The LoHud Yankees Blog

The Yankees had a lot of good karma going for them with so many of their former greats in the house, with Gene Monahan being honored, with Tino Martinez even sending up a two-run homer in the Old-Timers’ game. They were down 3-0 in the fifth, but they didn’t want to blow it on this day. And they didn’t, taking the 6-4 win.

“The way Old-Timers’ Day is, bringing back the great Yankees that made this organization what it is, you’ve definitely got to send those guys off on a win,” Nick Swisher said.

The Yankees rallied twice, and Eduardo Nunez sent them ahead with a single in the seventh. Mark Teixeira took out insurance with a solo shot in the eighth, his major-league-co-leading 23rd.

“I can’t let Tino show me up on Old-Timers’ Day,” Teixeira said, smiling. ”I still hear a lot of people who want Tino back at first base every time I have a couple of bad games.”

It was rather fitting that the 41-year-old closer, Mariano Rivera, struck out the side to end it. Rivera tied Trevor Hoffman’s all-time record by reaching 20 saves for the 15th time. 

“We were joking with Mo that he should come out and get in between a few of us,” Joe Girardi said about the intros for the Old-Timers.

“Great day,” Girardi said. “It starts with the Old-Timers’ game and seeing so many people who have meant so much to this organization. We’re able to honor Geno. … Then to win a game like that, a game where we were behind and able to come back and gets some big hits by Swish, Posada and Nunie, great game.”

The bottom line is, the Yankees are playing like a first-place/playoff team. They have won two straight, 12 of 16 and 25 of 37 and are a season-high-tying 14 above .500 at 45-31.

“This team is a very talented team, a very potent lineup from top to bottom,” Swisher said. “I think we’re proving that.”

Swisher is batting .312 with seven homers in his last 28 games since May 27, when he was hitting .204, his low point. He’s up to .245.

*Alex Rodriguez is up to six straight games with an RBI, one short of his career high.

*Derek Jeter did some swinging for the second straight day in Tampa, only this day marked his 37th birthday. He told the AP that he hopes to kick off a running program tomorrow or Tuesday. Sure doesn’t sound like he’s coming back Wednesday when he’s eligible.

*After Monday’s day off, the Yankees will host the Brewers for three games. Freddy Garcia and Zack Greinke will be the pitching matchup Tuesday night. Then A.J. Burnett and Shaun Marcum will be the matchup for Wednesday night. CC Sabathia and Randy Wolf are down for Thursday.

“It’s fun,” Sabathia said. “It is my former team. I do know a lot of guys there. … I kind of miss them.”

Yankees lineup
1. Brett Gardner LF
2. Curtis Granderson CF
3. Mark Teixeira 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Robinson Cano 2B
6. Nick Swisher RF
7. Jorge Posada DH
8. Russell Martin C
9. Eduardo Nunez SS
Ivan Nova RHP

Rockies lineup
1. Carlos Gonzalez CF
2. Jonathan Herrera 2B
3. Todd Helton 1B
4. Troy Tulowitzki SS
5. Jason Giambi DH
6. Seth Smith RF
7. Ty Wiggington 3B
8. Charlie Blackmon LF
9. Chris Iannetta C
Juan Nicasio RHP

TV/Time: YES/2:20
Weather: Cloudy, 79 degrees
Umpires: Brian O’Nora HP, Alfonso Marquez 1B, Ed Hickox 2B, Ed Rapuano 3B

Division leaders: The Yankees begin play in first place for the first time since the close of play on June 6.
Leadoff guys: Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner have combined to hit .317 in the leadoff spot in the 11 games since Derek Jeter went on the DL.

Update, 2:24: Horrendous error for Nunez on a double-play ball that went through his legs. Now it’s first and third, one out.

Update, 2:27: Robby Cano caught a ball down the line and lobbed it back in toward the plate. The runner at first, Jonathan  Herrera, took second. That didn’t look good.

Update, 2:29: Nova gets Giambi swinging to get out of it.

Update, 2:37: 1-2-3 inning for Nicasio.

Update, 2:41: Nova gives up a solo shot to left to Wigginton, 1-0.

Update, 2:53: This is just Nicasio’s sixth major-league start, and he’s off to a good one. Another 1-2-3 inning.

Update, 3:03: One walk and that’s it in the Colorado third.

Update, 3:10: The rookie Nicasio has retired nine straight. He was in A ball last season. The Yankees have this habit of struggling against guys they haven’t seen before.

Update, 3:22: Nunez doesn’t mess up this double-play ball, 6-4-3, side retired after two singles.

Update, 3:30: Perfect game through four for Nicasio. Curtis Granderson hit a ball well to right, but Seth Smith ran it down on the track.

Update, 3:33: Chris Iannetta takes a fastball over the center-field fence. The count was 0-2. The score is 2-0 in the fifth.

Update, 3:41: Walk to Carlos Gonzalez, stolen base, groundout, sac fly by Todd Helton. So it’s 3-0 after 4 1/2.

Update, 3:47: Cano lines a clean single to left with one out in the fifth. First hit, first base runner. It would have been embarrassing to get no-hit on Old-Timers’ Day — or any day.

Update, 3:50: There goes Nicasio’s shutout, too. Nick Swisher parks one in the right-field seats. It’s 3-2.

Update, 3:52: Posada puts one in the Yankees’ bullpen, back-to-back homers, 3-3, just like that.

Update, 4:02: Wigginton again with a solo shot, it’s 4-3 in the sixth.

Update, 4:07: Perfect drag bunt by Gardner to start the home sixth.

Update, 4:15: Nicasio is done, first and second, no outs. Matt Belisle is on.

Update, 4:18: A-Rod comes through, RBI single to left, 4-4. His RBI streak is six games now.

Update, 4:23: Nova is done. Luis Ayala is on for the seventh.

Update, 4:29: Ayala gives up a leadoff single to Iannetta. Boone Logan will now come on.

Update, 4:38: Excellent job by Logan against the lefties in the inning. He gets Todd Helton to ground to second to end the inning with Iannetta on third after a stolen base and an error on the throw by Russell Martin. Logan has been better of late vs. those lefties.

Update, 4:51: Walk, error by Tulowitzki on a hot Martin grounder, RBI single for Nunez, and it’s 5-4 Yankees. Matt Reynolds will replace Belisle.

Update, 4:59: David Robertson will take the ball for the eighth.

Update, 5:11: Another strong inning for Robertson. How could you take the eighth inning away from him at this point and give it back to Soriano whenever he returns? I wouldn’t.

Update, 5:16: Reynolds comes up and in to Teixeira, and Teixeira responds with his 23rd homer to the left-field seats for a 6-4 lead. Reynolds is done. Matt Lindstrom is in. 

Update, 5:24: Mariano Rivera will try to close out an Old-Timers’ Day win.

Update, 5:32: Rivera strikes out the side. Yankees win, 6-4.

It’s the 65th annual Old-Timers’ Day. Joe Torre is back as a first-timer. He seemed happy to put on the pinstripes again for the first time since 2007. He was back for George Steinbrenner’s monument unveiling last September and he’s been back here this season in his role as MLB’s executive VP of baseball operations. Torre feels all the awkwardness is gone with the Steinbrenners and Brian Cashman over his departure and subsequent book.

“Everything is gone,” Torre said. “When I came back last year, I talked to Brian and I saw the Steinbrenner family last year when they had that tribute to George. It’s very comfortable for me. With my new job now, I’m here a lot because I spend a lot of time in New York. I’m enjoying coming here and feeling free to go in the clubhouse.”

The parting wasn’t as enjoyable.

“I think they probably wanted to do something else,” Torre said. “I think it became uncomfortable on both sides on how to separate. Unfortunately it wasn’t pretty.”

Torre gave thanks to Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera for playing a large part in his accomplishments here over 12 years. If at all possible, he plans to be in the house, wherever that is, when Jeter gets his 3,000 hit. First Jeter has to recover from his calf strain. He was supposed to do some light jogging for the second straight day, today in Tampa, where he’s celebrating his 37th birthday.

“I had it scheduled perfectly,” Torre said. “I was in Chicago and Cincinnati. He wasn’t . Hopefully when he does come back, I’ll be able to do that.”

Torre and fellow first-timer Bernie Williams received the longest ovations during the introductions.

“When I was playing, I always looked forward to this day,” Williams said. “It reminded me that I was just part of a family that has gone on for 100 years, that I’m a part of something bigger than myself.” 

Williams is a musician now, but he never announced his retirement.

“I have not officially retired, but I think it’s close,” Williams said smiling.

There was a special video tribute to retiring trainer Gene Monahan before the Old-Timers’ game. Monahan threw out the first ball to Jorge Posada, wearing his catching equipment no less. Monahan, whose fiancee and two daughters were on hand, threw a strike.

Then the Yankees honored Monahan, who has been with the organization for 49 years. Steve Donohue, the assistant trainer, presented him with the frieze from his locker at the old stadium. Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford and Goose Gossage presented him with two seats from the old stadium. The Steinbrenner family gave him a painting of the old stadium. He was given a new lawnmower and lawn-care products for his house in North Carolina. He also received a Garth Brooks-autographed Stetson hat and a trip to Las Vegas to see Brooks in concert, a VIP package to NASCAR’s championship weekend in Miami in November and a 15-day family vacation to the Alps. The current team’s gift was a 2012 Ford pickup trip and a dog, just what he wanted.       

*Girardi announced his rotation for the Milwaukee series that begins here Tuesday night. Brian Gordon is being skipped thanks to the off day Monday. It will be Freddy Garcia, A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia, who will face his old team.

*Girardi doesn’t think Alex Rodriguez’s sore knee will be an issue all season.

*”It’s treatable,” Girardi said. “He’s playing today. It’s just something I’m aware of. … If I can get him out of a game early, I’ll do that.”

1. Gardner LF
2. Granderson CF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Cano 2B
6. Swisher RF
7. Posada DH
8. Martin C
9. Nunez SS
Nova P

It came out after this 8-3 win over the Rockies that Alex Rodriguez has been playing on a sore right knee since hurting it last Sunday night while running the bases against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Joe Girardi had a chance to pull him with a 6-0 lead after seven in this latest game, and he took advantage of it.

“I think there are some injuries that you can play through and some you can’t,” Rodriguez said. “This is one I feel I can play through. I met with my doctors and they pretty much assured me that it’s something you’re not going to reaggravate. It’s getting better each day.”

A-Rod might be hobbled a bit, but he hasn’t let it bother him at the plate. He knocked in three runs with two hits, so he now has at least one RBI in five straight games and 50 for the season. He’s batting .545 (12 for 22) in his last six, with at least one hit in each game, and .408 in his last 14.

 ”He comes to play every day, and that’s what great players do,” Girardi said. “You’ve got to find a way to fight through the little nicks that you have in the course of the season.”

*CC Sabathia turned in another inspired performance in winning his third straight start and becoming the first pitcher in the majors to win 10 games – eight innings, one run, seven hits, one walk, nine Ks.

The lefty matched Chien-Ming Wang for the fastest to 50 wins among Yankees pitchers over these last 30 years. This was Sabathia’s 85th start in 2 1/2 seasons. He’s also the fifth Yankees pitcher in the last 60 years to win No. 50 and have fewer than 20 losses. This season, the Yankees have scored at least seven runs for him eight times. Also, he has gone at least seven innings 11 times in 17 starts, often taking the burden off a banged-up bullpen.

“You can’t put it on cruise control, but any time you get a couple of runs for CC, you feel pretty good about your chances,” Brett Gardner said. “He was just his normal self today. He was dominant. When he allowed guys to get on base, he pitched even better. He’s just an ace.”

*The Yankees snapped their two-game skid and have won 11 of 15.

“I feel the past week we’ve been playing outstanding baseball,” Nick Swisher said.

*The Yankees are up to a major-league-best 21-4 in day games as opposed to 23-27 at night.

“It’s probably a lot of luck,” Gardner said.

*Curtis Granderson scored two runs and leads the majors with 68. He has scored at least one time in seven straight games, which is one away from his career high. He’s also batting .295 in home games.

*Jorge Posada had a season-high-tying three hits and has now hit safely in 10 of his 11 starts, batting .405 over this span.

*Nick Swisher went 2 for 3 with a sac fly and is now batting .315 in his last 27 games, raising his average from .204 to .245.

*Sunday is Old-Timers’ Day. They will take batting practice starting at 10 a.m. The ceremonies begin at 11:30, followed by the Old-Timers’ game. The regularly scheduled games is down for 2:20.

Yankees lineup
1. Brett Gardner LF
2. Curtis Granderson CF
3. Mark Teixeira 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Robinson Cano 2B
6. Nick Swisher RF
7. Jorge Posada DH
8. Eduardo Nunez SS
9. Francisco Cervelli C
CC Sabathia LHP

Rockies lineup
1. Carlos Gonzalez CF
2. Eric Young RF
3. Todd Helton 1B
4. Troy Tulowitzki SS
5. Jason Giambi DH
6. Ty Wigginton 3B
7. Ryan Spilborghs LF
8. Chris Nelson 2B
9. Matt Pagnozzi C
Aaron Cook RHP

TV/Time: YES/1:07
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 76 degrees
Umpires: Ed Rapuano HP, Brian O’Nora 1B, Alfonso Marquez 2B, Ed Hickox 3B

Day shift: The Yankees are the majors’ best day team, at 20-4. They’re batting .280 with 38 homers in the daylight.

A-Rod’s hot bat: Alex Rodriguez is batting .526 (10 for 19) with five RBI over his last five games and .391 (18 for 46) with two homers and 13 RBI over his last 13 games.

CC chasing 50: If CC Sabathia wins today, it will be his 50th victory in 85 starts as a Yankee. That would match Chien-Ming Wang as the fastest Yankees pitcher to reach 50 over the last 30 years.

Update, 1:12: Impressive top of the first for Sabathia, 1-2-3 with two Ks swinging on off-speed stuff, vs. Gonzalez and Helton.

Update, 1:15: Gardner shows his value as a leadoff batter, reaching on a perfect bunt single up the third-base line.

Update, 1:18: Gardner steals second, now let’s see if the Yankees capitalize. That’s just his 15th steal in 25 tries.

Update, 1:20: 1-0, Granderson cashes Gardner in with a single and moves to second because Eric Young doesn’t field it cleanly in right-center. Granderson has tied Teixeira for the team lead in RBI with 55.

Update, 1:26: A-Rod remains hot, his hitting streak now at six after his ground RBI single to right, 2-0.

Update, 1:37: One single allowed in the second by Sabathia, but two more strikeouts.

Update, 1:49: Gardner strands two with a two-out groundout in the second.

Update: 1:57: Sabathia gives up a walk in the third, but that’s it. So he has allowed just one hit and has five Ks so far, 2-0 Yankees heading for the last of the third.

Update, 2:02: Good start to the third for the Yankees. Curtis Granderson bloop single, Mark Teixeira double over Carlos Gonzalez’s head in center. Second and third, no outs.

Update, 2:05: A-Rod is making his plate appearances count, two-run double to the right-center gap. That’s three RBI today after driving in both Yankees runs last night. So it’s 4-0. That, by the way, gives him 50 RBI.

Update, 2:11: Nice headfirst slide into the plate by Rodriguez to score on Nick Swisher’s shallow fly to left-center. Ryan Spilborghs’ throw was just a little on the first-base side to help the cause. A-Rod just got his hand on the plate in time — 5-0.

Update, 2:20: That was an almost Jeter-like play in the hole by Nunez, backhand, turn/little jump (not as high as Jeter) and throw to second for the inning-ending force in the fourth. Tulowitzki has both hits off Sabathia so far.

Update, 2:30: Two singles to start the Yankees fourth, and they get nothing. Gardner hit into a double play and Granderson went down looking. Cervelli has two singles so far.

Update, 2:38: Excellent job by Sabathia to preserve his shutout after Ryan Spilborghs led off with a double and moved to third when Chris Nelson followed with a groundout. Matt Pagnozzi lifted a shallow fly to center. And Carlos Gonzalez bounced a 94 mph fastball back to Sabathia for the final out.

Update, 2:43: Cano hit into his second double play of the game after A-Rod drew a walk. So it’s 5-0 heading to the sixth.

Update, 2:48: Two singles to start the Colorado sixth.

Update, 2:52: Sabathia gets Tulowitzki to ground an off-speed pitch into a 5-4-3 double play.

Update, 2:54: Giambi strikes out, inning over.

Update, 3:00: RBI double for Jorge Posada, 6-0. He went the other way, to left-center. That’s his second hit of the game.

Update, 3:05: Cook is done with Posada on third and two outs. Lefty Rex Brothers is coming on.

Update, 3:13: Through six, the Yankees have six runs and 12 hits and the Rockies have no runs and five hits.

Update, 3:23: 1-2-3 seventh for Sabathia. Clayton Mortensen will take over the pitching for Colorado, and Jonathan Herrera has replaced Tulowitzki at short.

Update, 3:32: That’s three hits for Posada. The bases are loaded with two outs after his single.

Update, 3:34: Nunez bounces into a force to end the inning.

Update, 3:35: Ramiro Pena has come on defensively for Rodriguez.

Update, 3:41: There goes the shutout. Pinch hitter Seth Smith delivers an RBI single, 6-1.

Update, 3:42: I believe Sabathia is at 103 pitches through eight. Rafael Betancourt will now come on for the Rockies.

Update, 3:55: Homer No. 22 for Teixeira, this one a two-run shot off Rafael Betancourt. It’s 8-1.

Update, 3:56: Buddy Carlyle will take the ninth.

Update, 4:00: Carlyle doesn’t look too good again. Walk, two-run homer by Wigginton.

Update, 4:08: Carlyle finishes up. Yankees win, 8-3.

Phil Hughes is here after last night’s rehab start for Double-A Trenton at New Britain, his second official rehab outing. He only lasted 3 1/3 innings because he threw 72 pitches. Only 42 of his pitches went for strikes. He gave up one run, three hits and two walks while striking out three.

Joe Girardi talked to Brian Cashman, who was there, and was told Hughes wasn’t as sharp as the last time out. His velocity, though, sat around 91-92 mph and he topped out at 94.

“It wasn’t as good as my first, but it was still a step in the right direction,” Hughes said. “The velocity from what I gathered was pretty good. It was certainly a lot better than when I was here, so that’s good.”

Hughes said he has been told that he will probably take one or two more starts before returning. He believes the next one will come at Trenton on Wednesday. 

“My command wasn’t very good last night, but it was good the one before that,” Hughes said. “But I’m encouraged the next time out I can just clean up a couple of mechanical things.”

“When we think he’s ready, we’ll call him back,” Girardi said.

*Russell Martin is sitting at the start in favor of Francisco Cervelli.

“Just a day game after a night game,” Girardi said.

*The Old-Timers’ Day ceremonies will begin tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. Joe Torre, Bernie Williams and Lou Piniella will be among the first-timers.

“I’m looking foward to seeing Lou and Joe and Bernie,” Girardi said. “Clay Bellinger is coming and I haven’t seen him in a while. It makes it really nice.

“I love when all the guys come back. You get a chance to see them. They’re entertaining in the game. I’m always amazed at how well some of the guys still swing the bat, get around the bases. I’ve always looked forward to it. It’s one of my favorite days during the course of the season. I used to love it as a player. I love it as a manager.”

So is Girardi going to play in the Old-Timers’ game?

“No,” he said. “Too old.”

1. Gardner LF
2. Granderson CF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Cano 2B
6. Swisher RF
7. Posada DH
8. Nunez SS
9. Cervelli C
Sabathia P

Jason Giambi tied his season high with three hits and walked once, turning it into the go-ahead run. But it was his homer off A.J. Burnett that served as the best part of his second return to Yankee Stadium after leaving the Yankees following the 2008 season. Giambi had just been greeted warmly by the fans for this first at-bat in the second.

“I wasn’t touching the ground,” said Giambi, who returned for the first time with Oakland in 2009. “I was excited. There’s an incredible energy playing in this stadium with the fans that they have here. It was like old times to have that opportunity to play in front of them again. I went up there, and I think he could’ve thrown the resin bag 2-and-0 and I would’ve swung at it. …

“I couldn’t have dreamed for a better game to have.”

A.J. Burnett could have dreamed for a better game to have. He allowed four runs, seven hits and five walks.

“Way too many walks,” Burnett said.

His mechanics went south on him.

“I was pretty inconsistent all night with my arm slot,” Burnett said. “I didn’t find it until the last inning.”

That was the inning – the sixth – in which he struck out a franchise-record four thanks to a wild pitch on one of the Ks. He became the second pitcher in major-league history to do it more than once. Burnett was actually around for the first out in the seventh, but then got steamed at Joe Girardi when he was pulled after 105 pitches, although only 58 of them went for strikes. Burnett never likes being taken out.

“I’ve got to work on that,” Burnett said. “It’s never personal. That man takes care of us better than a lot of managers do.”

On the other hand, Ubaldo Jimenez shut the Yankees down over seven, allowing two runs, four hits and four walks. Nick Swisher said Jimenez, a 19-game winner last season who is up to 3-7 with a 4.50 ERA after winning his second straight start, wasn’t throwing as hard as before. But he was able to throw his breaking stuff for strikes.

“He made some pitches when he had to,” Girardi said.

*Robinson Cano went 0 for 4 and had his 11-game hitting streak snapped.

*Curtis Granderson stole two bases, his first game with at least that many since 2008. He scored both runs – both times driven in by Alex Rodriguez – and now leads the majors in runs scored with 66.

*Here’s Jim Tracy, manager of the 38-37 Rockies, on playing here: “We don’t care who we play or where we are playing. If this team expects to be playing baseball in October, it better get comfortable playing in any environment.”

*Saturday’s matchup will feature CC Sabathia and Aaron Cook.

Yankees lineup

1. Brett Gardner LF
2. Curtis Granderson CF
3. Mark Teixeira 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez 3B
5. Robinson Cano 2B
6. Nick Swisher RF
7. Jorge Posada DH
8. Russell Martin C
9. Eduardo Nunez SS
A.J. Burnett RHP

Rockies lineup
1. Carlos Gonzalez CF
2. Chris Nelson 2B
3. Todd Helton 1B
4. Troy Tulowitzki SS
5. Jason Giambi DH
6. Seth Smith RF
7. Ty Wigginton 3B
8. Charlie Blackmon LF
9. Chris Iannetta C
Ubaldo Jimenez RHP

TV/Time: YES/7:08
Weather: Cloudy, 66 degrees, 60 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms
Umpires: Ed Hickox HP, Ed Rapuano 1B, Brian O’Nora 2B, Alfonso Marquez 3B

Hot Cano: Robinson Cano has the longest active hitting streak for the Yankees at 11 games, and he’s batting .409 with three doubles, two homers and eight RBI in this span. He’s at .299 for the season, his highest since May 7 when he was at .300 at the close of play.

Vs. Colorado: The Yankees are 5-4 in their nine games against the Rockies. The teams haven’t met since 2007 when the Rockies swept three games at Coors Field. This is the fourth series between the teams.

Update, 7:14: Sharp 1-2-3 first for Burnett.

Update, 7:25: 1-0, Yankees. A-Rod RBI double to the left-field corner. Jimenez has really slipped since last year. Be interesting to see what the Yankees do against him. He gets out of this innings, though, because Cano just lined into a double play.

Update, 7:30: Giambi is 40 now, but he just provided a flashback, crushing a Burnett pitch to the deeper set of bleachers in right-center. So it’s 1-1.

Update, 7:42: Two singles but no runs for the Yankees in the second.

Update, 7:53: Burnett is struggling. Todd Helton just delivered an RBI single, so it’s 2-1. The bases are loaded with one out.

Update, 7:55: Burnett minimized the damage in the third, getting the tough Tulowitzki to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play.

Update, 8:04: We’re tied at 2-2. Curtis Granderson really created that run — walk, steal, tag up, scores on A-Rod’s sac fly.

Update, 8:11: Sean Smith just hit a rocket to the base of the fence in right-center, second and third, no outs.

Update, 8:13: Nice barehanded pick-up by A-Rod on Wigginton’s roller, but the run scores on the groundout, 3-2, Rockies.

Update, 8:21: Back-to-back walks from Burnett, so it’s bases loaded, two outs. Cory Wade is warming.

Update, 8:22: Burnett gets out of it on a 6-4 force. Amazing he’s only given up three runs so far in his four innings.

Update, 8:30: Jimenez turns in a 1-2-3 fourth with two Ks.

Update, 8:34: Tulowitzki sends a fastball to the right-center seats, 4-2. He leads all major-league shortstops with 14 homers and 50 RBI.

Update, 8:36: Another hit for Giambi, lines a hard single into right.

Update, 8:53: Jimenez has given up two runs and four hits through five. Still 4-2.

Update, 9:03: Burnett strikes out four in the sixth, thanks to one strikeout on a wild pitch.

Update, 9:08: The Yankees aren’t doing much with Jimenez, 1-2-3 sixth. Swisher was just caught looking to end it.

Update, 9:13: Burnett is done after 6 1-3. Boone Logan is coming on. Burnett’s four Ks in the sixth was a franchise record.

Update, 9;30: Jimenez is up 4-2 after seven, but I believe he’s up near 120 pitches. Logan will stay on to start the eighth after fanning lefties Giambi and Smith to end the seventh. Maybe he’s starting to improve vs. the lefties.

Update, 9:38: Logan gives up a walk and a double, so it’s second and third, two outs. Luis Ayala will take the ball.

Update, 9:41: Ayala gets out of it. So it’s 4-2, last of the eighth. Jimenez is done. Lefty Matt Reynolds is in.

Update, 9:48: 1-2-3 eighth for Reynolds.

Update, 10:00: Ayala pitches a scoreless ninth. Now Huston Street will try to close it out.

Update, 10:10: Yankees lose, 4-2.