With the tarp off the field and the temperature at a chilly 46 degrees Robinson Cano made his return to Yankee Stadium. Though, last night on Jimmy Fallon Cano surprised a couple Yankee fans. Though I'm not going to get on that its more fun to talk about the Mariners 6-3 win over the Yankees. As Cano made his way to the plate for the first time did he ever get the warmest welcome from New York's greatest fans.......that was sarcasm by the way. CC Sabathia took to the mound for the Pinstripes looking to improve to 13-4 against the Mariners in his career. At first things looked like he would earn that 13th win very easily......that didn't happen though.
After a 1-2-3 first for Sabathia, Chris Young took to the mound for Seattle looking to earn that first win of the season. Young ran into trouble in back-to-back innings. First Mark Teixeira drove his third homer of the season over the right field fence, and then in the following inning Young's inning didn't start off the way he wanted it to. He walked the first batter he saw then gave up a single to Brett Gardner, after getting two outs with Brian McCann up to bat Gardner took off to steal second and on the throw from catcher Mike Zunino the ball rolled into center allowing Brian Roberts to score to make it 2-0.
Things really started to go the Mariners way in the top of the fifth. Zunino lead off by legging out an infield single which was ruled an out at first but was overturned upon further review. Zunino's single would be followed by two other singles by Willie Bloomquist and Abraham Almonte, so here is a familiar site for M's fans bases loaded and no outs, well you can guess that M's fans on Twitter were saying that they wouldn't score. Cano drove in the M's first run with a productive ground ball that allowed Zunino to score from third, Corey Hart then drove the first pitch he saw into right center field that allowed Willie and Abraham to score and so the Mariners took the 3-2 lead. Justin Smoak added the last run of the inning for the M's with an RBI single to right to make it 4-2.
The top of the seventh saw the Mariners scoring two more times with two outs. Cano lead off the seventh with a hustling infield single and then to top things off stole second. So with two outs Dustin Ackley came in to pinch hit for Cole Gillespie, and after a tough home stand he drove in Cano with a 2-out single to put the M's up 5-2. Zunino added to his terrific night by driving in Ackley with his career high 4th hit of the night.
Fernando Rodney was brought in to finish off the Yankees in the 9th, it wouldn't be easy though. Rodney sent us on another roller coaster ride as he gave up a run but was able to close out the game. So the Mariners move to within 3 games of .500 and will go for a series win tomorrow. Though the forecast for tomorrow in New York doesn't look good as the rain pelted the teams tonight and will probably be continuing tomorrow so we may have a double header on Thursday.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Robinson Cano 1-5 R SB RBI
Corey Hart 1-4 2B 2 RBIs R
Mike Zunino 4-5 R RBI
Dustin Ackley 2-2 RBI R
Showing posts with label CC Sabathia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CC Sabathia. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Bad calls and pitching cost Felix the win
Felix Hernandez entered tonight's having great success at Yankee Stadium and he hoped to continue his dominance in the Bronx. The first inning was a tough one for the Mariners hitters as C.C. Sabathia struck out 2 batters and got an easy 1-2-3 inning for himself. Felix though didn't have the easiest innings of his season, the inning started off with Brett Gardner singling and then stealing second. Felix then walked Robinson Cano, but as all Mariners fans know Felix always knows how to get himself out of those tough innings and he did just that by getting Vernon Wells to fly out to right and then getting Curtis Granderson to ground into an inning double play. The top of the third is when the Mariners got to Sabathia, Michael Saunders was able to get on first on an error then Kyle Seager came up with two outs and as we know Seager with 2 outs he manages to come through and he did again by doubling to right scoring Saunders all the way from first.
The bottom of the fourth saw the first of many bad calls by the home plate umpire as Lyle Overbay was granted first base after Felix was called for interference, though on the replay you clearly see that the first base umpire called Overbay out before he came close to touching the bag. Felix recovered from that though by striking out Jason Nix and Ichiro to end the inning. The top of the sixth inning for the Mariners started off well, as Kelly Shoppach was able to get the lead off single. Raul Ibanez came up and reminded Yankees fans of October magic he had in the playoffs as he hit a 2 run homerun and the Mariners took a 3-0 lead. The Yankees were able to strike for their first run in the bottom half of the sixth, Robinson Cano started things off by singling to lead off the inning but was erased after Curtis Granderson grounded into a fielder's choice.
After the fielder's choice there was an injury delay as Felix seem to have tweaked the leg that Lyle Overbay bumped into on the collision back in the fourth but Felix was able to walk it off, Overbay then came up and was able to double home Granderson and the Yankees scored their first run of the ball game. Felix recovered and got Ichiro to line out to Michael Saunders to end the inning.
Felix didn't return and Yoenis Medina was brought in to try and hold the Yankees off. Medina gave a single to Chris Nelson and Nelson moved up on a wild pitch after that Medina got Austin Romnie to strike out swinging, Eric Wedge decided to play it safe and brought in Charlie Furbush to face the lefties. Home plate umpire Jerry Layne made some very questionable calls as Brett Gardner walked, Layne then made two more questionable calls as he called two balls that were in the strike zone balls, now if he would've called those strikes Furbush would have gotten Cano to strike out instead Cano drove a ball to deep right center field and both Nelson and Gardner scored and there went Felix's gem in one inning. The Yankees weren't done as Lyle Overbay was able to score Cano by hitting a fly ball to Saunders in center field and the Yankees now took the lead 4-3. Wedge then went out to get Furbush out of the game to bring in Carter Capps, Capps didn't have a problem as he was able to end the nightmare inning by striking out Jason Nix.
The Mariners now had some work to do, Dustin Ackley got things started in the top of the eighth by walking on four straight pitches. Brendan Ryan then laid down a bunt that went out only a few feet but thanks to Ackley's speed he was able to beat the throw by catcher Austin Romnie. Unfortunately the Mariners struggles with runners in scoring position, Michael Saunders failed to get the bunt down as he struck out then Justin Smoak lined into an inning ending double play. In the ninth inning Mariano Rivera came in to close out the game. Rivera got a 1-2-3 inning and earned his 16th save of the year and his 624 save of his amazing Hall of Fame career.
NOTES: Mike Morse went 3-5 in the game and was able to raise his average to .244. The Mariners went 2-11 with RISP and the Yankees went 1-11. Felix remains in second in the majors for ERA with a 1.53.
The bottom of the fourth saw the first of many bad calls by the home plate umpire as Lyle Overbay was granted first base after Felix was called for interference, though on the replay you clearly see that the first base umpire called Overbay out before he came close to touching the bag. Felix recovered from that though by striking out Jason Nix and Ichiro to end the inning. The top of the sixth inning for the Mariners started off well, as Kelly Shoppach was able to get the lead off single. Raul Ibanez came up and reminded Yankees fans of October magic he had in the playoffs as he hit a 2 run homerun and the Mariners took a 3-0 lead. The Yankees were able to strike for their first run in the bottom half of the sixth, Robinson Cano started things off by singling to lead off the inning but was erased after Curtis Granderson grounded into a fielder's choice.
After the fielder's choice there was an injury delay as Felix seem to have tweaked the leg that Lyle Overbay bumped into on the collision back in the fourth but Felix was able to walk it off, Overbay then came up and was able to double home Granderson and the Yankees scored their first run of the ball game. Felix recovered and got Ichiro to line out to Michael Saunders to end the inning.
Felix didn't return and Yoenis Medina was brought in to try and hold the Yankees off. Medina gave a single to Chris Nelson and Nelson moved up on a wild pitch after that Medina got Austin Romnie to strike out swinging, Eric Wedge decided to play it safe and brought in Charlie Furbush to face the lefties. Home plate umpire Jerry Layne made some very questionable calls as Brett Gardner walked, Layne then made two more questionable calls as he called two balls that were in the strike zone balls, now if he would've called those strikes Furbush would have gotten Cano to strike out instead Cano drove a ball to deep right center field and both Nelson and Gardner scored and there went Felix's gem in one inning. The Yankees weren't done as Lyle Overbay was able to score Cano by hitting a fly ball to Saunders in center field and the Yankees now took the lead 4-3. Wedge then went out to get Furbush out of the game to bring in Carter Capps, Capps didn't have a problem as he was able to end the nightmare inning by striking out Jason Nix.
The Mariners now had some work to do, Dustin Ackley got things started in the top of the eighth by walking on four straight pitches. Brendan Ryan then laid down a bunt that went out only a few feet but thanks to Ackley's speed he was able to beat the throw by catcher Austin Romnie. Unfortunately the Mariners struggles with runners in scoring position, Michael Saunders failed to get the bunt down as he struck out then Justin Smoak lined into an inning ending double play. In the ninth inning Mariano Rivera came in to close out the game. Rivera got a 1-2-3 inning and earned his 16th save of the year and his 624 save of his amazing Hall of Fame career.
NOTES: Mike Morse went 3-5 in the game and was able to raise his average to .244. The Mariners went 2-11 with RISP and the Yankees went 1-11. Felix remains in second in the majors for ERA with a 1.53.
Showdown in the Bronx
The Seattle Mariners enter today 2 games out of second place of the American League West and 6 games out of first place in the standings and finally 4 games out of the 2nd spot in the American League Wild Card. Not bad for a team 2 games under .500 huh? Today the Mariners go into New York for a showdown with the Yankees and what a pitching matchup for the first game, the 2007 Cy Young award winner CC Sabathia and the 2010 Cy Young Felix Hernandez. Both pitchers have terrific records against the teams in this series. Felix has a 5-2 record against the Yankees with a 4-1 record at Yankee Stadium with 2 complete game shutouts and he has also posted a 2.06 ERA against the Yankees. Sabathia though has posted a 12-4 record against the Mariners with a 2.46 ERA in 20 starts against the Mariners. So basically its a clash of the pitching titans today, not a bad matchup for the first of a three game series huh?
The Mariners have been one of the hottest teams in their last 15 games going 10-5. The Mariners right now are playing as though their season is on the line and this series will test the 3rd place Mariners in a few ways, 1) It will test their pitching staff to try and hold a power hitting team to few runs, 2) It will test their hitters to get hits off of a tough pitching staff and will need to score early and knockout the starters early as well, and 3) It will basically test the whole team pitching and hitting wise to take the series against a tough first place team.
The Yankees have been riddled with injuries this year with most of their big bats on the DL but thankfully Vernon Wells has provided power and is getting his career back on track. Nobody knows what will happen in this series but I do know this, the team that scores early and scores enough runs will come out on top. Both teams have the pitching to be great playoff teams this year, but the Mariners hitting must keep improving if they would like a shot at the playoffs this year.
NOTES: Dustin Ackley is out again for the second day in a row and Robert Andino will be playing in his place. Curtis Granderson will be back in the lineup for the Yankees batting cleanup.
The Mariners have been one of the hottest teams in their last 15 games going 10-5. The Mariners right now are playing as though their season is on the line and this series will test the 3rd place Mariners in a few ways, 1) It will test their pitching staff to try and hold a power hitting team to few runs, 2) It will test their hitters to get hits off of a tough pitching staff and will need to score early and knockout the starters early as well, and 3) It will basically test the whole team pitching and hitting wise to take the series against a tough first place team.
The Yankees have been riddled with injuries this year with most of their big bats on the DL but thankfully Vernon Wells has provided power and is getting his career back on track. Nobody knows what will happen in this series but I do know this, the team that scores early and scores enough runs will come out on top. Both teams have the pitching to be great playoff teams this year, but the Mariners hitting must keep improving if they would like a shot at the playoffs this year.
NOTES: Dustin Ackley is out again for the second day in a row and Robert Andino will be playing in his place. Curtis Granderson will be back in the lineup for the Yankees batting cleanup.
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About Me
Im a huge Seattle sports nut. Thats basically about me. But im an upcoming blogger who writes only about the Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders, and when they come back the Sonics. Now if you would like me to write about something tweet me and i will write it. Now i should mark that im also Irish and have a beard that is feared above Brian Wilson's beard. His beard can kiss my beard's ass!