Wow what a game. In a typical Yankee-Red Sox fashion, tonights Sunday Night ESPN game was one to remember. It was a game that the Yankees probably don't win last month or even last week. Girardi's tyrade seems to have woken the team up and gotten them going. They kept fighting and clawing and finally found a way to win. Maybe it wasnt the prettiest game but it earned them a split, which is great after dropping the first two.
This was an old time Yankee win. Mo finally remebered how to pitch in a tie game and dominated over two innings. He even embarassed Manny in another Manny Being Manny moment where he didnt even swing at one pitch after pinch hitting. Francona could have used a skeleton and had the same result. And then Cano is able to single after falling down 0-2. The Yankees finally bunted Melky to get Cano to second. And Gardner scratched and fought off all of Papelbon's fastballs, he finally got a splitter and hit a bouncing ball up the middle, would have been a single if gloved, but it bounced off Cora's glove for a walk off winner. It was Luis Sojo esque circa 2000.
This game showed that Joba can pitch in big spots. 6 innings 3 runs and no hard hit balls off him. His line would have been better if not for a questionable 3-2 curveball to Ellsbury with Pedroia on deck. But they battled back and got him off the hook. It also showed that Robbie Cano is out of his slump and looks to be all the way back from a god awful April. He had the big 3b to tie the game and the hit to start the rally off Papelbon. It also could be the game that gets Bret Gardner going. He has had the game winning RBI in his last two games versus the Red Sox. He also had a hit earlier, stole second, and scored on a Jeter single. Instead of a Reyes run for the Mets, maybe that becomes a Gardner run for the Yankees. And finally this game showed the Yankees can still grind out wins. They can do whatever it takes and get the job done.
Who knows what this means for the rest of the year. But Girardis tirade and subsequent ejection tonight seemed to fire up the bats and they were able to squeek out a tough win. Now with two vs Tampa, one in Pittsburgh, and three in Toronto to finish up the break the Yankees can finish the break on a good note. With these two wins included, it would be nice to see the Yankees go 6 and 2 over the final 8. I dont think its unreasonable.
