couple of starts,” he said. “I’ve been feeling a lot better with my command and what my pitchers are doing. I felt good that I could do it against an offense like the Blue Jays, of course.”

Here’s Vazquez speaking after the game.

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And here’s Girardi.

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• Vazquez said he was never thinking about a no-hitter. The one hit he allowed was the Vernon Wells home run, on a slider that was supposed to be off the plate. “It was just the wrong location,” Vazquez said. “For me it was the right pitch, but I just didn’t locate it where I wanted it. We wanted it for a ball away and it stayed over the plate.”

• Mark Teixeira was not surprised when the Blue Jays elected to walk him to face Alex Rodriguez in the eighth. “It’s all about the situation,” Teixeira said. “You’ve got a guy that throws the ball down. You want a ground ball there, a hard ground ball, and every single time that’s the right call. That’s just baseball. That’s basic.”

• Likewise, Robinson Cano was not surprised when the Blue Jays decided not to walk him later in the inning. “It was two outs,” he said. “I said, I’m going to go up there and keep the same mind and just get a good pitch to hit.”

• The Yankees saw Brett Cecil, Ricky Romera and Brandon Morrow this series. All three young starters pitched very, very well. “When guys make pitches, most people are going to struggle,” Derek Jeter said. “(Morrow) was throwing 97. Ball moving all over the plate. He was throwing a hard breaking ball. No disrespect to anybody else, but he was throwing the ball so well, I would have probably rather faced anybody.”

• What is it about Francisco Cervelli that leads to all these hit by pitches? “Another hit by pitch in my career,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of tattoos on my back and my arm. It’s part of the game. We scored runs after that, so I’ll take it.”

• Cano’s second-inning double snapped an 0-for-12 streak. Twelve at-bats is nothing, but when your as hot as Cano, it seems like an eternity.

• Mariano Rivera has allowed one hit in his past five appearances.

• Girardi was ejected for the second time this season, his first ejection since May 9 in Boston. It was his 10th ejection as a manager, eighth ejection as Yankees manager and 13th ejection of his career.

• Someone asked Girardi why his team seems to win when he gets tossed. “Sometimes I think I should get thrown out in the first,” he said.

Associated Press photos of Vazquez, Jeter and Teixeira, and Cervelli at the HBP.

After Joe Girardi was ejected in the top of the eighth — more on that in a bit — the Yankees top decision maker became bench coach Tony Pena. And when it came time to make a pitching change with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Pena called to the bullpen and asked for Mariano Rivera.

“We discussed it in the dugout,” Pena said. “But when I walked out of the dugout I just changed my mind and said I’m going to use Marte, so I asked for Marte.”

Pena said it was “my gut, my instinct” that caused him to change his mind. The bullpen, of course, didn’t know about this sudden change of plans and sent Rivera to the mound. When Rivera got there, Pena talked to the umpires and sent Rivera back.

“I don’t know what happened. I know I was ready,” Rivera said. “I think it worked out. You guys had your laugh, and we won the game.”

From his place in the clubhouse, Girardi was as confused as anyone — “Whatever it is, it worked,” he said — but Girardi was not confused when he went to the plate to argue after Nick Swisher’s strikeout. He said he knew he was going to be thrown out as soon as he left the dugout. He didn’t even bring his cap with him. There had been a lot of borderline strikes, and Girardi believed Swisher had checked his swing. Home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman said he went around.

“I threw my hat when he called it, and I didn’t go back to get it,” Girardi said. “Sure I can (argue and not get ejected), but did you think I was going to when I went out?”

Associated Press photo of the vein in Girardi’s neck. Also in the photo, Girardi and Dreckman.

After the eighth inning, Alex Rodriguez went into the manager’s office to tell Joe Girardi that his groin was sore. It had been bothering him a little bit before the game and got a little worse the game went on. Not wanting to take any chances, Girardi pulled Rodriguez from the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Rodriguez was watching with Girardi when new third baseman Ramiro Pena started the ninth with a ranging, jumping play for the first out.

“We were joking about it,” Rodriguez said “There would have gone my groin, right there.”

But Rodriguez is not worried about any long-term problems, speculating that 14 innings on turf yesterday followed by an early game today simply left him a little sore.

“It’s fine now,” he said. “I’ll be ready to go on Tuesday.”

Rodriguez was on deck in the top of the ninth, and Girardi planned to let him hit, then pinch run for him if he got on base. Rodriguez said the groin was not bothered by, nor did it impact, his base-running decision in the second inning.

Associated Press photo of Rodriguez after he was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double in the second inning.

Javier Vazquez flirted with a no-hitter and had to settle for a win this afternoon in Toronto. The only hit Vazquez allowed was a two-run home run that put the Blue Jays in front before the Yankees could rally for a 4-3 win to avoid a sweep. Derek Jeter drove in the first Yankees run, a wild pitch tied it and Robinson Cano’s huge two-run double made all the difference. Mariano Rivera, of course, pitched a perfect ninth for the save.

Associated Press photo of Vazquez.

YANKEES (34-22)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner LF

RHP Javier Vazquez (4-5, 6.06)
Career vs. Blue Jays

BLUE JAYS (33-24)
Fred Lewis LF
Aaron Hill 2B
Adam Lind DH
Vernon Wells CF
Jose Bautista 3B
Alex Gonzalez SS
Lyle Overbay 1B
Jeremy Reed RF
Jose Molina C

RHP Brandon Morrow (4-4, 6.00)
Career vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 1:07 p.m. / YES Network and TBS

UMPIRES: HP Bruce Dreckman, 1B Paul Emmel, 2B Bill Hohn, 3B Gary Darling

WEATHER: It’s a little bit rainy outside — and kind of chilly — so the roof is closed again. This place is a lot better with the roof open.

STADIUM SLUGFEST: I was a little surprised at just how many Yankees were talking about last night’s Stadium Slugfest at Yankee Stadium. Miguel Cotta beat Yuri Foreman with a ninth-round TKO, and a lot of players watched at least part of it. CC Sabathia and Dave Robertson talked about it for quite a while.

“I just really wanted to see what it looked like,” Girardi said. “I actually would have liked to have seen the setup in person. When we play, everything is all lit up and you can see everything. The sense that I got was that everything was out in the right field area, but I didn’t have a total perception of what it was like.”

On the right is an AP shot of the setup.

A LITTLE EXTRA: Yesterday’s game was only the Yankees second extra-inning game of the season and it snapped a streak of five consecutive extra-inning wins dating back to last season. According to ESPN, the last time the Yankees lost a game of 14 innings or more was July 11, 1993 in Anaheim.

THE POWER OF THREE: One other note about last night’s game, it was only the Yankees second loss in which they allowed three runs or fewer this season. They are 30-2 in those games.

UPDATE, 1:26 p.m.: Well that didn’t work out. An infield single got away from the shortstop and third baseman, and Alex Rodriguez realized too late that he had an opportunity to get to second. By the time he made the turn and decided to go for it, the Blue Jays had time to make the play.

UPDATE, 1:56 p.m.: That pitch to Swisher looked inside, and Swish was not pleased by the strike three call. He and Jeter both struck out to strand Gardner — who tripled — at third.

UPDATE, 2:06 p.m.: Very nice pitch to strikeout Adam Lind here in the third. Vazquez walked the lead-off hitter — Jose Molina or all people — but got a strikeout, a near double play and another strikeout to strand the runner. We’re through three scoreless. Vazquez and Morrow both look awfully good.

UPDATE, 2:25 p.m.: Foul popup, strikeout, strikeout. Vazquez just breezed through the most dangerous part of the Blue Jays lineup. Still scoreless heading into the fifth.

UPDATE, 2:36 p.m.: The changeup has been a huge pitch for Vazquez. He’s through five innings scoreless. The Yankees just need some runs at this point.

UPDATE, 2:45 p.m.: Obviously the home runs stand out about this Blue Jays team, but this rotation is pretty good. Brett Cecil and Ricky Romero looked great the past two days, Brandon Morrow looks outstanding today — especially his slider — and the Yankees haven’t even seen Shaun Marcum.

UPDATE, 2:53 p.m.: One of the other writers up here called it. Home run by Vernon Wells breaks up the no-hitter and gives the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

UPDATE, 2:58 p.m.: Teixeira has hit two balls pretty well today but has an 0-for-3 to show for it. Nice play by Alex Gonzalez to get Teixeira out leading off the seventh.

UPDATE, 3:10 p.m.: Six trips to the plate with a runner in scoring position, the Yankees have to so much as put the ball in play. Five strikeouts and a walk. Needless to say, the Blue Jays still lead 2-0.

UPDATE, 3:18 p.m.: Cervelli really seems to get drilled a lot. He was just smoked by a fastball to the shoulder, and that’s Morrow’s last pitch of the game. He came off the field to a much deserved ovation. Here’s Scott Downs out of the bullpen with a 2-0 lead, no outs and a runner at first.

UPDATE, 3:22 p.m.: Now Gardner gets hit. Sudden command issues have given the Yankees a chance here in the eighth.

UPDATE, 3:25 p.m.: Jeter comes through with an RBI double to right. Cervelli scored and Gardner moved to third. Time for the heart of this order to make up for yesterday. It’s 2-1 Toronto.

UPDATE, 3:31 p.m.: Someone getting thrown out of this game was just a matter of time. Girardi gets run for arguing after Swisher struck out looking.

UPDATE, 3:32 p.m.: Apparently Girardi isn’t the only person who believes Teixeira is still a threat. The Blue Jays just walked Tex to setup the double play and face Rodriguez with the bases loaded. History has shown that to be a terrible, terrible idea.

UPDATE, 3:33 p.m.: Wild pitch has tied the game at 2. Rodriguez told Gardner to stay at third, but I’m guessing A-Rod forgot who was on base.

UPDATE, 3:36 p.m.: Big two-run, two-out base hit from Cano puts the Yankees in front 4-2.

UPDATE, 3:45 p.m.: Cervelli leaves the bases loaded, but the Yankees have taken a 4-2 lead and are turning the game over to Joba Chamberlain in the eighth.

UPDATE, 3:52 p.m.: I have no idea what happened. Rivera came in, then the umpires talked, then Marte came in. Either Tony Pena signaled for the wrong pitcher or the Yankees sent the wrong pitcher from the bullpen.

UPDATE, 4:05 p.m.: Marte got the last out in the eighth, now here comes Rivera to close it out in the ninth. It’s a 4-3 lead.

UPDATE, 4:08 p.m.: Interesting. Ramiro Pena is in to play third.

UPDATE, 4:09 p.m.: I’ve said it before, it’s a lot of fun watching Pena play the field. Not the easiest hop in the world, and Pena turned it into the first out of the inning.

There were very few Internet problems the past two days, but today the connection at the Rogers Centre is awful. I’ll make these notes quick and hope everything works out for a regular game post.

Joe Girardi was true to his word. He said yesterday that he had no plans of dropping Mark Teixeira in the lineup, and sure enough, today’s lineup is pretty much the same A-lineup we’ve seen since the Nick Johnson injury.

“I think sometimes when you see players of Tex’s caliber, you think it’s easy,” Girardi said. “It’s not easy. It’s tough, and you go through physical battles. You go through mental battles. There’s a lot of things you have to fight through. When a guy like Tex is where he’s at right now, we’re all a little bit surprised because we haven’t seen it, but it happens.”

There’s a significant track record at play here, and it’s hard to judge two months of a player who just last season was an MVP candidate.

“If he responds great, that’s great,” Girardi said. “If he has another tough day, it’s not the end of the world. We just move on, and he’ll get hot… I think if someone said Tex would be hitting around .215 in June, you would probably say, I don’t believe that.”

• Good news on Jorge Posada. “It could be possible in Baltimore that he starts his catching drills,” Girardi said. “We’ll meet with the doctors when we get there.”

• The lineup was late because Girardi wanted to talk to each one of his starters to make sure they were OK to play today. Everyone was fine, so they’re all playing.

• Francisco Cervelli catching again after 14 innings yesterday? Girardi just laughed. “Cervi? No. He’s a kid.”

• Girardi said he will check with all of his relievers to make sure they felt OK, but there was no one he definitively ruled out for today’s game. Sounds like Chan Ho Park is the least likely to pitch.

• More from Girardi on why he didn’t use Mariano Rivera yesterday: “We have a 40-year-old closer. I don’t have a 22-year-old closer. I have a 40-year-old closer that has logged a lot of innings. He’s been down for 10 days already. Closers are used for when you’re winning games or are tied at home. That’s how you do it. If Mo extends the game, then someone else is going to have to close. If that guy gives up a run, then you say, why didn’t you wait to use Mo as the closer?”

• Marcus Thames said his sore neck feels better, but he’s still getting treatment and said he’s not sure he could hit today. “It sucked yesterday,” he said. “I had like 20 people here to watch me play and I couldn’t play.”

Associated Press photo of Teixeira

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner LF

No clue why we’re still waiting for a lineup, but the clubhouse has been open for more than an hour now and there’s still nothing posted. The second bus of players just arrived. For now, it’s just a bunch of small talk and a few players going through pregame routines.

Fifty-five games into the season, Mark Teixeira is hitting .215 with 34 RBI. He had three hits in the previous two games, but seemed to hit a new sort of low with five strikeouts tonight.

“I had a bad day,” he said. “The last couple of days felt really good. I just didn’t see the ball today.”

Hardly any of the Yankees seemed to see the ball today. The heart of the order — Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano — went 1-for-18 with seven strikeouts. They played 14 innings and scored only on Derek Jeter’s two-run homer in the fifth. Aside from Jeter (2-for-6), Nick Swisher (double and two walks) and Brett Gardner (reached base four times) it’s hard to say any of the Yankees had a good day at the plate, but the numbers are worst for Teixeira.

“He’s our 3 hitter,” Girardi said. “We haven’t talked about changing anything. And when he was on fire in the month of May, no one was saying anything. He’ll get hot again.”

Why the faith in Teixeira? “His track record and I have seen some good things,” Girardi said.

How much longer would the struggles have to continue to lose faith? “We have to go a lot longer than this,” Girardi said.

Here’s Teixeira talking after the game.

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And here’s Girardi.

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• Because this was a road game, Girardi said he never considered using Mariano Rivera with the game tied. “It’s not something we like to do,” he said. “If you’re going to go two innings with him, it’s something you might do, but I wasn’t going to use Mo for two innings today.” To win the game, the Yankees were going to have to use someone other than Rivera anyway.

• Andy Pettitte said he had some trouble keeping his ball down in the early innings. “I had a big wind in my face and the first couple innings,” he said. “Some of my four-seamers were running like two-seamers, and that never ever happens to me. Me and Cervi were trying to figure out what we needed to do out there, and I settled into a pretty good rhythm for sure.”

• The home run by Vernon Wells was up and away, not a bad pitch Pettitte said. The home run to Alex Gonzalez was the one that bothered Pettitte. “It was actually exactly where I wanted to go with it,” Pettitte said. “But anytime you’ve got a one-run game and you’re leading and you get hurt on a ball inside, that’s not what you want to do. I felt like I was staying away an awful lot through the middle innings. I felt like I had to run some balls in, but he was one up on me on that.”

• Great night for the bullpen, with Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte, Dave Robertson and Chan Ho Park getting the Yankees into the 14th. That’s when Chad Gaudin walked the lead-off man and hung a slider. “You’ve got guys battling out there for 14 innings,” Gaudin said. “To let the team down like that, it hurts.”

• It was a cutter that Derek Jeter lined to second base in the seventh inning. There were runners at second and third with one out, and Jeter did exactly what he was supposed to do — hit a ball hard up the middle — but he lined into a bad-luck double play. “I would like to direct it somewhere else,” Jeter said. “But unfortunately you can’t do that.”

• Like Girardi said a few times after the game, you can’t blame the pitching for this one. Obviously Guadin took the loss, but this game was on the offense. “They’ve done a pretty good job, moving fastball in and out, throwing offspeed pitches, keeping us off balance,” Jeter said. “It’s not like they were pitching us all one particular way. They pitched better than us.”

• A friendly reminder: Online voting is underway for the Triple-A all-star game. Follow the link to vote.

Associated Press photos of Teixeira and of Pettitte during a meeting on the mound.