"It's great to be young and a Yankee."

Hey, I'm real sorry about my posting delays this weekend. It's not always easy to get to a computer immediately following game, especially when you're outside. But since it's literally 98 out degrees out today, I'm thinking retreating into the AC-ed apartment for game writeup is going to be a most welcome delight.

So yesterday's game. Where to begin. I remember being very uncomfortable with the way the game started. 2-0. And I thought, Good grief I can't take another unnecessary loss. An unnecessary loss is one like game 1 of the M's series. A game where the Yanks basically early on collectively think, ok well you can't win them all.

It reminds me of in high school, when I was taking Finite Math with Ms. Sullivan and she'd tell everyone not to stress about tests because one high school math test is going to mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. (Interesting teaching approach.) I kind of ran with that and hence would look at each borderline failing test score as "well, you can't win 'em all!"

(Surprisingly, she was right. None of those tests meant anything. I just realized this a few months ago. Nothing I learned in high school really meant anything. Except my English classes. Those were important. But I have to say that I have never ever found a way to apply information I learned in any math class, anthropology, history, or science. So....kudos to my english teachers!)

Anyways. For me, the 3rd inning seemed to have 3 Acts.

Act I: When the Yankees tied it at 2, with Tex's screaming shot down the 3rd base line.
Act II: When the Yankees took a 4-2 lead with consecutive run-scoring hits from Cano and Arod.
Act III: When the Yankees took even their fans by surprise by just exploding for 7 more runs.

The best part was that the insane offensive hemorrhage occurred with 2 outs.

It could've been just a 4-2 game that Romero and the J's needed to overcome.

Instead the bases were loaded for GGBG, and the possibility of him going yard was SO remote, that the announcers weren't even discussing it. You know, usually they'll throw up the career salami stats for a batter whenever he takes the plate with loaded bases. But nope, not GGBG. It'd be like throwing up the career defensive touchdown stats for Rudy when he took the field.

My back was turned to the tv during his AB, I was painting during the commercial breaks and during some of the game, when I heard Kay screaming, "Gardner hits a loooooooon fly ball...." I still thought we had a Sterling situation that was going to end in "CAUGHT at second base."

But when I heard "See Ya!" I countered with "HOLY S@#%!"

My neighbors must love me.

Good for GGBG. His first ever. Career, college, HS, little-league...Awesome work.

No one was more stunned than Romero whose facial expression after the hit was just priceless. It was the face of an attorney who argued a open and shut case, and just heard the verdict going against him.
The hits kept coming, literally, when once again the bases were loaded for Arod (who DID warrant the career GS stats posted at the bottom of screen) and I really thought it was in the bag. I wasn't too disappointed when I saw the lazy fly ball to the outfield, (I mean after all we were already up by 6 runs).

Make it 11. John McDonald pulls a Fernando Martinez and Arod's got himself a bases clearing single.

(Sorry, this is not J's related, but I CANNOT get enough of this.)



And that was it for the scoring. I mean, Gonzalez had a solo in the 6th to make it 11-3, but after the 3rd inning, the Yankees took a nap. I guess I could understand that. It was hot out. SO hot out that I think Pettitte was getting borderline frustrated with the no-end-in-sight-inning that all in all lasted 15 batters and nearly 40 minutes.

"You want your guys to keep scoring," Pettitte said, "but it was a long inning."Pettitte had to get up a couple of times to play catch and keep warm while the scoring merry go-round was in full spin.

I think probably my favorite part of this game was the fact it forced references to one of my favorite games of all time. Tampa Bay, June 21, 2005.


Ah that was a good day.