The LoHud Yankees Blog

The Yankees aren’t finished just yet. A.J. Burnett gave them what they needed in Game 4 and sent the division series back to New York with a 10-1 Yankees win tonight in Detroit. Burnett walked his usual tightrope, but he allowed just one run on four hits and four walks through 5.2 innings. A tight game was broken open when the Yankees scored six runs in the eighth inning, leaving no doubt that this series would be heading back to Yankee Stadium for a winner-take-all Game 5 showdown.

Associated Press photo

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

RHP A.J. Burnett (11-11, 5.15)
Burnett vs. Tigers

TIGERS (2-1)
Austin Jackson CF
Ramon Santiago 2B
Delmon Young LF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Don Kelly RF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Alex Avila C
Wilson Betemit 3B

RHP Rick Porcello (14-9, 4.75)
Porcello vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 8:37., TBS

WEATHER: Much, much nicer today than it was yesterday. Nothing but blue skies all afternoon.

UMPIRES: HP Dan Iassogna, 1B Ted Barrett, 2B Bill Welke, 3B Tony Randazzo, LF Eric Cooper, RF Gerry Davis

BEEN HERE BEFORE: The Yankees are 1-4 in ALDS series when falling behind 2-games-to-1. The lone win came in 2001 against Oakland — you probably remember that one — and the Yankees are 7-6 in ALDS games when facing elimination.

NOT CLOSE ENOUGH: After last night’s 5-4 loss, the Yankees have had nine of their past 14 road games — dating back to September 8 — decided by one run. They have gone 3-6 in those games.

OLD TREND, NEW TREND: The Yankees are 7-5 in their last 12 games when the opponent’s starting pitcher is making his first career postseason start. They had won three such games in a row prior to Max Scherzer’s win in Game 2 of this ALDS.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The Yankees are 8-9 in ALDS road games since 2002, but seven of those eight wins have come in Minneapolis. They lost both of their games at Comerica Park during the 2006 ALDS.

UPDATE, 8:39 p.m.: Very nice play by Peralta to get Cano and cap a 1-2-3 top of the first for Porcello. Here’s A.J.

UPDATE, 8:45 p.m.: Austin Jackson walks and steals second easily. Runner at second with one out and the heart of the Tigers order coming to the plate.

UPDATE, 8:52 p.m.: Is it usually a good sign when the pitching coach goes to the mound after five batters?

UPDATE, 8:54 p.m.: And the high-wire act begins. Burnett walks the bases loaded, and gets out of it because Curtis Granderson is athletic enough to make a terrible read on a fly ball to center, but still make a leaping catch.

UPDATE, 8:58 p.m.: Teixeira absolutely crushes a line drive… right into the shift for an out.

UPDATE, 9:06 p.m.: A clean, 10-pitch second inning for Burnett. Still scoreless through two.

UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: Nice job by Martin to recognize early that Jeter’s double was going to fall. He took off early enough to score — just barely — and give the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Martin nearly caught up to Posada on the bases.

UPDATE, 9:43 p.m.: The Tigers first hit of the game is a big one, a home run that Victor Martinez absolutely crushed to right field. It’s a 2-1 Yankees lead in the bottom of the fourth.

UPDATE, 9:49 p.m.: Burnett strikeouts Betemit for the second time tonight and the Yankees have a 2-1 lead after four innings. Burnett’s thrown 61 pitches.

UPDATE, 9:58 p.m.: There’s a sharp double by Granderson for a 3-1 Yankees lead in the top of the fifth. Now the Tigers are intentionally walking Cano to load the bases for Alex Rodriguez.

UPDATE, 10:01 p.m.: Pretty deep sac fly by Rodriguez and it’s a 4-1 Yankees lead.

UPDATE, 10:09 p.m.: A double play helps Burnett get through a scoreless fifth, and the Yankees are into their final four innings with a 4-1 lead. One more inning and they can go to Soriano, Robertson and Rivera.

UPDATE, 10:20 p.m.: Yankees had the bullpen active in the first inning, but Burnett’s still out there in the sixth. He’s given them what they needed.

UPDATE, 10:26 p.m.: That’s all for Burnett, 5.2 innings, four hits, four walks and so far only one run. Soriano coming in to get the last out of the sixth inning with a runner at first.

UPDATE, 10:29 p.m.: My gosh, Curtis Granderson with an unreal diving catch to save at least a double. It’s rare that an entire press box says “wow” in unison, but it just happened. A terrific grab in the gap in left-center to end the sixth.

UPDATE, 10:55 p.m.: Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher just had three straight hits. Seriously, it happened. And now Jesus Montero has come on deck to pinch hit for Posada, but the Tigers are going to the bullpen for a right-hander. No indication whether Girardi plans to stick with Montero or pinch hit someone like Chavez.

UPDATE, 11:01 p.m.: Montero’s first postseason at-bat ends with an RBI single — it came after a run-scoring balk — and the lead is up to 6-1 in the eighth.

UPDATE, 11:17 p.m.: Now this game is getting out of hand, with the Yankees scoring six runs — and counting — in the eighth to make it 10-1.

Joe Girardi said he woke up this morning feeling no different than any other day. He didn’t hear from anyone in the Yankees front office, didn’t change his daily routine. It was just another day, except this one came with the possibility of elimination looming large in tonight’s game.

“You understand that,” Girardi said. “And you think about how hard you worked. With the players, how hard they worked all year long. You don’t want it to end today. You don’t ever want it to end until it’s the last out of the World Series that you get. And that’s hard if it does.”

On the mound, the Yankees have A.J. Burnett, the team’s embattled starter who had a bit of a resurgence in September but ultimately finished with another disappointing season. The Yankees didn’t plan to have him start a game today, but Friday’s rain forced them to use a four-man rotation.

“I’m not underestimating him a bit,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “He’s got great stuff. A.J. Burnett is capable of going out and throwing a two-hitter tonight. I know that. He has great stuff. You know the scenario is — this is a good situation for A.J., I think, on this stage tonight. People are hot and cold about A.J. and everything. Not us. We know what a great talent he is. If he gets it going, he can wipe you out. We’re very concerned about it.”

Girardi said it’s hard to say how long or short his leash will be. CC Sabathia got into trouble in last night’s third inning, and Girardi it’s “very possible you pull him” if Burnett has a similar third inning tonight.

Phil Hughes is available for roughly 50 pitches. Freddy Garcia has been told to be ready. Ivan Nova is available if things get “crazy” and the Yankees absolutely need innings.

“I don’t think there’s no exact science,” Girardi said. “You look at how (Burnett)’s pitching, getting outs. You can walk a guy, get a double play and then roll. You’ve just got to manage the game, and if you think there’s a time you need to pull him or you think there’s a time you leave him in, you go with your gut.”

• As he so often does, Girardi said he trusts his players who have track records. That’s why the lineup remains unchanged despite struggles by Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira. “Everyone wants to throw stuff out, but it’s a couple of games,” Girardi said. “Adrian Beltre was 0-for-9 before today. Ron Washington didn’t move him, and he hit three homers. I don’t think you can make too much of a few games. You (can’t) start shaking up your lineup. These guys have done it all year long, and you expect them to do it.”

• Girardi on Mark Teixeira: “I think he’s just missed some balls in this series, I do. I think he’s had some pretty good swings and I think his at-bats have been pretty good. I thought he missed a ball the other day at home, I thought he hit a ball hard yesterday. I think sometimes you can get caught up in the numbers and not necessarily look at the at-bats. I think his at-bats have been OK.”

• Basically, the Girardi quote is the exact same for Swisher.

• Asked about Derek Jeter’s late-inning outs the past two games, Girardi pointed to the guy on the mound. “That’s why they get paid the big bucks, the closers, to get those big outs,” Girardi said.

• Girardi called the mood in the clubhouse “loose and relaxed” and said he felt no need to address the team before tonight’s game. “It’s not like I have a bunch of kids,” he said. “I have guys that understand what this is about.”

• The only pitcher no available tonight is CC Sabathia. “If he could throw right-handed he’d be available,” Girardi said. “If he was Mr. Venditte, he’d be available.”

• Nova threw a bullpen yesterday to prepare for a Game 4 start. “If you get in a crazy game you might have to (use him tonight),” Girardi said. “Then I’ll figure it out Thursday.”

• Obviously Hughes is the go-to long man tonight, but Girardi said he won’t necessarily got to Hughes first if Burnett struggles. “You might choose to bring someone in who’s used to coming into the middle of the inning a little more,” Girardi said. “That’s a decision I’ll have to make. I’ll look at some things and who they’re facing.”

• In case you missed it, Texas wrapped up the other division series this afternoon. If the Yankees come back in this series, they’ll head for an ALCS rematch against the Rangers.

Associated Press photos

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

TIGERS
Austin Jackson CF
Ramon Santiago 2B
Delmon Young LF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Don Kelly RF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Alex Avila C
Wilson Betemit 3B

Rick Porcello grew up in New Jersey and went to the same high school as former Yankees first-round pick Eric Duncan. I know that because Duncan was talking him up in the Triple-A clubhouse the year Porcello was drafted.

“I was actually a Mets fan growing up,” Porcello said yesterday. “But my parents were both Yankee fans. Mom loves Derek Jeter. Might like him more than me.”

Tonight, Porcello will try to knock Jeter and the Yankees out of the playoffs.

“I don’t think it necessarily has a lot to do with the team as much as knowing there’s a lot of people I grew up with at the games,” Porcello said. “I think the added pressure to that, just knowing they’re there, present at the ballpark. I’ll always have my family there and friends and teachers and people that I grew up with, so I think just having them there and wanting to perform well for them is a little added pressure.”

Porcello made one start against the Yankees this season. It was here in Detroit, and he allowed two runs through seven innings. It was the game when Eric Chavez broke his foot, and the Yankees starter was — of all people — A.J. Burnett. Tonight will be the rematch, with much more on the line.

“I think (my parents) are pretty much committed to rooting for me and the Tigers right now,” Porcello said. “So I don’t think they watch many Yankee games anymore.”

You can bet they’ll be watching this one.

Associated Press photo

Sorry everyone. Technical issues popped up and we couldn’t get them resolved, so we had to cut the chat short. We’ll try it again soon.

Imagine, the Yankees’ entire year hanging on A.J. Burnett?

Ten days ago, Burnett walked off the mound at Yankee Stadium to cheers.

He’d held Boston to a pair of runs in 7.2 innings, striking out six, and severely injuring the Red Sox’ fading playoff chances. More important, Burnett shed just a little bit of hope that he might actually be able to help the Yankees in the postseason.

Well, tonight he gets his chance to not only help, but to save the Yankees … or help the Tigers finish them off.

Burnett — who had a handful of decent starts down the stretch, and who was sent to the bullpen and retired the one batter he faced as a reliever in the final game of the season — starts Game 4 of the ALDS with the Yankees facing early elimination.

It took some special circumstances, the rainout of Game 1 that wasted CC Sabathia after two innings, and moved him up from the Game 4 starter to last night’s Game 3.

So Burnett, who has had some moments in the postseason with the Yankees, gets a shot to make something of this season, and to extend it or end it.

“I look at it as a chance to get my team a win … a very big one,” Burnett said. “I had good games, bad games during the season. You can say the ame thing about the postseason, but you can’t count me out. I’m going to bring everything I’ve got, and just let A.J. loose out there.

“Like I said, it’s an important game. It’s going to be more important depending on the outcome (of Game 3), but I can’t do anything to change the season. But I can help my team to win. I’m going to do that the best I can.”

Confidence has never been the issue with Burnett, and he said as much.

“Believe it or not, I have pretty good confidence every start,” he said. “I try to go out and believe I can throw a no-hitter. Even last year when I couldn’t get out of the first inning, I took the mound the next start with belief. And I did so this year. If I don’t do that, then I don’t make it where I am now. I don’t have the few good starts towards the end (of the season) if I don’t stay that way.”

His history includes Game 2 of the 2009 World Series in which he held Philadelphia to one run on four hits in seven innings.

He said he would probably watch the video of that outing last night.

“More than likely,” Burnett said. “I do have it on the computer. I haven’t watched in a while, probably not since last year. I watch a lot of video. That would definitely be a good one to watch, for sure.”

Said Derek Jeter:

“A.J.’s capable or shutting guys down. Hopefully tomorrow he’s ready to go, as we know he will be, and gives us an opportunity.

“AJ.’s pitched in big games for us. He’s come through when we needed him.”

Tonight, the whole season relies on his inconsistent, inexplicable, tattooed right arm.

Here’s Burnett, speaking before last night’s game.

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Quick reminder that Chad is hosting a chat today at noon. Stop by if you can.

Associated Press photo

The strike zone seemed tight tonight. Joe Girardi said so, Russell Martin said so, and CC Sabathia said so. But not one of them seemed to think that was the reason the Tigers won this game and put the Yankees on the verge of elimination.

“I’m not going to sit here and say it was the umpire’s fault,” Sabathia said. “I just didn’t make pitches when I needed to… I felt great, felt fine. I thought my fastball command was better than it has been. It’s just not making pitches when I need to, whether that be a breaking ball or changeup or whatever it was. They were just fouling pitches off.”

Martin said it was the outer half of the plate against right-handers that was causing frustration. Those were borderline pitches, he said, and sometimes Sabathia gets those calls. Tonight he didn’t. He walked three batters in the first inning, higher than his walk total for two-thirds of his starts this season. He finished with six walks, more than he’s had since early 2010.

“We just want the pitches that are on the plate to be called strikes, and a few times I felt like there were some borderline pitches,” Martin said. “But it’s a tough job back there for an umpire, and I thought he was consistent. He wasn’t calling that pitch, and he didn’t really change his mind… I felt like (Sabathia) had the same stuff that he normally does. When I see he has the same stuff, it’s just the other team is doing their job and battling and fighting.”

Sabathia threw 28 pitches in the first inning, which is more than he threw in two innings on Friday. Ultimately, he was limited. He limited in his ability to put hitters away, and he was limited in his ability to work deep into the game, two things that make Sabathia who he is.

Now the Yankees will turn to A.J. Burnett, an all-or-nothing starter for an all-or-nothing game.

“It’s tough,” Sabathia said. “I put us in a bad spot. Next time I get the ball, I’ll try to go out and help us win. I wasn’t able to do that tonight.

Here’s a little bit of Martin. Sorry, but audio was tough to get in that cramped clubhouse.

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• Brett Gardner has had a couple of big hits this series, and his two-out, two-run double off Justin Verlander felt like a huge hit. For just a moment, momentum seemed to swing heavily in the Yankees favor. “We were able to tie it up, but it wasn’t enough,” Gardner said. “Tough loss for us, but come out tomorrow be ready to go… We’ve won two games in a row a lot of times this year.”

• A half inning after Gardner’s big hit, came Delmon Young’s big blow. Rafael Soriano had already gotten three outs — and sat for a half inning in the middle of them — when Young came to the plate. It was the first time all year that he’d pitched more than an inning. “I was ready today for that situation because I knew the situation of the game,” Soriano said. “I was going in maybe for the last two outs of that inning and then come back and try to get the next inning. I was mentally ready, prepared for that situation.”

• Soriano on the pitch to Young: “To me that was a good pitch. I mean, nothing I can do now. It was a good location, and he hit it out. So we just got to come back tomorrow.”

• Girardi on using Soriano for more than three outs: “He was well rested. He missed the location. That’s going to happen. He went out and got the next couple of guys out. He was fine.”

• Alex Rodriguez drew two walks tonight, but he still doesn’t have a hit this series. Mark Teixeria struck out twice and is hitting .091 these three games. “I think we can win no matter what,” Rodriguez said. “You’ve got to throw statistics out the window in the playoffs. The only statistic that matters is winning games. And I think both Tex and I are prepared for big at-bats. The playoffs come down to a few key at bats, and when those at-bats come, we’ll be there.”

• Martin took a 100-mph fastball to the ribs. “It stings,” he said. “95. 100. Who cares?”

• Girardi on the decision to stick with Sabathia in the sixth: “They had left, right, left. That’s why I left CC in there, because of that situation. I had
Soriano up in the fifth. But Soriano was coming in after the catcher.”

• Sabathia’s six walks were the most allowed by a Yankees pitcher in the postseason since Orlando Hernandez who walked six in Game 1 of the ALDS in 1999.

• Two hits for Jeter extends his Major League record, giving him 189 postseason hits.

• Good call by Jim Leyland tonight, choosing to start Ramon Santiago, who had two hits tonight, one of which drove in the first Tigers run, and one of which put them in the lead 3-2.

• Girardi said he remains fully committed to Burnett getting the start tomorrow. “A.J.’s capable or shutting guys down,” Jeter said. “Hopefully tomorrow he’s ready to go, as we know he will be, and gives us an opportunity. We’ve got to score some runs… We’ve won a game before and that’s the mindset we have to have. This game’s over with, done with, we’ll be back here later on tonight and try to win a game.”

—

Just a quick, late announcement: With the Yankees on the brink, I’m going to host a chat tomorrow at noon. Stop by if you can. See you then.

Associated Press photos

The Yankees fell to the brink of elimination in tonight’s 5-4 loss in Detroit. CC Sabathia’s pitch count forced him out of the game after just 5.1 innings, and Rafael Soriano allowed the game-winning home run to Delmon Young in the seventh. Sabathia walked six, his highest total since April of 2010, Girardi turned the bullpen after just one out in the sixth inning. Sabathia left with a 4-2 deficit, but Brett Gardner tied the game with a two-out, two-run double in the seventh before Young’s second homer of the series put the Tigers back in front. Justin Verlander pitched eight innings, striking out 11.

Associated Press photo

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

LHP CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.00)
Sabathia vs. Tigers

TIGERS (1-1)
Austin Jackson CF
Ramon Santiago 2B
Delmon Young LF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Magglio Ordonez RF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Alex Avila C
Brandon Inge 3B

RHP Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40)
Verlander vs. Yankees

TIME/TV: 8:37., TBS

WEATHER: The rain seems to be following the Yankees across the country. It’s been rainy all day here in Detroit, but it was clear enough that the tarp stayed of the field pregame.

UMPIRES: HP Gerry Davis, 1B Dan Iassogna, 2B Ted Barrett, 3B Bill Welke, LF Tony Randazzo, RF Eric Cooper

LET’S TRY THIS AGAIN: This is the first time a pitcher has started Games 1 and 3 in a postseason series since Kevin Brown in the 1998 NLDS with San Diego. Sabathia and Verlander are the first American League pitchers to do it since Oakland’s Dave Stewart in the 1989 World Series vs. San Francisco. Sabathia is the first Yankee to start Games 1 and 3 since Whitey Ford took the loss in Game 1 of the 1956 World Series before tossing a complete-game win in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium on two-days’ rest.

HOME ON THE ROAD: Sabathia is undefeated in four road postseason starts as a Yankee, going 2-0 with a 4.38 ERA (24.2IP, 12ER).

CHUGGING ALONG: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Jorge Posada became the second 40-year-old to hit a triple in a postseason game, joining Joe Morgan, who did it with the Phillies in Game 5 of the 1983 World Series vs. Baltimore.

STREAK SNAPPED: The Yankees had their seven-game ALDS winning streak snapped yesterday. It was the longest-ever ALDS winning streak.

UPDATE, 8:46 p.m.: Jeter’s single and Granderson’s triple have sparked a two-run first inning for the Yankees. Verlander is throwing serious heat, but two hits and an RBI ground out are enough for a 2-0 lead.

UPDATE, 8:52 p.m.: Sabathia walks Jackson, but get a double play ball as Russell Martin pumps his fist in foul territory.

UPDATE, 8:58 p.m.: Tight zone, and Sabathia has walked three of the first four batters he’s faced.

UPDATE, 9:02 p.m.: Martinez goes down swinging, and Sabathia is out of the jam. Took him 28 pitches, one more than he threw in two innings on Friday.

UPDATE, 9:06 p.m.: Sabathia made 33 starts this season and walked as many as three in a game — never mind an inning — only 10 times.

UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: Another Sabathia walk. Another double play. Another inning-ending strikeout.

UPDATE, 9:33 p.m.: Sabathia never walked five in a game this season. He just reach that number tonight with his second walk to — of all people — free swinging Austin Jackson.

UPDATE, 9:37 p.m.: Santiago is in this lineup specifically to face Sabathia, and he just singled in a run on a 1-2 pitch. It’s 2-1 in the third.

UPDATE, 9:38  p.m.: Bases loaded for Miguel Cabrera. This may be the at-bat of the game.

UPDATE, 9:40 p.m.: Double play ties the game, but it’s far from the worst-case scenario in that situation. Have to consider that a huge plus for CC and the Yankees.

UPDATE, 9:51 p.m.: Good grief, that’s a heckuva curveball from Verlander. Swisher goes down looking and it’s still 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth. Sabathia’s already thrown 63 pitches.

UPDATE, 10:19 p.m.: Santiago does it again, this time an RBI double to put the Tigers in the lead, 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. This was Leyland’s big move of the series, and it’s paying off big time right now.

UPDATE, 10:40 p.m.: That’s it for Sabathia. He threw 106 pitches through 5.1 innings and here’s Soriano to finish off the sixth. Six walks is the most in a game for Sabathia since April of 2010.

UPDATE, 10:55 p.m.: Martin plunked at 100 mph. The Yankees have a runner at second base for the first time since the first inning.

UPDATE, 11:00 p.m.: Huge double by Gardner, and a huge handclap for him as he settles into second base. A walk, hit batter and now the double — all with two outs — have tied the game in the seventh.

UPDATE, 11:03 p.m.: Seems like every single Yankee gestured or said something to Gardner as they took the field for the bottom of the seventh. He’s given this team new life.