Yankees-Angels Game 2: Epic
The game lasted five hours and ten minutes. It was played in cold and wind and, at times, a steady downpour. It took 13 innings and featured over 400 pitches, and when it was all said and done, the Yankees beat the Angels 4-3 in walk-off, pie-in-the-face fashion.
Watching this marathon was like reading an epic novel with twists and turns and plenty of memorable characters. I mean, Jerry Hairston, Jr. as the hero? Not what I would have expected. Here’s what stood out for me:
Cano’s RBI triple in the second.
Jeter’s solo homer in the third.
Tex’s two defensive plays in the fourth.
AJ’s wildness in the fifth.
The fact that Jose Molina actually singled.
Two errors by Cano and one by Jeter.
An error by Figgins and the game-winning miscue by Izturis.
AJ’s mostly impressive six-plus innings.
Great relief by Coke, Joba, Hughes, Mo (2-plus innings!) and Marte.
A shaky Aceves.
A brilliant Robertson.
The Yankees’ total shutdown of Bobby Abreu and Kendry Morales.
A-Rod’s homer off Fuentes to tie the game in the 11th.
All the runners left on base (16 for the Angels; 12 for the Yanks).
Hairston’s pinch hit single in the 13th.
Gardner’s sacrifice.
Melky reaching on the error to end the game.
Girardi’s use of 21 of his 25 players.
And the continuing success of my turkey club sandwich.
Yes, I ate another one during the game, and the Yankees scored their first two runs while I was scarfing it down. I’m looking forward to a break from the rally sandwich on Sunday, my off-day.
Confessions of a She-Fan 
Jane,
I almost threw up several times throughout the game. Most notably whenever the Yankees booted a ball, or when the Angels scored in the 11th, or when AJ pitches great for almost all of the game, except a crooked number in the middle, or whenever Joe brought in a new pitcher (Marte = vomfest) I almost threw up from excitement when Arod hit his homer and of course when the Yankees scored the game winner. Overall not a good night for my stomach, but hooray all the same. Go Jankees
I suggest you cut your turkey club sandwich into tiny, tiny pieces and slowly eat continuously during the game to ensure we score endless runs and shut the angels down. Crush the halos with a (turkey) club.
when ARod hit that 11th inning game-tying homerun, i stood in front of the tv set saying, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” about 4 times spaced 5 seconds apart or so
Jane, there are three things I think about when I think about this game and that is Arod, Arod, and Arod! The guy has just been incredible in these playoffs. He has singlehandedly been responsible for two losses being knocked away from the Yanks at the last moment. I wish this was the fourth win of the series. Too much time left in this series. All this and their offense still hasn’t gotten untracked yet. Amazing and epic win to say the least!
Confidence has been high. Confidence was high last night. Confidence is high! Wins can be pretty, wins can be bland and wins sure can be ugly can’t they! The Yanks are coming to you now Jane. We are counting on you to do your thing. Are you sure there is no more of that cake left?
Ditto to what has been said. What a game and I know we were all screaming! And Jane, you had to stand next to the TV for a long time. Mariano for 2 plus innings. Earlier in the day my husband and I watched game 7 of the 2003 ALCS and Mariano pitched three innings to win that one. We both agreed that Girardi wouldn’t do that. WRONG! He was awesome. I knew Fuentes could blow it – he was the closer for the Rockies during their World Series run and he lost his job after blowing three saves in a row. We all get a well-deserved and hard-earned day off. Great job Yankee fans!
What an amazing, terrifying, thrilling and ultimately exhilarating game! I was sure the rain was going to wreck havoc, but maybe Mother Nature is a She-Fan, too. All hail AJ! All hail A-Rod! All hail big hits from Jeter and Cano ( I’ll forgive the errors – it can’t have been easy to field with frozen fingers)! All hail Jerry Hairston, Jr, Brett the Jet, and Melky! All hail the pen, especially Mo and Robertson! (Do I sense a pattern here? AJ starts ’em, Robertson wins ’em with an outstanding performance in extra innings). And all hail the mighty turkey club! Enjoy the day off, Jane. I turn my attention to football today and hope that some of this Yankee magic is shared by the Giants – good luck, Eli. Go Yankees!
The day off is needed for me and my stomach of knots. I stood, I paced, I sat, I rocked, I cursed, and I cheered.
Hubby was off playing poker and it was me, my puppy and my boys.
I think the Bronx heard me all the way from here in DC.
I got so loud when A-Rod hit the homer I woke the dog yet again. Poor thing is not sleeping during the playoffs…and won’t for the WS either I am sure.
As I told my husband, I need the day off but I just don’t want it. I work from home on Monday….at least until 4p EDT that is.
This has been a whacked out couple of games in New York. But, it is following the hopeful script that NY vs LA in the World Series. Do you put avocado on that? ; )
Buz – http://buzblog.mlblogs.com/
Both teams got away with some big mistakes, but only the last one came back on them.
http://bronx-awesome.mlblogs.com/
Glad I wasnt the only one to notice the rarity that was a Jose Molina hit. I wouldve questioned everything I know if Freddy Guzman managed to get a hit too but alas, it did not happen.
A Rod was mad clutch and it was only a matter of time when he would decide to go deep against his favorite punching bag team. The Angels havent been the Angels it seems with all those miscues and I for one approve of their switch.
Im also pretty sure I woke up my entire block cheering when Izturis threw the ball away in the 13th. It was crazy.
-YHH
http://yankeehubajuba.mlblogs.com/
Whew! What a game!!!
I joined in all the screamers. We had a bunch of kids sleeping over. Many were here as part of an exchange program from Scotland. I’m afraid I scared them because at 1 AM they heard a huge scream from upstairs. They got to experience an real American baseball fan!
I must apologize to all of you for having the game drag on so long. It was my husband’s fault. I couldn’t watch the Angels batting because I was too nervous. He became convinced me being in the room was the reason the Yankees weren’t scoring, so he banished me to go listen on the radio. (More on that below). Finally, in the 13th inning he let me back in the room. Viola!!! I am the Yankees lucky charm! Me and the turkey club sandwich.
One thing I noticed when listening to the radio, is that John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman actually talk LESS than Tim and Joe. You get to hear the sounds of the crowd and actually feel more like you’re at the ballpark than with TV!
And what the heck were Tim and Joe talking about with that call at second? Is it suddenly okay to not touch the base? Ridiculous conversation to me.
Best moments of the game: Hairston’s very gymnastic slide into a leap of pure joy; AJ looking like a high-jumper as he approached with the pie; and the crowd singing along with “New York, New York.”
Jane, you do have some advantages living in California. Besides missing the not-so-lovely weather here, you also get to bed at a decent hour after a 5 hour marathon game.
I’m SO glad they won! This would have been a real heartbreaker to lose.
Melissa
Two more things:
This paragraph in the article in the NY Times made me laugh:
“After lifting Burnett, Manager Joe Girardi churned through Phil Coke and Joba Chamberlain in the seventh, Phil Hughes in the eighth, and then Rivera, Aceves, Damaso Marte and Dave Robertson. Only Chad Gaudin remained; even Nick Swisher had been taken out.”
And the Yankees have announced that Yankee Stadium will be open for fans to watch Game 3. That would be cool.
Melissa
I’m hoping they lose already, not because I picked the Angels (I’m indifferent otherwise), but because I’m concerned about the arteries of one Jane Heller. Quote from City Slickers: “The guy ate bacon at every meal, I mean, ya’ can’t do that!”
http://www.paullebowitz.com/
http://princeofny.blogspot.com/
Amazing! The game was amazing! I could’ve done without the Jeter screw up on the double play ball in the 8th, but I can’t be too annoyed since the outcome of the game turned out positive. Is it embarrassing to admit that when Alex hit that game-tying home run I screamed? Nothing intelligible. Just one loud, long howl.
-Serena
Rocklandyanks, I almost threw up too. It was the most stomach churning game in years. But I sure felt better when it was over! Oddly enough, I wasn’t going that nuts when Marte came in. I had a feeling that if he was used for one batter, the way he’s supposed to be, he’d be OK. I went the craziest on A-Rod’s homer. I mean, we were about to lose. I was preparing myself. And then – bam!
I should approach the turkey club that way, ibrenne. It would be a lot easier on my stomach if I didn’t shove it all in at once. But I’m so nervous that it just happens. Thank God I get to have a normal meal tonight and then start back in with the sandwich tomorrow.
I did the exact same thing, levelboss. Well, and I hugged my husband too and we did a little jumping up and down. It was crazy. But I’ll take crazy moments like that any day of the week!
For a guy who couldn’t hit in the postseason, len, A-Rod’s doing pretty well, right? He’s been the MVP of the ALDS and ALCS so far. But now it’s on to Angel Stadium, which has been a house of horrors for us. The good news is that A-Rod seems to hit well there. The bad news is that the Angels are certain to play better at home, and our pitchers will have to be in top form.
The Yankees are coming, John, and I’m ready for them. I took care of the rain we had the other day, and the weather is gorgeous. They’ll like it. I don’t have any cake, but I’ve got the sandwich. My confidence isn’t high like yours, but I’m doing a lot of positive thinking.
Laurie, you should have seen me standing in front of the TV when Mo was pitching. I figured he really needed my help when he came in for the third time, so I was talking to him as if he was in the room. (Well, he kind of was.) Enjoy the day off and rest up. We need our strength for tomorrow.
Ladyjane, the irony with the weather is that it was all anybody could talk about yesterday. Would they play? What if they couldn’t play? How would it affect the rotation? On and on – and in the end it didn’t matter! All hail everybody you mentioned! As for Mo and Robertson, people were saying last night that Robertson could be the closer of the future, given how he strikes out hitters in tight situations. If Hughes is back in the rotation and Joba is…wherever he is….maybe D-Rob will be the answer someday. In the meantime, is Mo the greatest or what? Good luck to the Giants today.
You woke the dog, mhugill. LOL! I’m surprised you couldn’t hear me screaming all the way in DC. It was a scream-worthy game, that’s for sure. I work from home too, so I’ll be watching on Monday at 1 in the afternoon here in CA. So much for trying to be productive. The Yankees take priority.
Yes, I do put avocado on the sandwich, Buz! It costs an extra $1 too, but it’s worth it. Now that you mention it, I wonder if it’s the avocado that’s bringing the Yankees luck. LOL.
So true, Babu. There were mistakes on both sides and we were fortunate that we had tied the game, gotten that pinch hit single from Hairston and the sacrifice from Gardner to put us in a position to take advantage of the Angels’ 13th inning error. When you’ve got two evenly matched teams, one of them needs a little bit of luck to come out on top. This time we were the lucky ones.
I was shocked and awed when Molina got that hit, YHH. And you’re right about Guzman. Did you see that weak hack he took? No way he would have gotten a hit. A-Rod is mad clutch right now. Insane. I don’t know how many people I woke up with my screams when he hit that one out. People probably thought my husband was murdering me.
What a great story, Melissa! You must have scared those poor kids from Scotland. HAHAHA! And how hilarious that your husband banished you to the radio. I absolutely take your point about how much less blather you get with John and Suzyn – and on the radio in general. You don’t have to put up with the idiotic graphics and promos either. I was so happy for Hairston, and you could see his pure joy. He’d been around the majors for so many years and now there he was in the middle of Yankee Stadium in the postseason getting the love. So nice for him. And yes, being here and having the game end after 10 pm instead of 1 am is a big advantage in terms of not being sleep deprived. But there’s nothing like the electricity of going to one of those games – awful weather and all. Very cool that people can go to the Stadium to watch Monday’s game.
I’m worried about my arteries too, Paul. I had excellent cholesterol before this whole thing started. And now, with the bacon and the mayo and…..Yuck. It hurts just to think about it. I think I’ll just eat broccoli today.
Jane: Don’t change anything! Eat that sandwich, and I’ll keep doing my thing to insure a victory. This game exhausted me. I took the PSAT yesterday morning, which wore me out, and then the game from last night going into this morning, it was insane! But I loved it! I loved seeing Jerry get pied. Did you notice that A.J. approached him head-on instead of sneaking up behind him? I thought that was kind of funny.
Great game, but I need this offday.
-Virginia
http://southernbelle.mlblogs.com
When Jeter made that error, Serena, I think we all went, “How is this possible?” It happens so rarely with Jeter, especially in a playoff game, that it was almost shocking. But as you say, it all worked out in the end. I was more ********** by Cano’s two errors. But clearly, the conditions weren’t ideal and even the usually flawless Angels made mistakes. Embarrassed by your scream when A-Rod hit the homer? No way. It was the appropriate response!
Did I just get censored for writing peesed off? Sigh.
Oh, Virginia. You must be exhausted. That PSAT couldn’t have been easy. I’m sure you did great though – and so did the Yanks! Yes, I did notice that AJ ran straight up to Hairston, who was like, “OK. Just do it.” He kind of stood there waiting for the pie. Hilarious. Enjoy the day off.
As I have said before…
the bad news is
win or lose, when you wake up
in the morning
you’re still living in New York City.
zzzipperhead,
Apparently, you haven’t been to NYC since the ’70s.
Jane,
I forgive Cano completely. The poor guy obviously suffers in the cold and when you think how cold their hands are as they try to catch the slick ball – and Cano wasn’t the only one. If Jeter makes an error, you know things are bad.
Melissa
Amazing. Just amazing. The fight these guys have is insane. I’m so happy I got to watch most of this. AH-MAY-ZING.
– Lisa
http://perennialpinstriper.mlblogs.com/
I agree, Melissa. Cano did seem more affected by the cold than others. But errors are errors and they can lose ball games. They were painful to watch, especially Jeter’s. Of course now that I’ve been bragging about the great weather out here, it’s turned foggy and cooler. There’s some hurricane off of Mexico too. Even so, it’ll be a paradise compared to the last few days in the Bronx.
I’m happy I watched it too, Lisa, even though it sent me into cardiac arrest several times!
I feel like I haven’t been on your blog for a month, Jane. Just so busy, but not to busy to enjoy both games in this round. WOW. This team just never gives up. Someone different (and A-Rod, of course) does what needs to be done to win. I think AJ was great – he alwyas has one rough inning (usually earlier than than the 5th) and that’s why Molina has to be there to calm him down.
Hoping for a sweep in LA so you can enjoy it in your backyard and CC can celebrate at home. I’m just so exciting I can’t stop thinking about this season and what they have accomplished as a team…and that’s the secret, my friends…AS A TEAM!!!
It does feel like a while, Diane. Hope all is great with you. I thought AJ was great too; I keep reading about how awful he was and it’s mystifying. Yes, he had a bad inning and has a tendency to be wild. So? He has filthy stuff and he held the Angels to less than a half a dozen hits and only two runs. Works for me. I don’t see a sweep in our future though. I think the Angels will rebound at home. But is it impossible? Not with this team.
Jane, keep on going with those club sandwiches. If it’s gonna help them win, I’m all for it! Wild game, I was speechless when it ended. http://martelli.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/10/alcs-game-3.html
I’ll suffer through another sandwich tomorrow afternoon during the game, A.J. Not to worry. I was speechless after the game too – once I finally stopped screaming, “They won!” Wild game is right.
Jane- First of all being comment #28, this is a HUGE responsibility -I hope I’m not jinxing anything. Anyway, this was the game I went to with my Dad (he’s 82). We stayed for every pitch, got stuck in traffic on the way back to his home in CT and didn’t get home until 4:00 a.m. WOW!!! Today- now I’m back in Boston, and nobody seems to appreciate what I went through -bringing my lucky fleece blanket from home and all (it came in handy). I’m way behind in my work and family obligations, but oh, it was sooooo worth it. The stadium was rocking, it was electric. -Just had to send you a quick comment ‘cuz I knew you’d understand. -Ellen
exhausted but so happy. i couldn’t bear to watch each time the angels were up and i had to keep clicking off. i was freaking out and had to keep calling my dad to stay sane. i also knitted like crazy as a way to attempt to handle the pressure. tired after a win feels so different than tired after a loss.
i still don’t get the announcers saying the umps make the wrong call when he didn’t touch 2nd on the double play. how about praising their excellent skills. i’d be mad if the call went against us but i’d still know it was the right call.
the thing that most upsets me is poor execution–runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and not scoring, errors too but not being able to sacrifice i thought would cost us.
i still can’t believe that arod is clutch.
i still don’t know why joe didn’t bring in robertson earlier–again it all worked but i trust him more than marte and aceves.
i want to say thank you for this blog and everyone who comments. I can’t scream in my house. i can’t even talk to my husband about it the next day. living with a red sox fan and living in snowy boston (yes it’s snowing again today) makes me hungry for this blog–not a turkey sandwich.
my favorite sign was we want a pie!
barbara
That game was amazing! – My friends and I decided to go to the bar and watch it not realizing that it was a Buffalo Sabers home game. It was not easy getting a bar to give us one t.v. Finally at the third bar we got one. Then there was a bar crawl and it became packed. And if that wasn’t enough a few girls decided to become “cool” and root against the Yankees. The look on their faces at the end was priceless!
I think the best part was at the end when finally all T.V’s were on the game but muted and the crowd was in to it and Hairston Jr. scored, the crowd went crazy, then silence and some guy goes “ah..who the hell was that guy?”
Ah Yankee games..always a great time!!
Ellen, how fantastic that you went to the game with your 82-year-old dad last night. You are a trooper, and so is he. Believe me, I appreciate what you went through. I can’t remember the last time I stayed up until 4 am. I’m so glad you took the time to share your experience. I’m also glad you saw an “epic” game that resulted in a win and survived the cold and rain!
Maybe you and Ellen should get together since you’re both Yankee fans in Boston, Barbara! Anyhow, I think you make a great point we all can relate to: feeling tired after a win is a lot different than feeling tired after a loss. It’s a good thing you had your knitting to keep your nerves in check. Maybe I should take it up as a hobby. I agree with your frustration about the runners left on base. We need to do a better job at that if we’re going to win this series. And don’t worry about talking to your husband about the game. We’re here for you!
Sounds like fun at the bar with your friends, Robin. Sometimes I think about going to one near me, but I know I’d been outnumbered with all the Dodgers and Angels fans here. Sorry about the girls who rooted against our guys, but their loss, right? I bet the crowd went crazy when Hairston scored. I went crazy myself!
thanks, Jane.
ellen, my almost, 81 year old dad and i made it to the stadium last year to say goodbye and this year to say hello. he and i went to two world series games–98 and 2000 –and they were amongst the best days of my life. nothing is better than a winning yankee game where you get to hug your dad afterwards. so glad that you and your dad got to enjoyed the game live and made it back safely.
I hope Ellen sees your comment, Barbara. How very special that you went to two World Series games with your dad, as well as the other games. I envy that.
Hi Jane,
Hi Jane,
Hi Jane,
I am the almost 81 year old father of Barbara, the rabid Yankee fan from near Boston married to a Red Sox fan. That, by the way, is his only flaw. I have been rooting for the Yankees since 1936 and have seen all the great Yankees since then. I was at Mantle’s first game in the majors – opening day 1951, I have the scorecard from Allie Reynold’s 2nd no hitter of the season in 1949 and Barbara has inherited my passion for the Yankees and has even surpassed me. It would be fabulous if the first sesason in the new Stadium prduced yet another World Series title. I live in Florida but Barbara and I have managed to see a game in the old stadium last year and a game at the beautiful new park this season.
It’s great reading your blog and the fans’ responses.
GO YANKEES!
Hello to Barbara’s father!!!! I’m delighted that you stopped by to say hi and tell us about yourself. (I’m glad you’re accepting of your son-in-law and his passion too.) So you saw Mantle’s first game? That’s the most exciting thing I can imagine, because he was my absolute idol growing up (and my first crush). I don’t know where you live in Florida, but you and Barbara probably see some spring training games in Tampa, right? I’m hoping to get back there in 2010. I have a speaking engagement in mid-March on the east coast of FL and plan to continue on to Tampa if time allows. Thanks so much for checking in with us and for reading the blog!
Barbara (and dad!) and Ellen,
Thanks for sharing your stories. My dad just died on Sept. 23 at age 87. He was a lifelong, diehard, Yankees fan. My oldest brother’s middle name is Louis after Lou Gehrig.
You’d think the weeks he was in the hospital and since he died, I’d find the games sad, but there is something about the continuity of baseball that has made me enjoy it even more.
I’m sad I can’t call and talk to him about the play at second last night. or ask him about any rules.
I know he’s smiling down at these Yankees. He was aware of Jeter breaking Gehrig’s record, and thought Jeter was worthy of passing the Iron Horse.
Melissa
A truly stressful exciting game last night. I was at work and made every excuse to take patients to xray where they have a television. I was vocal about the fact I wanted the Yankees to win which caused a few arguments since I live in California where Angels are preferred over Yankees. As it got later, I saw the poor fans at Yankee Stadium in the inclement weather and thought about what diehard fans they are. How great is that?? I’m hoping for a Yankees sweep and a Dodgers-Yankees meeting.
http://catlovesthedodgers.mlblogs.com
Melissa– I am glad that you are able to enjoy baseball after your dad died. My brother died of Lou Gehrig’s disease a year and a half ago and it was hard to enjoy the games since i missed the back and forth e-mails that he typed just by blinking. i am glad you know your dad is smiling down on the yankees. I wondered if my mom, who died a year ago orchestrated some of the walk offs and then i remembered that despite a crazy yankee fan husband and obsessive fan daughter, she didn’t even know who played for the yankees. It is amazing the way that the joy of the Yankees can pull us through some tough times. Let the joy continue.
Ellen– know that you aren’t alone in boston as a yankee fan. I have trained my co workers not to give me grief. i also have taught kids in the program i run to root for who they wish but not to tease others. Sometimes it’s even successful.
Jane–By the way it could be my yankee scrunchie and earrings that are the magic charms.
I have clients tomorrow early so everyone take care of the game (and I’ll call my dad at 5 of each hour) until i get home and watch the rest.
barbara
Thanks Barbara. I have been thinking my dad will do something to have some spectacular play. The day of his memorial service, Cano hit his grand slam.
So last night I was wondering if my dad had a part in any of those plays, but I knew that he would NEVER cause the Angels to have an error, because that wasn’t fair play.
Melissa
First of all, how cool is it that you talk to each other on this blog! It’s my favorite thing about it. I love that we can share our experiences no matter our age and geography and background. Just great.
Melissa, forgive me if I already said this when you first commented that your father died in September, but I know he’s smiling down on the Yankees and probably having a laugh with my father. As people know from reading my book, he died when I was six and it was my two grandfathers who taught me about baseball and the Yanks. (I’m sure the grandfathers are having a ball right now too.) Isn’t it amazing how this passion is handed down from previous generations? My sister and I were lucky to have inherited it.
LOL, Cat! I can just see you at the hospital, saying, “Oh, I think this patient needs an x-ray.” Glad they had a TV there and you were able to watch some of the game. It was quite a night. All credit to those fans who stuck it out in the rain and cold. Their loyalty was rewarded. I’m still on the fence about going to Anaheim on Tuesday. If it were Dodger Stadium, it would be a no brainer.
Barbara, what losses you’ve had. So sorry. I’m even more grateful to have “met” your dad now. But you’re so right about the Yankees: the joy of being a fan does carry us through tough times. And of course your scrunchie and earrings have been lucky. My sandwich is only one of MANY magic charms. (I need to buy myself a Yankee scrunchie, btw. Didn’t know they existed!)
I am so ready for a pie in Jeter’s face! How about Monday? Sounds good to me!
Scott
http://fotr.mlblogs.com
I’m so ready for him to have pie too, Scott. But I’d rather see the Yankees win in Anaheim than wait till Game 7, even though it’s probably inevitable. (My stomach hurts just thinking about that.)
Jane,
The first picgture made me smile ’cause it was perfect for the long game yesterday. The stories back and forth from the commenters are wonderful. I would love to hear more from the 81 and 82 year Yankee fans. I am sure that they wonderful stories from the old days.
.
My Dodgers got spanked today but I am crossing my fingers that EL Lobo will restore order tomorrow. I think it was too much to ask for Kuroda who was on the DL because of a neck injury so he had been inactive for a while. You know he also got hit on the head before. We’ll get them tomorrow.
Emma
http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/
I watched some of your game, Emma. Yikes, the Dodgers took a beating. I think you’re right about Kuroda. Maybe he wasn’t fully recovered from his concussion and the neck injury. Or maybe it just wasn’t the Dodgers’ night. Good luck tomorrow.