Yeah, The Yankees Are Old And Boring All Right
Here’s what happened in the seventh inning of the Bombers’ rousing 5-4 comeback over the Twins.
An inside-the-parker. Right. The Yankees, who’d been down 4-1, tacked on another run thanks to Gardner’s speed.
But let me rewind the tape.
Phil Hughes wasn’t impressive, and who knows what his status will be once Wang returns. But aside from serving up a couple of homers to Morneau, he kept the Yanks within striking distance.
Jeter put us on the board with a solo shot, but it was Gardner who electrified the crowd. And he was only in the game because Damon got tossed in the third for expressing his displeasure with the ump. I’d never seen Johnny get mad, but he was really steamed at Wally “I Need Lasik Surgery” Bell.
He was dumb to let his emotions get the better of him – we needed his bat, plus he had a nice little hitting streak going for himself – but it all worked out just fine. Melky moved over to left and Brett the Jet took over in center, and both contributed mightily. More on that in a sec.
A-Rod made his debut at the new stadium and walked four times. And Teixeira eased out of his slump, going 2-for-3 with a walk. They’re about to become a very good 3-4 combo.
Speaking of Tex, he had a hissy when Carlos Gomez ran outside the lines to first – twice – nearly clipping his arm off. Words were exchanged, along with menacing faces.
After effective relief appearances by Albaladejo, Bombko, Edwar and Veras (am I really typing these words?), it was the bottom of the ninth with the Yanks still down by two runs and Joe Nathan on the mound for the Twins. Insurmountable? Not for the surprisingly scrappy boys in pinstripes.
Gardner: triple
Tex: single (RBI)
A-Rod: walk
Cano: intentional walk
Melky: THIS
Watch. (I can’t. I get too choked up, although I do enjoy the part where Morneau kicks dirt in the dugout.)
If there’s anything more thrilling than a walkoff something, I’d like to know what it is.
During my segment today on Greg Marotta’s sports talk radio show “The Natural,” I was defending the Yankees against the rap that they’re too corporate.
And too old.
And don’t have enough heart.
All I can say is they looked plenty frisky tonight, and I loved it. They’ve come back against Baltimore, Toronto and now Minnesota this week. More, please.
P.S. Thanks to everyone who entered the Flip Video Contest. The photos are so much fun. I’ll be posting them next week and you can all vote to pick the winner of the cam!
Confessions of a She-Fan 
what a win— i hope these late inning heroics become a hallmark of the new stadium. I’m really starting to f=believe in them again. great way to pick up poor phil hughes ( ugh) . just when you thought they couldn’t leave another guy on base little brett gardner sets the team on fire. I would have loved to have been at this one!
Me too, Mike. Lisa from Subway Squawkers was there, so we’ll have to get her take. I just loved this game!
That was def an exciting win! Walkoffs/comebacks are always the best! Congrats to the yanks even though their facing my AL favorite 🙂 Stephaniehttp://steponme.mlblogs.com
Great win, best of the year! This game reminded me of the type of the wins they had back in the late nineties. Is it just me, or was the umpiring in this game kind of bad?
Opposing pitchers are going to have to start thinking twice about facing Melky in the bottom of the ninth. Or 14th. Lol!
http://thisfanslife.mlblogs.com
In-the-park HRs make the game more fun to watch.
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
I’m going to say this right now: This team is the most never say die, never quit, gritty, and toughest Yankee team that I have seen since the championship years. Even if we don’t win, we do not give up (cases in point: A.J. Burnett blows a six run lead, we take the lead late. Tie the game in the 8th inning twice vs. the Rays.) I really think we are a great team and we absolutely can win the division. By the way, this game, while fun, does not earn the moniker of best win of the year for me. That goes to six runs in two innings vs. the Angels.
By the way Jane, you hear about the thing where the little girl gave Gardner the bracelet and promised him he’d hit a HR? And he hit an inside the parker?
Nothing else to say than, great game! It was one of the most exciting games of the season. It’s great that it came in front of the home crowd.
-Dillon
http://demboysfromthebronx.mlblogs.com
All right, we’re starting to win some games here! That umpire behind home plate was awful. I have to admit I was getting a little down there after the last home stand but now we are starting to play with a little more heart!
Jane now you are editing video clips? One of my favorite blogs continues to evolve…
Ah, yes, drama in the Bronx… wouldn’t have it any other way. Now, can you solve the bandbox problem that is right-center and right field?
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
I agree with you letsgoyankees–it would be hard to top that comeback against the dreaded angels. that was one for the ages. this would come in second to that one. the way i look at it is that we got the two games that we should have won in boston back with those two 9th inning comebacks. it helps me sleep at night 🙂
http://www.michaelfierman.net/_/Blog/Blog.html
Inside the park home runs are so much more exciting than the standard variety! Great come from behind win for the Yanks. Can’t wait to see the flip cam entries next week.
Sue
Rants, Raves, and Random Thoughts
I didn’t watch the game last night, but I have decided to put the MLB baseball package.. I can’t take it anymore!!! Well, the truth is I fell asleep cause I haven’t been able to sleep all week, stress (if I stay or go back to Panama, it all depends on the new ambassador…:0() anyway, I wake up this morning, to 10 missed calls on my cell 40 txts messages and 40 emails, telling me that 1. they were worried that I wasn’t picking up the phone and 2. that the Yankees won. I guess I call was effective because somewhere in my sleep I logged on to my facebook account and wrote that the Yankees had won and that i could go to sleep peacefully.. LOL
can’t wait to see the pics..I don’t think mine was very exciting, but it was something LOL
I didn’t watch the game last night, but I have decided to put the MLB baseball package.. I can’t take it anymore!!! Well, the truth is I fell asleep cause I haven’t been able to sleep all week, stress (if I stay or go back to Panama, it all depends on the new ambassador…:0() anyway, I wake up this morning, to 10 missed calls on my cell 40 txts messages and 40 emails, telling me that 1. they were worried that I wasn’t picking up the phone and 2. that the Yankees won. I guess I call was effective because somewhere in my sleep I logged on to my facebook account and wrote that the Yankees had won and that i could go to sleep peacefully.. LOL
can’t wait to see the pics..I don’t think mine was very exciting, but it was something LOL
Stephanie, I can see why the Twins are your AL favorite. They’ve got the M boys, who are always a tough out, and they’re a very good defensive club – fun to watch and fun to beat!
Len, the umpiring seemed to make both teams mad. I hope it improves today. And yes, the win made me think of the 90s-type wins, because everybody contributed and kept the training moving.
You’re so right, Bern. Beware the Melk Man! I don’t think he liked it when Cano was intentionally walked to get to him. He had something to prove and he proved it – no small feat against Nathan.
Yes, they sure do, Julia.
Letsgoyankees, I did hear about Gardner and the little girl in the hospital. Very Babe Ruth-like and touching, especially since the Yankees got in from Toronto about 3 a.m.
You bet is was, Dillon. And thank goodness there was a home crowd to see it. I still saw a lot of empty seats, but the atmosphere was the best so far.
I think they’re playing with more confidence, Cheshirecat. It had to be disheartening to lose Wang, Posada, Molina, etc., but they’re seeing that they can pick it up without those guys, plus A-Rod is back. Doesn’t mean they won’t lose today, but it’s a nice trend. As for the clips, I was just having fun with the Flip Video cam for the blog.
I don’t want to solve it, Jeff, not when A-Rod starts sending balls out there.
Funny how much easier it is to sleep after a win like that, Mike.
I think you’ll get a kick out of the pics, Sue. I did.
Latinyankeerebel, I really hope you won’t have to go back to Panama. No wonder you’re feeling stressed. So sorry that you have the situation hanging over your head. But good news about the Yankees, right? And your pic was great.
Awesome game. I love the gritty fight to the finish! Thank Heaven Cashman couldn’t deal Melky over the winter!!
Jane and letsgoyankees- where did you find the Gardner story? I haven’t stumbled on it yet….
Wendy
Awesome game again today, Wendy! Can’t wait to write my blog post about it. I heard about the Gardner story on YES’s broadcast last night. Michael Kay was talking about it.
Yeah, we’re boring…two walk off wins in a row, that’s our boring old Yankees…
mlbmom-I watched the Yankees post game.
Sorry, mlbmom. Should have called you Wendy.
Cool, sounds like a great win! I looooove walkoffs 🙂
http://kaybee.mlblogs.com
You’ve got some ugly names in that bullpen… yikes
http://eatsleepmlb.mlblogs.com
So boring, Letgoyankees. Two walkoffs in a row. Seriously, I’m loving these games.
Walkoffs are great except when it’s the other team that hits them, Kaybee!