Those Impossible Dreaming Rays @ The Savoring Yankees 9/20-9/22

[Tobywan]

SRod single up the left field line.
Lobaton poh for Shoppach, is HBP.

Mound huddle.

Brignac walks to load the bases with no outs.
DJ flies out to shallow left.
BJ grounds into a 5-4-3 double play.

[Tobywan]

Jose Lobaton remains in the game at catcher.

Jete Ks swinging.
Grandy lines a double into right.
Teix lines a single into center, Grandy to third.

Mound huddle.

ARod walks to load the bases.
Cano down swinging.
Swish Ks.

Nice job by the kid to get out of the inning.

On to the 8th Yankees up 5-0.

[Tobywan]

Longo grounds out to third.
JD grounds to second.
Kotch walks.



Now pitching Boone Logan.

Brandon Guyer ph for Joyce, pops up to the catcher.

[Tobywan]

Now pitching Andy Sonnanstine. Guyer remains in the game at RF.

Chavy Ks.
Martin singles to center.
Gardner flies out to left.
Jete singles into left.
Grandy Ks.

[Tobywan]

Chris Dickerson replaces Swisher in RF.
Now pitching Luis Ayala.

John Jaso ph for Rodriguez, grounding out to second.
Lobaton walks.
Dan Johnson ph for Brignac, grounds into a 6-4-3 double play.

Yankees win 5-0

[Tobywan]

According the MLB.com the teams decided to go with

Shields VS Hughes
Helliickson VS Sabathia

For the day/night DH, Rays sticking with the original plan, Hughes was still a question as of last night, so this could even chance in the next couple of hours.

Today’s Match-ups (maybe)

James Shields gave up 4 runs on 7 hits and issued 3 walks Friday night in a loss to the Sox. In his only game in NY this season he threw a CG in a 1-0 loss.

Phil Hughes has struggled but pitched better as of late, in his last 12 innings pitched he has given up 3 earned runs. In his last start with the M’s on Monday, he got his second straight win giving up just 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings.

Tonight's Match-ups (maybe)
Jeremy Hellickson didn’t have good fastball command in his recent start against the Sox, but was able to hold them to just one run on three hits in 5 2/3rds. He finally got some good run support and notched his 13th win.

CC Sabathia gave up 4 runs and 4 walks in 5 2/3 innings on Friday's against the Jays, but walked away with a no-decision. He gave up 10 hits for the fifth time in his last nine starts, he had only done it once in his previous 23 outings.


Not so much a question of IF the Yankees will clinch a playoff berth but when, they need just one more win for a spot. If they were to win both games today and the Sox lose to the O’s they would also be the AL East Champs before the night is done.

While watching the game last night I thought it was a bit strange to actually hear what sounded like loud cheering for the Rays when they got on base when the Yankees were well ahead…….not the usual thing you hear from the Yankee Stadium crowd. When Girardi was asked about it, he said he thinks they wanted the Rays to make it a save opportunity for Mo so he could rake some more up…then it made sense. Gee, I was kind of hoping they wanted to take us underdogs as their postseason party date and not the Red Sox

[Tobywan]

Champagne is flowing in the Bronx, the Yanks took a play-off berth with the win of the first game of the DH and took the AL East Division with the win of the second game and a loss by the Sox.

The day didn't go well for the Rays but hope is still alive but now the Angels have caught up.

Ben Zobrist was back in time for the second game after the birth of his daughter Kruse.

A change has been made in the rotation for tomorrow's game. The Rays will send Matt Moore to the mound to make his first ML start pushing Jeff Niemann back to Saturday with David Price taking his usual spot on Friday.

[Tobywan]

Today’s Match-ups

Matt Moore will be making his first ML start, he has made two relief appearances since his call up. He was 12-3 with a 1.92 ERA in a combined 27 starts for Double-A Montgomery and Durham.


Bartolo Colon struggled against the Jays on Sat. giving up 6 earned runs in just 4 innings.

[Tobywan]

Matt Moore faced a not quite as powerful Yankee line up but was still impressive in his first ML start in the middle of a fire fight to capture a playoff berth. The Rays put up an early lead and continued to pummel.

Moore racked up 11 strike outs for a new team record of a pitcher making his first ML start.