The LoHud Yankees Blog

So the lineup looks right out of a spring training game at Legends Field, complete with names like Laird, Golson, Pena and Nunez. But it all stems from this last game that ended at 2:15 a.m.

“We had guys probably get to bed at 4 o’clock in the morning,” Joe Girardi said. “Asking them to turn around and play a game, you’re risking a lot.”

Girardi said it was still a tough call.

“We’re trying to win the division,” Girardi said. “We’re still sending out guys who can play.”

1. Nunez SS
2. Martin C
3. Swisher RF
4. Rodriguez 3B
5. Jones LF
6. Montero DH
7. Laird 1B
8. Golson CF
9. Pena 2B
Burnett P

Took a friend to the airport very early this morning, and there were so many roads closed because of flooding that it took two and a half hours for me to get back home. Of course, I really can’t complain about anything the rest of the year after missing last night’s game. Here is the press release with details on the exchange policy for last night’s tickets.

Recognizing (Tuesday’s) inclement weather conditions, the New York Yankees announced that they are rewarding all fans with tickets for (Tuesday’s) game against the Baltimore Orioles with a free ticket offer.

Fans may redeem their valid September 6, 2011, tickets — regardless of whether they were used to attend (Tuesday’s) game — for a free Grandstand Level or Terrace Level ticket at Yankee Stadium for a game for the 2012 season, subject to availability.

Alternatively, fans may choose to use (Tuesday’s) valid tickets as a coupon for 50 percent off the purchase price of a ticket in any other non-Suite seating location to a game for the 2012 season, subject to availability.

This free ticket and coupon offer is not valid for and cannot be redeemed for premium games (such as the Opening Day game, the Old-Timers’ Day game and all home games played against the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets).

Please note that the Yankees can only accept tickets with valid bar codes for the September 6, 2011, game.

Tickets can be redeemed or presented as a coupon at Yankee Stadium Ticket Windows only starting April 2, 2012.

It’s 2:45 in the morning. It’s still raining here.  The Yankees knew they would have a chance to get this game in. The wait lasted four hours and three minutes to get to the first pitch at 11:08 p.m.

“I saw the window, and I thought it was going to be around 10:30, 11 o’clock,” Joe Girardi said after the 5-3 win over the Orioles, a game that ended at 2:15 a.m. “I guess baseball wanted us to wait.”

The preference was to wait and play (and they did in the rain and mist) and not have a day/night doubleheader today, especially with another dicey forecast.

“Doubleheaders are hard on your guys,” Girardi said. “They’re really hard. Jete made a good point. Maybe we should just start half an hour from now and get it out of the way. Both scenarios weren’t great. But now that it’s over, I’m glad it’s done.” 

Phil Hughes said players passed the time playing cards or trying to figure out the window. Hughes laid down on a couch at about 8 p.m. and got up at 10, napping for about 45 minutes along the way. Then he allowed just two runs and five hits over six. He wasn’t overly impressed. The two-run homer he gave up in the sixth to Matt Wieters was still eating at him. But Hughes did well enough, especially considering the conditions weren’t great, especially during the fifth-inning downpour.

“It started to come down pretty hard; I think it was the (Nick) Markakis at-bat, the last out of the fifth,” Hughes said. “The ball was so slippery, I just threw a fastball and hoped that ended up somewhere around the plate. I got lucky. I got the ball over the plate and he popped it up.”

Girardi was pleased with Hughes.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Girardi said. “I thought his curveball might have been the best we’ve seen it all year.”

*Francisco Cervelli hit two homers in the first 176 games and 471 at-bats of his career. Now he has three homers in his last four games, spanning 14 at-bats.

“I just think he’s gotten more comfortable, understands what pitchers are trying to do to him,” Girardi said. “He’s more experienced. He’s gotten stronger over the last couple of years. It’s just learning how to hit up here. I think he’s grown into it a little bit.”

*The Yankees now have a major-league-leading 200 homers, including 30 in their last 14 games.

*Jorge Posada now has three homers in his last six starts.

*Mariano Rivera now is 21 for 21 in save chances at home this season.

*The Yankees have won six straight and nine of 10 to move to a season-high 34 games above .500. They have taken a season-high six straight at home. They are also 13-3 vs. Baltimore, including 7-1 at home. They are 37-10 in their last 47 against the Orioles. 

*Right now, weather.com lists a 60 percent chance of rain at 1 p.m. today, about when the series finale is supposed to start. It’s 60 percent at 2 p.m., then 50 percent at 3 p.m., then 30 percent at 4, 5 and 6. A.J. Burnett and Zach Britton are the scheduled starters.

*It’s 3:14 a.m. here in the press box. Still raining. Time to go home. Almost time to come back.

Yankees lineup
1. Brett Gardner LF
2. Derek Jeter SS
3. Curtis Granderson CF
4. Mark Teixeira 1B
5. Robinson Cano 2B
6. Nick Swisher RF
7. Eric Chavez 3B
8. Jorge Posada DH
9. Francisco Cervelli C
Phil Hughes RHP

Orioles lineup
1. Matt Angle LF
2. J.J. Hardy SS
3. Nick Markakis RF
4. Adam Jones CF
5. Vladimir Guerrero DH
6. Mark Reynolds 1B
7. Matt Wieters C
8. Chris Davis 3B
9. Robert Andino 2B
Tommy Hunter RHP

Time/TV: 11 p.m./YES
Weather: 64, misting
Umpires: Rob Drake HP, Gary Darling 1B, Bruce Dreckman 2B, Paul Emmel 3B

Rainmakers: This marked the 20th time this season that a Yankees game was either postponed or delayed due to weather — eight postponed and 12 delayed.
Hot Cano: Robinson Cano has a nine-game hitting streak and has hit safely in 26 of his last 27 games.

Update, 11:08: Finally the first pitch. The rain delay was four hours, three minutes.

Update, 11:12: There are maybe 1,000 or so people here sitting in the rain, just guessing.

Update, 11:13: One-hit first for Hughes. The game is zipping along.

Update, 11:14: It’s raining harder and the wind is whipping it every which way.

Update, 11:20: 1-2-3 first for Hunter.

Update, 11:27: Fans are being allowed to move down to the lower level, but not the pricey Legends seats.

Update, 11:29: One-hit second for Hughes, with two Ks.

Update, 11:34: Another perfect inning for Hunter.

Update, 11:45: Hughes strands a runner at third with one out in the third. Still no score.

Update, 11:50: Homer No. 13 for Posada, 1-0, trying to remind the Yankees to include him come the postseason.

Update, 12:11: Hughes leaves the bases loaded, getting Robert Andino to hit into a force. Hughes is at 76 pitches through four and has allowed at least one baserunner in every inning, but he’s still riding a shutout.

Update, 12:18: The rain has picked up, 1-0 after four.

Update, 12:26: Excellent job by Hughes with a 1-2-3 fifth in a driving rainstorm. Official game. The grounds crew is out putting dirt everywhere on the puddle-filled infield.

Update, 12:43: Posada reached on an error by Mark Reynolds at first with two outs and then Matt Angle dropped a fly to left, allowing Posada to score. So it’s 2-0 after five.

Update, 12:45: Paid attendance was just announced at 44,573. Don’t think they’re all here. But anyone who had a ticket for tonight’s game can get a free one in the Grandstand or Terrace levels in 2012, subject to availability. But the offer is not valid for premium games, i.e. Boston, Mets, Opening Day, Old-Timers’ Day. Tickets can also be used as a 50 percent coupon for any other non-Suite seating location in 2012, subject to availability.

Update, 12:58: Matt Wieters two-run shot to right to tie it in the sixth.

Update, 1:02: Jeter opens the sixth with a single to right, just the Yankees’ second hit.

Update, 1:06: Teixeira singles off the base of the wall in right, 3-2 Yankees.

Update, 1:10: Hughes is done, two runs, five hits, six innings. Hector Noesi just got back here today and he’s in the game.

Update, 1:19: Two outs, man on second. Boone Logan will come on to face Markakis.

Update, 1:23: Hughes will not get a win. Logan serves up a double to Markakis, 3-3. Cory Wade will come on.

Update, 1:37: Cervelli homers to left, but it’s under review. It appeared to hit the hands of two fans above the wall before dropping onto the field.

Update, 1:46: Cervelli survives the review. Brett Gardner follows with a homer. Now Derek Jeter has walked. So Hunter is done, trailing 5-3. Clay Rapada will come on.

Update, 1:50: David Robertson will pitch the eighth.

Update, 1:58: Robertson gives up a walk, then gets an inning-ending double play.

Update, 2:06: Mariano Rivera will try to close it out.

Update, 2:15: Yankees win, 5-3. Career save No. 598 for Rivera.

It’s pouring right now at 5. Joe Girardi said that the rain is supposed to lighten after 7, but that he just doesn’t know if they’ll get this game in. He said the choices for a makeup include a day/night doubleheader tomorrow or a single game Sept. 29, the day after the regular season ends. The night side of a day/nighter wouldn’t be optimal for either side since they have a 1 p.m. makeup Thursday in Baltimore thanks to Hurricane Irene.

But Girardi is well armed for whatever happens. More reinforcements have arrived from Triple-A. The clubhouse is a full house. Ramiro Pena was activated from the DL after his rehab assignment, plus outfielder Greg Golson and righties Hector Noesi, George Kontos and Andrew Brackman were called up.

“I think those guys are being rewarded,” Girardi said. “We can look at what we have in the minor leagues. … Those extra arms never hurt.”

The 6-foot-10 Brackman, the 2007 first-round pick and former basketball player at N.C. State, struggled to throw strikes at times and admitted that he thought about getting another job after a particularly humiliating game in Durham. But then he talked to his father on the phone.

“He yelled at me and told me to get on the bus,” Brackman said. 

Now Brackman has no plans on quitting. After a nine-walk game against Buffalo, he made mechanical changes and moved to the bullpen. He said he pitched better the last month and a half, regaining his confidence.

Update, 6:14: Still pouring. Also, Lance Pendleton has been designated for assignment.

Update, 6:52: Still pouring. We won’t be starting on time. You look at it and wonder how we will be starting at all tonight.

Update, 7:08: We’re officially in a delay.

Update, 7:50: Still waiting. By the way, according to weather.com, there’s a window between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. where there’s just a 15-20 percent chance of rain. Seriously. Then it goes back up to 100 percent. There’s a varying chance of rain throughout the day and night tomorrow.

Update, 8:42: Still waiting. The rain has lightened up some, but it’s still falling.

Update, 9:03: Rain seems to be picking up again.

Update, 9:34: Got to hand it to the handful of hardy souls – the ones not getting paid to be here – who are hanging in through this endless delay. I can see the rain being blown sideways by the wind across the upper deck.

Update, 9:53: Umps must really be down on day/night doubleheaders. Still raining.

Update, 10:03: From weather.com: the window is getting dicey. It’s now a 15 percent chance of rain at 11, but then it goes up to 55 percent at midnight and then down to 25 percent at 1 a.m. Then it’s 90 percent at 2 a.m. Maybe waiting wasn’t such a good idea.

Update, 10:25: The fans here are clamoring for the tarp to come off. Just drizzling.

Update, 10:29: The grounds crew is out to take off the tarp. We may play. How long until the next rain delay? It hasn’t totally stopped.

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

The excitement surrounding Jesus Montero right now is flat out enthralling. Yankee Stadium had an almost playoff-like feel today, with the place absolutely erupting after each of the 21-year-old phenom’s two homers. Montero received two curtain calls — something that manager Joe Girardi said he’s never seen before for a rookie — capping the most exciting day of his young career.

“I’ve seen everybody doing that, and I was dreaming of that before,” Montero said of the curtain calls. “I’ve seen Jeter and Posada and everybody doing that, and I’ve always told myself, ‘One day, I’m going to be one of those guys.’ It was an amazing moment. I’m so happy right now.”

Montero said that it was Jorge Posada, of all people, who was telling him to climb the steps of the dugout and acknowledge the fans. A pretty classy move if you ask me, considering Montero is basically seizing Posada’s job.

“He was telling me, ‘Get out there! Get out there! The fans want you. They want you to say hi!’ ”

What really stands out to me is the manner in which Montero hit both homers. They just about landed in the same spot, and neither was a cheapie. Montero crushed both balls the opposite way, depositing them in the right field seats.

“You know (Jim) Johnson is not an easy guy to hit a home run off of, because he’s got such a great sinker,” Girardi said. “I’m not even sure that the second one he hit was a strike. It might have been been below the zone. We’ve always said that this kid has a lot power all over the field. He can drive the ball to right. His first home run it looked like he got a fastball up a little bit, but the second one was special.”

Girardi compared Montero’s opposite field power to a young Alex Rodriguez. Now that’s a lofty comparison. The fact that he could stay back on those balls and drive them with such ease is incredible less than a week into his major league career. Girardi had been DHing Montero against lefties, but he hit both home runs against righties.

“You have to be able to do that to hit a ball like that out,” Girardi said of Montero’s ability to stay back on the ball. “It’s using you lower half to elevate low pitches, and that’s the other thing that he does well.”

It’s hard not to think that Montero should be the full-time DH, considering the fact that he pulled two hard singles against a left-handed pitcher yesterday. Offensively, he seems to be the complete package.

“His numbers kind of speak for themselves,” Curtis Granderson said. “He’s always hit in the minor leagues, and sure enough, he’s swinging the bat really well so far.”

Girardi talked about how Montero has sparked the team.

“It can energize a team when young kids come up and perform at a high level, especially in the dog days,” he said. “We’re going at it pretty hard here. Our guys generally get excited when young guys have success.”

When asked if he believes Montero will be a key component in the postseason, Girardi offered some cautious optimism.

“The one thing is you don’t get too giddy over one game, and you don’t get too down on another,” he said. “You wan tot watch him over a period of time. But we’ve always said that this young man can really swing the bat.”

I agree, but this is a tough game not to get giddy over…

Here are some more notes from the game:

• After all of the pregame talk about Freddy Garcia’s success this season, he simply didn’t have it today. For only the second time all season, Garcia failed to give the Yankees five innings. He was knocked out before the end of the third, allowing seven runs. The Orioles hit just about everything hard. I don’t want to make too much out of one bad start, but it would be difficult to argue that Ivan Nova isn’t the Yankees No. 2 starter right now. “They hit every pitch that I threw,” Garcia said. “It wasn’t one pitch. They hit sliders, split, slow curve, fastball. They hit everything that I have. I’ve got to forget about it, and just think about my next start.”

• Luckily for the Yankees, Baltimore starter Brian Matusz didn’t have it, either. He didn’t make it out of the second inning. In total between the two teams, 12 pitchers were used. “It was a hitters day,” Garcia said.

• What felt like the big blast before the Jesus Show was Robinson Cano’s grand slam in the second inning. After going down 5-2, the Yankees fought back to make it 5-4. Cano came up with the bases loaded, fought off some tough pitches, and then absolutely smoked at ball out to the Bleacher Creatures in right field. In year’s past, people have discussed his inability to come through with runners in scoring position. But this season, he seems to have drastically improved his focus in those situations. You just feel like he’s going to get that big hit. The grand slam was his third of the season, and seventh of his career. “That was a huge hit for us,” Girardi said. “Robbie has been dynamite all year. The one thing I’ve said about Robbie is that I wouldn’t count him out of that (MVP) race yet.”

• Mark Teixeira also homered for the Yanks. He went 2-for-4, including a hard hit single from the left-side, where he has been struggling.

• The Yankees brought in former Joe Torre whipping boy Scott Proctor for the first time since his September call-up. It was his first appearance in a Yankee uniform since July 27, 2007 (against Baltimore, ironically). He pitched two innings, allowing three hits and one run. The most impressive relief performance came from Luis Ayala, who gave the Yankees 1.2 innings without allowing a hit. He’s been an unsung hero, with an impressive 1.90 ERA. “Sometimes it’s tough to do your job when you don’t have a role, so the one thing that I try to do is do my job in any situation,” Ayala said. “Sometimes I come in early, sometimes late, it depends… When Joe gives me the ball in any situation, I just try to keep the ball down and make quick outs.”

• Girardi said that both Dave Robertson and Rafael Soriano were unavailable today. He’s clearly getting cautious about their workloads here in the home stretch.

• Mariano Rivera had a bit of a rough inning, allowing one run, but still held onto to pick up his 597th career save. He’s now four behind Trevor Hoffman for first-place all-time. “I thought he threw some pretty good pitches,” Girardi said. “He gave up some hits, but that’s going to happen. What I didn’t like was that they put up on the board that he had only given up two hits in eight innings.” (He was joking about that last part.)

• UPDATE: One thing I forgot to get to, guys. Girardi said at his press conference that Hector Noesi will rejoin the team tomorrow. There was a rumor flying around the Dellin Betances may be in line for a call up, but Girardi wouldn’t confirm it. He said they still have to discuss if anyone else will be brought up besides Noesi.

• The Yankees have now won five straight, and with Boston’s loss, have extended their lead in the division to two and a half games. Phil Hughes will get the start against Tommy Hunter tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.

• I’d like to personally thank everyone who’s been following me on the blog and on Twitter these past few days. It’s been an incredible experience for my first time covering the Yankees, and I’ll be back with you all soon enough. Stay as passionate as you are! It makes this that much more fun!

In a game that featured 29 total hits, 21 runs, seven home runs and 12 pitchers, it is unmistakable which player stole the show. Rookie Jesus Montero crushed two opposite field home runs in Monday’s 11-10 win over the Baltimore Orioles, receiving two curtain calls and already asserting himself as a folk hero in eyes of many Yankee fans. His first homer gave the Yankees a 9-8 lead, and his second extended it to 11-8. Robinson Cano blasted a grand slam in the second inning, and Mark Teixeira also homered. Starter Freddy Garcia struggled throughout, getting knocked out in the third inning after surrendering seven runs, but Baltimore starter Brian Matusz was just as bad. Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 597th career save. He now sits four behind Trevor Hoffman for first-place all-time.

Associated Press photo

YANKEES (85-53)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Andruw Jones RF
Russell Martin C
Jesus Montero DH
Brett Gardner LF

RHP Freddy Garcia (11-7, 3.09)
Garcia vs. Orioles

ORIOLES (55-83)
Kyle Hudson LF
J.J. Hardy SS
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Matt Wieters C
Mark Reynolds 3B
Robert Andino 3B
Ryan Adams 2B

LHP Brian Matusz (1-7, 9.07)
Matusz vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 1:05 p.m., YES Network

WEATHER: It’s 80 and pretty humid right now, with skies looking a little gloomy. The forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms later, but they’re talking 3-4 p.m. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get this one in before it gets too bad.

UMPIRES: HP Paul Emmel, 1B Rob Drake, 2B Gary Darling, 3B Bruce Dreckman

DAYTIME FREDDY: As good as Freddy Garcia has been this season, he’s been even better in day games, going 5-1 with a 1.73 ERA. He’ll look to continue that trend today.

SLOW STARTERS: While the Yankees have made a habit of winning series, they’ve been mediocre in opening games. They are only 23-22 in series openers this season.

WOULDN’T YA KNOW?: Robinson Cano owns a career .353 (158-for-448) batting average against Baltimore, his highest mark against any AL team and the fourth-highest average against the Orioles among active players.

UPDATE, 1:11PM: After two quick outs to start the game, Nick Markakis takes Garcia deep over the right field fence. Andruw Jones took two steps back and then just watched it sail over his head. 1-0 O’s.

UPDATE, 1:18PM: The Teixecutioner pulls one out down the left field line to tie the game at 1-1. He’s hitting over .300 as a right-handed batter, but under .220 from the left side. Luckily for the Yanks, he’s batting righty today.

UPDATE, 1:24PM: Nice two-out rally here for the Yanks. A walk to A-Rod, a single up the middle from Cano and then a lined RBI single to center from Jones gives them a 2-1 lead.

UPDATE, 1:36PM: Garcia is allowing some hard hit balls. After a Mark Reynolds double in the left-center field gap that put runners on second and third, Robert Andino just tied the game with a hard hit single. It’s 2-2.

UPDATE, 1:42PM: Things are not looking good for Garcia. Reynolds scored on a passed ball to give the O’s a 3-2 lead, then ninth-hitter Ryan Adams lined a hard single to right to put runners on the corners. Andino scored on a fielder’s choice, and then J.J. Hardy added an RBI single. It’s 5-2, and Scott Proctor is warming in the Yankee pen.

UPDATE, 1:50PM: After Garcia struck out Adam Jones to end the inning, Jesus Montero led off for the Yanks with a four-pitch walk.

UPDATE, 1:55PM: No sooner did I tweet this stat, and Jeter doubled into the right field corner. Since May 25 against left-handed pitching at Yankee Stadium, The Captain is batting .484. And Curtis Granderson follows Jeter by doubling to nearly the exact same spot, driving in Jeter and Montero. That’s 109 RBI for the Grandy man. Yanks pull to within one, 5-4.

UPDATE, 2:00PM: Matusz is out of the game, and RHP Chris Jakubauska is in. He promptly walks Teixeira to bring up A-Rod. I remember watching Matusz when he first came up and thinking he could be a stud. Not the case this season, but that could be said for just about the entire Orioles pitching staff.

UPDATE, 2:03PM: A-Rod gets plunked to load the bases. Here comes Bobbie with one out.

UPDATE, 2:09PM: That, my friends, was a moon shot. Cano sends a grand slam out to the Bleacher Creatures. Remember when people used to talk about his issues with runners in scoring position? He seems to have completely reversed that trend, as if he finds a new level of focus in a big spot. That makes it 8-5 Yanks. And we’re not even out of the second inning.

UPDATE, 2:12PM: And the hits just keep on coming. Jones walks, and Martin doubles, setting things up for The Kid. Montero was late on a fastball, and went down swinging, though.

UPDATE, 2:21PM: Reynolds hits his 32nd homer of the year, a liner out to left field. That two-run shot pulls Baltimore within one, 8-7. Garcia just doesn’t have it today.

UPDATE, 2:23PM: Here comes Joe. Garcia receiving some boos on the way out. Scott Proctor is coming in for his first appearance as a Yankee since July 27, 2007 against the O’s.

UPDATE, 2:26PM: Proctor is promptly greeted by Kyle Hudson, who picks up his first major league hit. Garcia’s final line: 2.2 IP, 9 H, 0 BB, 7 ER, 1 K, 2 HR, 56 pitches. His ERA jumped from a 3.09 to a 3.50.

UPDATE, 2:32PM: The YES Network’s Jack Curry is reporting that prospect Dellin Betances could soon join the Yankees. Curry spoke to Brian Cashman, who said he was going to discuss the possibility with Girardi.

UPDATE, 2:35PM: Yanks go down 1-2-3 in the third. That’s a surprise with the way that things have been going so far today…. Neat moment at the stadium when former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand got put up on the big screen. Huge ovation. Says he’s getting into sports broadcasting.

UPDATE, 2:45PM: Proctor gets out of the inning without any damage, but he allowed some hard hit balls. Nice 6-4-3 double play bailed him out a bit, plus a nice stab by Tex at first.

UPDATE, 2:46PM: A-Rod is hitless, but has been on-base three times. Two walks, and a HBP.

UPDATE, 2:57PM: Andino hits his third homer of the season over the right field wall off of Proctor. That ties the game at 8-8. Lefty Aaron Laffey is warming in the Yankee pen.

UPDATE, 3:03PM: After striking out Adams, Laffey comes in to relieve Proctor. Based on the solid contact that the O’s were making off of Proctor, I wouldn’t expect him to provide much more than the occasional mop up duty. It’s a nice story, but he hasn’t been the same the past few seasons.

UPDATE, 3:06PM: Montero crushes his first big league homer deep to right field, and the place erupts. No silent treatment in the Yankee dugout, just high fives all around. And a curtain call. Oh, by the way. The Yankees take a 9-8 lead.

UPDATE, 3:10PM: For those wondering, the official John Sterling call for Montero’s homer is, “Jesus is loose!”

UPDATE, 3:15PM: That’s it for Laffey. Luis Ayala is coming in to face Adam Jones.

UPDATE, 3:31PM: Teixeira leads off the bottom of the sixth by lining a single to center. This hit came from the left side. A-Rod followed by grounding into a double play.

UPDATE, 3:37PM: Nifty 4-6-3 double play. Wasn’t the cleanest looking, but nice recovery from Jeter. Ayala gets the Yankees to what should be Dave Robertson in the eighth.

UPDATE, 3:46PM: Wow. Another Montero homer to virtually the same spot, and again against a righty. And another curtain call. His opposite field power is flat out impressive. He had to reach out and over the plate to get to that one. He’s shown he can pull the ball with authority, and he’s shown that he can hit with power to the opposite field. This kid looks like a keeper, no doubt. It’s 11-8 Yanks.

UPDATE, 3:56PM: Sloppy D here from the Yanks in the eighth. Chris Dickerson mishandles a single from Markakis, allowing him to advance to second. As Jeter bobbled Dickerson’s throw, Markakis took off for third, but Jeter got him with the throw to A-Rod. Missed opportunity there for the O’s, but they got one run out of it. It’s 11-9 with Cory Wade coming in. My question is, where is D-Rob? He didn’t pitch yesterday, but pitched two innings on Saturday. I’ll have to ask Girardi.

UPDATE, 4:01PM: Wade gets Guerrero to ground back to the pitcher. Inning over. One more chance to add some cushion for the Yanks, then it’s time for the Sandman.

UPDATE, 4:23PM: Mo gave up a run, but the Yankees hold on for the 11-10 win. He now has 597 career saves, four behind Trevor Hoffman for first all-time. I’m heading down for Montero-fest 2011.