(Throw, Hit,) Catch-22: Yanks-Royals Gamer

"Climb, you bastard! Climb, climb, climb, climb!" There are 22 games left, and the Yankees are 6.5 out of the East while three games up in the WC race. The Yankees have three games against the Royals, seven against Toronto, three against the Red Sox, three against the SatanFish, and six against the Orioles. New York is 6-1 on the season against the Royals as we head into action tonight in Missouri, where the biggest news is taking place on the other side of the state in St. Louis regarding disturbing revelations coming out of Florida relating to events from three years ago.

There was news on a positive note two days ago, when Alex Rodriguez continued his remarkable season, even when hobbled, Wednesday by becoming the fourth Yankee to homer twice in an inning. He'll try to pass Banks and Mathews tonight on the all-time list as he faces fellow ex-Mariner Gil Meche (7-12, 3.85 ERA) with the rest of the Bombers at Kauffman Stadium. In 26 career at bats, ARod has four homers and four doubles along with two singles off Meche, who is winless in his last eight starts with six losses in spite of throwing four quality starts.

Ian Kennedy gets his second major-league start and hopes to duplicate the success of his debut against TB in which he allowed only one run off five hits with 6 Ks in seven innings. In the mean time, slumping Seattle and Detroit "walk-off" Tigers are facing off for three games at Comerica, each three games back of the Bombers for the wild-card berth.

Wang is feeling fine following lower back stiffness and will get the ball on Saturday, while Luis Vizcaino is out of action for the weekend. He underwent an MRI yesterday on his right shoulder, and though the results were negative, he will be rested for the next four days; this paragraph according to the Daily News.

Lineups to come; comment away.

NY Yankees
J. Damon	lf	.256
D. Jeter	ss	.320
B. Abreu	rf	.288
A. Rodriguez	3b	.312
H. Matsui	dh	.296
J. Posada	c	.337
J. Giambi	1b	.249
R. Cano	2b	.301
M. Cabrera	cf	.293
I. Kennedy	rhp	1.29
Kansas City
J. Gathright	lf	.318
M. Grudzielanek	2b	.305
R. Gload	1b	.300
B. Butler	dh	.300
M. Teahen	rf	.290
D. DeJesus	cf	.269
A. Gordon	3b	.250
J. Smith	ss	.200
J. Buck	c	.231
G. Meche	rhp	3.85

Comments

[John - YF (Trisk)]

Missed Kennedy's start last week, get to finally see him pitch.

Villone is back from the DL.

Not sure how much I will get to comment tonight, I am on toddler duty. Go Yanks!

[Lar]

I wonder if Posada will split some votes with ARod for MVP. Doubtful, since ARod is having an insane year by most standards (especially compared to the field). Still, it would be interesting.

[Lar]

Ah, we get the 10 million dollar ace today, aginst a rookie. The lineup looks like the would-be playoff lineup. Let's do some mashing!

[LocklandSF]

Good luck tonight YFs!

And by that, I mean I hope you lose by 10, use 7 pitchers, Arod pulls a hammy, and the entire lineup goes O-fer.

Just a hammy, nothing serious. :-)

[IronHorse (yf)]

Uh oh. A pitcher who hasn't won in 8 straight starts. We're dead. The Royals must have stacked their rotation this way purposely.

[LocklandSF]

I'm serious, that was dangerous, 3 of us just watched all four home runs three times, with shots of Knob Creek. We are FAR too fired up now.

[LocklandSF]

Opps, wrong thread.

[Lar]

Wow, didn't realize the Tigers play the M's today. While we play KC. We better win this one..

We can really make or break this weekend..

[nyara]

anyone else notice kennedy's gameday photo? it looks like a bad cartoon.

[nyara]

wild night here tonight.
kennedy walks 3, but escapes. to the top of the 2nd we go...

[nyara]

Arod hits a bomb to left to lead things off!

1-0 NY

[IronHorse (yf)]

A-Rod!!!!

[nyara]

matsui with the 8-pitch groundout

[IronHorse (yf)]

The Bombers are in town...Jorge makes it 2-0

[nyara]

Jorge!! another shot!

2-0 NY

[IronHorse (yf)]

OK - Kennedy looking very very very rocky here in the second.

[nyara]

gordon doubles to lead off, and buck knocks him in with an rbi single.
2-1 NY

[nyara]

sorry, smith with the rbi single. buck follows him with another single. it all happened so fast...

[IronHorse (yf)]

Paging Mike Mussina...

[nyara]

grudz ties it up with another single. kennedy needs to figure his sh*t out, and soon.
2-2

[IronHorse (yf)]

Love Melky's cannon

[IronHorse (yf)]

All right kid, one more strike and we escape with a tie game.

[IronHorse (yf)]

So what's the pitch count on Kennedy - it's got to be about 50 in just two innings.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Well it appears dead here...I'll check in in an hour or so...score should be 18-17 by then.

[nyara]

kennedy at 49 pitches through 2.

melky leads off the third with a single.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Well I'm back...and shows what I know. Still 2-2. Just showed Mussina next to Farnsworth in the bullpen. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Mussina has to feel ashamed to in this position. I feel for him - seriously - and I never even liked him all that much.

Well, Kennedy, after an incredibly rocky start, really showed an impressive ability to limit damage. No way I would have expected him to keep them to 2 runs the way the first couple innings started.

Getting another 1-2 innings from any combination of Mussina/Farnsworth does not instill confidence.

[IronHorse (yf)]

WOW. Now that is a hideous, unbelivably costly throwing error by Meche on the come-backer with A-Rod on first. It was a DP you could turn in your sleep and he threw it into CF. A-Rod to third, Matsui safe at first. No outs. If this is where we get the lead, it is a gift from Meche. Ugly ugly play.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Oops - there was one out. Now Posada check swings into a force at second. 2 outs, 1st and 3rd, Giambi up. Meche may get out of this yet.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Cano blows with the bases loaded - .212 lifetime. Embarassing. But puts in a great great at-bat this time. But strikes out in the end - pretty crappy looking called 3rd strike - very far inside. Meche impressive over 6 nonetheless.

Oh well, no fun commenting to self. Enjoy the rest of the games this weekend YFs - see you back on Monday.

[YF]

I'm here Ironhorse. Cano was totally robbed. Kid finally draws a walk with the bases juiced and then gets ROBBED. Horrible call, and it costs at least 1 run.

[YF]

Farns comes in, cringe, and throws a perfect inning with 2 ks.

Musser in for Meche, and ks Melkster to start.

[YF]

2 out 2b by abreu off the top of the wall in left center scores jeets from first! 3-2!!!!

[YF]

No way they pitch to Alex with an open base and 2 out. Up to Matsui here.

[nyara]

2-out RBI double for abreu! jeter races from first to score... and the yanks take the lead.

anyone? bueller?

3-2 NY

[nyara]

whoops! sorry YF, i hadn't refreshed since you got here, didn't think anyone else was around.

[YF]

evenin' nyara. hope we can close this one out.

Juiced for Jorge on the walk to Matsui. Exit Musser.

[nyara]

yeah, some insurance runs here would be nice. joba's up in the bullpen, or so i hear.

[nyara]

wow... sounds like a great catch to end the inning. balls.

[YF]

Noooo! Phenomenal play by Dejesus in cf to track down a ball drilled deep deep deep by Jorge on 2-2. Yanks strand 3 again. Yanks leaving a lot of guys on base in this game.

[YF]

Joba time.

YES obsessed with Harlan Chamberlain, who's in the crowd. Joba = spitting image of dad.

[YF]

And they catch Harlan with some tears. Wow. Okay.

[YF]

Gathright out 6-3 on an easy 1-1 roller.

[nyara]

even the royals are doting on his dad, and his creation of joba's nickname.

[YF]

Grudzialanek singles the other way on an 0-2 fastball. Bah. Woulda gone with the slider in the dirt there.

[nyara]

royals announcers, i mean. man, i'm a mess tonight.

[YF]

Gload ks on a check swing in the dirt.

[YF]

Damon tracks one down on the track. Joba maybe a bit gassed there. A lot of pitches that inning, but no damage.

[nyara]

joba's Ks are dropping off, but the stat that matters - ERA - is holding strong.

[YF]

Gobble Gobble. Minky leading off in Giambi's slot. Ugh.

[YF]

Melkster lashes a 2-out single, and then Damon follows with another. Melky advances to 3rd, and immediately play-punches Bowa.

Looks like Joba coming back for the 8th.

Gobble out. Riske in.

[YF]

Damon takes 2nd. SB on 1-1.

[YF]

Jeter HBP on 2-2. Jeter looks okay. Abreu up now with bases loaded. Would be nice to get a few more here. Yanks have 'em loaded every inning and haven't come away with a lot. Would be nice to get Alex up.....

[YF]

3-2 Abreu! Know they don;t want to see Alex here.....

[YF]

Abreu ks on a change inside. Looked like a borderline strike. Yanks leave 'em juiced AGAIN, and with Alex in the hole. Really disappointing. That's 12 LOB so far, and 0-9 with men in scoring position. No way to win on the road.

Joba returns for the 8th. Hope he's on a short leash.

[YF]

Teahen a fly to Abreu.

[YF]

Dejesus a 4-3 out.

[YF]

Gordon tomahawks a hi fastball for a single opposite field off his fellow Husker alum.

[YF]

Pop to Minky ends it. 2 clean for Joba. Gonna be up to Mo to close it out.

[Lar]

I'm here now, Joba's still nice.

The Yanks left a lot of man on base.

[YF]

Alex a quick out.

[Lar]

Obviously it would be nice to tack on a run though.

[YF]

Matsui fouls out to Teahen in right. Bah.

[Lar]

Matsui pops it out on a 3-2 pitch. Horrible looking swing, but actually got it pretty deep, though in foul territory.

Here's Jorge.

[Lar]

Posada with a one pitch fly out to left field.

Matsui under .300 again. Hmm.

[YF]

Jorge lofts one to Gathright. Okay. Mo up.

[Lar]

How did Kennedy look today? I was at a bar for 6th and 7th and was sad that I missed him.

[nyara]

mo in for the save. tight game... too tight.

[nyara]

kennedy was shaky for more innings that not. 3 walks in the first, 3 hits to leadoff the 2nd. settled down for awhile, but escaped some major jams.

[Lar]

Wow, Mo only has 23 saves. You sometimes take him for granted that he'll get his 35-40. And it's not like Mo's been sucking, just that the Yanks haven't been getting into close games (wins or loses).

[YF]

Sweeney pinching vs Mo.

[Lar]

One pitch for an out for Mo. Let's keep this pace.

[YF]

1 pitch, 1 out! Sweeney down 6-3.

[Lar]

Two more pitches, same result. Two outs.

[YF]

Gathright pops to Alex. 3 pitches, 2 out.

Grudzielanek is there last hope.

[Lar]

Kennedy with "only" 87 pitches over 5 innings. It's nice to see Joe have some faith (misplaced, perhaps) in Farns.

[Lar]

4 pitch strike out for Mo. Yanks win!

[Lar]

Big win as the Yanks pick up a game on the M's, and remain 3 ahead of Detroit.

[nyara]

vintage Mo line tonight:
1.0 IP, 7 pitches, 6 strikes.

[YF]

K.

OVAH. Yanks strand a zillion but still take it. M's drop a full game back in the WC. Detroit now 3 behind. Take it. G'night!

[Lar]

This is a sweet win, as you love to see this kind of "5 inning game" for the Yanks, mostly because we haven't seen it all season. Of course, this is only in retrospect, as I rather win 10-2 every night! ;)

[Marc from Portland Maine]

Like I said Gerb, what a bunch of Wankers over here. LMOF

[Marc from Portland Maine]

C'mon Yanks fans, don't let these sux fans control the debate.