The LoHud Yankees Blog

I’ve written before that the only thing I remember about the first game I covered at old Yankee Stadium is that Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth. Whoever was sitting next to me in the press box — I actually think it was Pete — leaned over and said, “Watch this.” That’s when the gate opened and the music started playing. The man is amazing to watch, and last night was no different.

Not a save situation
Rivera hadn’t pitched since Sunday, and so Joe Girardi felt comfortable asking him to pitch two innings for the first time this season. He went into the game in the ninth inning and sent the side down in order on 18 pitches. Every one of them was a cutter. Only four of them were balls.

“People talk about his cutter, and his cutter is unbelievable,” Javier Vazquez said. “But his location is better than his cutter, I think. If he didn’t have that location I don’t think his cutter would be that successful. For me, the best guy I’ve ever seen locate pitches is him. He goes up and down, low and away. It’s unbelievable what he does.”

His fourth at-bat
Girardi never had any intention of pinch hitting for Rivera, and this time, the game’s greatest closer had the green light. “We had signs, what I wanted him to do,” Girardi said. “You’ve got a runner at third so go ahead and try to get a base hit.”

Rivera did try. In the fourth at-bat of his career he fouled off a pitch before grounding to first. “They didn’t tell me not to swing,” Rivera said. “I saw the ball real good. Not good reaction, but I saw it real good.”

Early trouble in the 10th
Rivera said he missed with only one of his pitches, the double to Justin Upton. Stephen Drew hit a good pitch for a single and an intentional walk loaded the bases.

“I was hoping, no more than one (run),” Alex Rodriguez said. “You think that they’re going to at least score one there, and then you hope that you’re able to score in the top of the 11th… Once he gets one out then you’re like, well, now a double play gets us out of it. I thought the biggest out was the first one.”

Memories of 2001
The setting was significant. Phoenix is the site of Rivera’s most famous collapse, and as luck would have it, Luis Gonzalez was in the crowd because the Diamondbacks announced during a pregame ceremony that his number was being retired. Rivera, of course, said it never crossed his mind.

“I started thinking about that,” Girardi said. “They showed Louie Gonzalez on the screen, and I’m well aware of what he looks like playing against him so much, so there were some thoughts in my head.”

Like that, poof, he’s gone
First a foul popup behind the plate, then an easy popup to third. Mark Reynolds strikes out a lot, and Rivera strikes out a lot of batters. It was over in an instant, and Francisco Cervelli was pumping his first like only Cervelli can.

“You know that he has the ability to strike people out, and you know that he can get the job done,” Girardi said. “He’s done it so many times in his career. Obviously we got in a tough situation there, but Mo was unbelievable.”

Here’s Rivera, understated as ever, talking about his night.

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For eight innings Wednesday night, the Yankees played an awful game of baseball. It was hard to watch, and it sounds like it was frustrating to play, but in the end, the Yankees had the best closer in baseball and that seemed to make the difference.

“Him and Pettitte, guys like that, I don’t think there’s (another) human on the planet that could get out of that jam like Mo,” Alex Rodriguez said.

With the bases loaded and no outs in the 10th — and with the big screen in Phoenix showing images of 2001 World Series hero Luis Gonzalez — Rivera induced two popups before striking out Mark Reynolds to end it. Rivera had also pitched the ninth, and he went to the plate in the top of the 10th for only the fourth at-bat of his career.

“You have to show your character, be confident and make your pitches,” he said.

After a series of missed opportunities, Rodriguez tied the game with a sac fly in the ninth and Curtis Granderson gave the Yankees the lead a lead-off home run in the 10th. In the end, though, the night belonged to Rivera.

“Only he can get out of that,” Javier Vazquez said. “Believe it. We were talking about it. He’s like Iceman out there. It really is unbelievable. We have so much confidence in him.”

• Joe Girardi was unwilling to use Rivera in a tied game on the road earlier this season. The difference this time was that he was willing to let his closer pitch two innings for the first time all season. “Knowing that he hasn’t pitched in a few days and knowing that we have a day off tomorrow,” Girardi said. “We hadn’t used him in a few days, so I figured I’d try to get two innings out of him if I had to.”

• In the top of the 10th, Girardi had Ramiro Pena loosening like a pinch hitter and had Boone Logan getting warm in the bullpen, but both were decoys. There was never a thought of not leaving Rivera in for the 10th.

• That was Granderson’s second 10th-inning home run of the year. I’m sure you remember the first against Boston. “I’d rather finish up in the ninth inning if I can,” Granderson said.

• Granderson and Brett Gardner were the only Yankees with more than one hit. Granderson had three.

• Terrible base-running by the Yankees. Nick Swisher was picked off, Rodriguez was doubled off and Mark Teixeira was caught stealing third on what looked like a hit-and-run in the first inning. “Let’s just say there were some missed signs and leave it at that,” Girardi said.

• Girardi called the Yankees “fortunate” to win. Someone asked if a game like this left any time to address the early inning struggles — before Rodriguez’s sac fly, the Yankees had 19 base runners and had scored only four of them — “Those were addressed,” Girardi said. “They were addressed early too.”

• The Yankees also botched a play in the bottom of the first when they should have gotten two outs, settled for one, and the Diamondbacks took advantage for two runs. “We gave them two outs,” Girardi said. “And they tried to give us two outs.”

• It wasn’t all bad news: Joba Chamberlain was back in the upper-90s a few times, Dave Robertson threw a scoreless inning and Colin Curtis’s second major league hit drove in the tying run in the sixth.

• Teixeira has hit safely in 13 of his past 15 games, batting .304 in that stretch.

• Rivera had retired 24 consecutive hitters before allowing a single to Stephen Drew in the 10th. That’s a career-best streak for Mo.

Associated Press photos of Granderson after the home run and Rodriguez being doubled off at first.

YANKEES (44-27)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Francisco Cervelli C
Curtis Granderson CF
Brett Gardner LF
Javier Vazquez RHP

RHP Javier Vazquez (6-6, 5.01)
Vazquez vs.Diamondbacks

DIAMONDBACKS (28-44)
Kelly Johnson 2B
Stephen Drew SS
Justin Upton RF
Miguel Montero C
Chris Young CF
Adam LaRoche 1B
Mark Reynolds 3B
Gerardo Parra LF
Dontrelle Willis LHP

LHP Dontrelle Willis (1-0, 4.20)
Willis vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 9:40 p.m. / YES Network

UMPIRES: HP James Hoye, 1B Laz Diaz, 2B John Hirschbeck, 3B Wally Bell

WEATHER: I was worried when I was driving to the park and took that picture on the right. The roof was open and the stadium was pretty hot when I walked in, but the roof has since been closed and the temperature is basically the same as it’s been the previous two games. Upper 70s.

NINE HITS: Yankees starter Javier Vazquez doesn’t have a ton of experience against these Diamondbacks, but he’s faced every hitter in tonight’s Arizona lineup at least three times. All told, the D-Backs at 9-for-56 against him, good for a .161/.217/.250 slash line.

BRIGHT FUTURE: With Austin Romine and Hector Noesi already selected for the Futures Game, Double-A Trenton manager Tony Franklin will also participate as a coach. The Yankees have had two players participate in both the Futures Game and the MLB All-Star Game while members of the Yankees organization: Second basemen Robinson Cano and Alfonso Soriano.

PREGAME COMEDY: Completely forgot to mention this in the pregame notes… In the clubhouse before the game, Nick Swisher couldn’t get over today’s Wimbledon epic that lasted 10 hours and still isn’t over. At one point, he asked no one in particular what the baseball equivalent would be. It was the Times’ Ben Shpigel who had everyone laughing. “One game against the Red Sox,” he said.

UPDATE, 9:55 p.m.: Five batters into the game, the Diamondbacks bullpen is already busy. The Yankees are up 1-0 and Willis can’t throw strikes.

UPDATE, 9:56 p.m.: The Yankees tried to turn this into a huge inning, going hit-and-run with Cano at the plate, but Cano struck out and Teixeira was thrown out to let Willis off the hook.

UPDATE, 10:04 p.m.: The Diamondbacks returned the favor by running themselves into an out in the bottom of the first, but it really felt like the Yankees should have gotten more than one out of that play. Now the bases are loaded with one out and Chris Young at the plate.

UPDATE, 10:15 p.m.: The Yankees let the Diamondbacks off the hook in the top of the first inning, then let them take the lead in the bottom half. It’s 2-1 on Adam LaRoche’s two-out, two-run single.

UPDATE, 10:40 p.m.: Willis is trying to let the Yankees win this thing. He’s now walked the bases loaded for Alex Rodriguez.

UPDATE, 10:44 p.m.: Willis walks in a run and A.J. Hinch has seen enough. Here’s reliever Blaine Boyer with the bases loaded, one out and a 2-2 tie in the third inning.

UPDATE, 10:48 p.m.: Hard to pick a better hitter to have at the plate in that situation, but Robinson Cano just grounded into an inning-ending double play. That’s twice the Yankees have turned a potentially huge inning into a one-run inning. It’s 2-2.

UPDATE, 10:49 p.m.: Willis threw 66 pitches, only 27 for a strike. He walked seven, yet the Yankees got only two runs.

UPDATE, 11:12 p.m.: Not going well for Vazquez. He’s having some command issues of his own and the D-Backs are back in front, 4-2.

UPDATE, 11:30 p.m.: Robinson Can just flung his helmet in disgust. Great diving catch in left field, Alex Rodriguez doubled off at first, and the Yankees have so far ran themselves out of this game.

UPDATE, 11:45 p.m.: Chance to do something big here. Two on, no outs in the sixth. Gardner at the plate, Curtis on deck to pinch hit for Vazquez.

UPDATE, 11:46 p.m.: That’s a base hit for Curtis, tying the game at 4. Gardner drove in a run with a ground out, and this time Curtis played it cool on his second big league hit. Just a little hand clap when he got to first.

UPDATE, 11:50 p.m.: GIDP by Jeter. The Yankees are officially unable to take full advantage of their opportunities tonight.

UPDATE, 12:03 a.m.: A balk and wild pitch basically handed the Diamondbacks the lead. What a horribly played game by the Yankees. It’s 5-4.

UPDATE, 1:10 a.m.: As you can probably imagine, I’ve been writing and rewriting this game story several times tonight. I’ve thought several times that the Yankees were going to at least tie it, and they’ve finally done it in the ninth. A sac fly by Alex Rodriguez has pulled the Yankees into a 5-5 tie. There are two on with two outs and Cervelli at the plate.

UPDATE, 1:12 a.m.: Cervelli is the Yankees last catcher, and when he began arguing that strikeout, Tony Pena was on the top step of the dugout frantically waving for him to get away from the umpire. By the way, Rivera is in.

UPDATE, 1:13 a.m.: Rivera is batting second. Huffman is in right field batting ninth.

UPDATE, 1:25 a.m.: Granderson! Solo home run to lead off the 10th inning has the Yankees in the lead 6-5.

UPDATE, 1:36 a.m.: Rivera at the plate. And he made contact twice! Foul ball and a ground out. He’ll try to close out his own win.

UPDATE, 1:50 a.m.: An ugly game ends with brilliance from Mariano Rivera. Bases loaded with no outs, and Rivera gets out of it with two popups and a strikeout. Unreal. Yankees win 6-5.

Have to give Alex Rodriguez credit: He didn’t try to come up with some sort of phony answer about his relationship with Joe Torre.

With the Yankees going to Los Angeles this weekend, every New York reporter here in Phoenix will be writing a Torre story for Thursday’s off day. Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada each used the phrase “father figure” to describe Torre, and Joe Girardi called him a mentor, but there’s no reason to pretend Rodriguez had the same sort of relationship with the former Yankees manager.

No one asked Rodriguez a negative question about Torre, but when he was asked the standard stuff about what it will be like to see Torre in a Dodgers uniform, Rodriguez elected not to give the cliche answers. He talking glowingly about Don Mattingly and Larry Bowa, but shutdown questions about Torre.

“No more of those questions,” Rodriguez said. “Any more questions about anything else. I’m not going to get into that.”

• Marcus Thames is with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, but he’s only there to take batting practice. He’s not ready to start a rehab assignment. “He went there to do his work there,” Girardi said. “He’s taking BP. I don’t have a day when he’ll play in a game.”

• No word on when Alfredo Aceves will be getting in a game either, but Aceves is in Tampa and reports are good. “His rehab is going fine,” Girardi said. “I know he played long, long toss yesterday and everything was good. I have not gotten the report on what he’s done today but everything has been good. He’s definitely lasted down there longer than the last time.” (Last time Aceves was in Tampa, he threw once and had to be shutdown)

• The plan all along was for Jorge Posada to play only two games this series, and Girardi said Posada will almost certainly play only two out of three in Los Angeles as well. “I didn’t even check with him,” Girardi said. “I knew I was going to play him two out of three. I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to do it, but when he felt good after Monday’s game I said I was going to play him Tuesday to see if we could go two in a row.”

• By the way, it might be a while before Posada catches three in a row. “I just remember the last time I played him three days in a row he came up with the calf that bothered him and that sticks in my mind,” Girardi said.

• After Dan Haren had the only Diamondbacks RBI last night, Girardi started his pregame media session by saying Dontrelle Willis is a pitcher who can really hit well. “I hope I’m wrong today,” he said.

• Interesting line from Brett Gardner. When he was caught stealing last night, Gardner said it was partially because the fielder blocked second base. There’s little risk in doing that because Gardner always slides head first when he steals. Gardner said he might have to mix that up from time to time, if only to give middle infielders something to think about when he’s coming into the bag.

• CC Sabathia taking batting practice. It’s fun to watch.

Associated Press photo of Rodriguez.

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

Ron is close to finalizing the LoHud Yankees Blog outing to PNC Field in Scranton. Just as a reminder, here’s the latest message from Ron.

If people are still interested, I’d like to try to organize the third LoHud Yankees Blog group outing for a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees game later this summer at PNC Field, just off I-81 in Moosic, PA. I tried a few months ago but it didn’t work out and unfortunately haven’t been able to get back to it. Last year we had over 80 blog readers, family and friends attend the outing. I think everyone would agree it was a great time!

For those who are unfamiliar, PNC Field is about 60 miles from Binghamton, 100 miles from Newark, 110 miles from Philadelphia, 120 miles from NYC and 130 miles from State College.
The group outing venues this year at PNC Field are much more limited than in the past which contributed to the difficulty earlier this year.

Unfortunately, the weekend group outing spots are sold out for the season, but there are weekend, home game dates at which we can get a block of seats along with the all you can eat food plan. The good news is the cost would be only $18 to $20 per person rather than the $30 we’ve paid in the past. The all you can eat food plan includes hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, soda, water and an SWB Yankees cap and program. Adult beverages are also available at extra cost.

Group seating requires at least 20 people but is basically unlimited beyond that. The available dates are as follows:

Saturday, 7/17, 7:05, Toledo Mud Hens (Promotion Night)
Sunday, 7/18, 1:05, Toledo Mud Hens
Saturday, 7/31, 7:05 Syracuse Chiefs (Promotion Night)
Sunday, 8/1, 5:05, Syracuse Chiefs
Saturday, 8/28, 7:05, Buffalo Bisons (Promotion Night)
Sunday, 8/29, 5:05, Buffalo Bisons
Saturday, 9/4, 7:05, Pawtucket Red Sox (Promotion Night)

At this point I don’t know if Chad Jennings and/or Sam Borden would be able to attend.

I’d ask anyone interested to e-mail me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE at yankslifer@yahoo.com with the date(s) best for them and number of tickets they would want. Once I seem to have a consensus I’ll e-mail those interested before I reserve a date and direct everyone how payment can be made. The past two years I sent those attending an invoice through PayPal and that seemed to work well for everyone.

In the past, a number of people from New York, New Jersey, Maryland and even Virginia came to the outing. Later I’ll provide driving directions and links to hotels and restaurants in the area for those attending.

Thanks to Chad and Sam for posting this.

Ron

The Yankees don’t come to Phoenix very often, but this stadium has some memories.

For Derek Jeter and the other longtime Yankees, it’s the site of the 2001 World Series loss. “I think that loss, we probably remembered it more until we won last year,” Jeter said. “Then we’ve won more recently than we’ve lost. I’m not sure you can say it took the sting away, we still remember it, but it’s better to have won.”

For Colin Curtis, of course, it’s the site of his first major league hit. “It’s tough to describe the feeling that’s going through your head,” he said. “It’s just amazing.”

But the most vivid memory might belong to Joe Girardi.

“It was the last game I ever played,” Girardi said. “It was very hard for me. Very, very difficult for me to take my uniform off. I pinch hit, made an out, and I wasn’t going to stay in the game. Tino (Martinez) knew that I had 1,099 hits and that I was going to retire at the end of the year. Tino went to go talk to Tony (LaRussa). I was inside because I was emotional about it. I had to run back out, he put me in and in my last at-bat I got a hit. I didn’t really want to end on a tax form.”

Here’s the box score of Girardi’s final game. The story is right there with Girardi listed as a PH/C who went 1-for-2 with a strikeout. Girardi couldn’t remember the pitcher’s name, but the final hit of his career came off Edgar Gonzalez.

“What else, a single,” Girardi said.

Here’s Girardi talking about that last hit.

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And just in case you didn’t quite get the tax form reference, here you go.

Associated Press photo of Girardi with Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch.

Colin Curtis had played some college ball at Chase Field, so he knew just how deep that outfield was. When he swung in the eighth inning last night, he knew he got enough of the ball possibly send it over the center fielder’s head.

“I knew I hit it good and started running,” he said. “I saw it get over his head and just kind of, whew, deep breath and kind of exhale. Standing on second and seeing all the guys, kind of got a big smile across my face. Been playing your whole life and you finally get that first one. It’s a really good feeling.”

A smile? Aren’t you supposed to play it cool in a moment like that?

“I didn’t think I could,” Curtis said. “You only get one so you might as well enjoy it.”

Curtis joined Kevin Russo, Greg Golson and Chad Huffman to become the fourth Yankee to get his first big league hit this season. Perhaps more impressively, he became the seventh member of the Yankees 2006 draft class to reach the big leagues. Ian Kennedy, Joba Chamberlain, Mark Melancon, Dan McCutchen, Dave Robertson and Russo also came out of that class. So did minor leaguers Zach McAllister, George Kontos, Tim Norton and Dellin Betances, all of whom have at least a solid chance of making the big leagues.

Last night, though, the stage belonged to the fourth-rounder Curtis.

“That was awesome,” Alex Rodriguez said. “Him going to school here at Arizona State, I think everybody was really happy. And that kid can hit.”

Here’s Curtis talking about the big hit.

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Associated Press photo of Curtis with Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada.

At this rate, it would be hard to keep Andy Pettitte out of the all-star game. He’s 9-2 with a 2.48 ERA, and he should make two more starts before the rosters are announced.

“People have been mentioning it to me my last couple of starts so you think about it,” he said. “There’s no doubt, I’d love to make it. It would be great. Hopefully I’ll keep pitching well and maybe that’ll be something I’ll have the opportunity to get in.”

Question is: Can Pettitte pitch his way into starting the game? He’s not the only guy having this kind of season. With apologies to Phil Hughes, Colby Lewis, Jeff Niemann, Ricky Romero and Jon Lester, here are five other strong candidates to start for the American League.

David Price
10-3, 2.45 ERA, 73 strikeouts
Might have been the front runner if not for a few pitchers making a significant push in the past few weeks. Including…

Cliff Lee
5-3, 2.55 ERA, 67 strikeouts
It’s hard to give the start to a guy who opened the year on the disabled list, but Lee has walked only four guys this year. Four! And he’s already tied for the league lead in complete games.

Clay Buchholz
10-4, 2.47 ERA, 62 strikeouts
I know, I know. Yankees fans hate Clay Buchholz, but he’s pitched well and he’s won seven of his past eight starts.

Jered Weaver
7-3, 3.04 ERA, 107 strikeouts
The league leader in strikeouts also hasn’t walked many guys. Only 23, which is fewer than any of the Yankees starters.

Francisco Liriano
6-4, 2.98, 93 strikeouts
Check it out, Liriano is good again. He’s allowed only two home runs all year.

Associated Press photo

Andy Pettitte seemed to further secure a spot in the all-star game, Alex Rodriguez broke a 49-at-bat homerless streak and Colin Curtis made his first big league hit a good one.

It was a good night for the Yankees.

Pettitte allowed two runs through seven innings, but he’s pitched so well this season that his ERA actually went up from 2.47 to 2.48. As manager Joe Girardi said, “As long as he wasn’t facing Danny Haren he was really good.”

Rodriguez had three hits in a week since coming back from hip flexor tendonitis, but he was encouraged by a double and a drive to right-center field last night. “Sometimes you take four or five days off and it takes you a day or two to get back in sync,” Rodriguez said. “Kevin Long and I are spending long hours in the batting cage and we both feel pretty good about what’s about to happen.”

Curtis was playing in front of his mother, father, brother and several friends from Arizona State. He had played in this stadium in college, but he never had a bigger hit than that two-run double that capped a six-run eighth inning. “You always imagined, dreamed of playing in the big leagues some day,” Curtis said. “I think it’s kind of cool that the first time is right down where I played college ball.”

• The one run-scoring hit Pettitte allowed was the two-out, two-run single by Haren. It was an 0-2 fastball that Pettitte tried to waste off the plate to setup a cutter in the dirt. Instead, Haren went after it and slapped a single. “Those are daggers in the heart,” Pettitte said.

• Rodriguez and Derek Jeter were taken out of the game strictly to let them rest. No injury concerns.

• No injury concerns for Jorge Posada either after catching for a second straight night. “I even asked him in the ninth inning,” Girardi said. “He said, ‘I feel good.’”

• Haren is a groundball pitcher who thrives on a sinker and a splitfinger. The Yankees did not ground out a single time against him, and only grounded out twice in the game. “He has a good sinker and he has a split, and I thought our guys just missed some balls too,” Girardi said. “We didn’t ground out a lot, that’s for sure. Lefties a lot of time are low-ball hitters.”

• Rodriguez on the home run: “I got a good 1-1 fastball and drove it to left-center. That’s a pitch that I’ve been either grounding out to third base hard to maybe flying out to right. I put a pretty good swing on it.”

• Rodriguez on his home runs in general: “I’ve never considered myself a home run hitter,” he said. “What I do concern myself with is driving in runs and getting guys in from third base, stuff like that.” The guy is about to hit his 600th. I say this with all due respect, it’s probably time he starts thinking of himself as a home run hitter. It’s OK to say it. It’s not boasting. It’s just the truth.

• Nick Swisher has a modest five-game hitting streak and has reached base in 30 of 34 road games this season. Each of the Yankees top four hitters had two hits tonight.

• Pettitte’s fifth-inning single was his first hit since June 19, 2009. “It’s always nice to get a hit,” Pettitte said. “Unfortunately I gave up two hits to their guy.”

Associated Press photos of Curtis and Pettitte.