Offensively, center fielder Curtis Granderson led the charge for New York, hitting his 8th and 9th homers off Sean O'Sullivan (L, 1-1) in the Yanks' 12-6 win. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
YANKEE STADIUM -- No home run for A-Rod? No problem. Center fielder Curtis Granderson's pair of homers, which were part of a 12-run, 14-hit effort by the Yankees' offense, and a decent outing from starter Phil Hughes (W, 12-3) - abbreviated by a 2-hour and 32-minute rain delay - propelled New York (62-35) past the lowly Kansas City Royals 42-56), 12-6.
The win punctuated a 9-game home stand in which New York went 6-3. They won 2 out of 3 games versus the Tampa Bay Rays last weekend, split a 2-game set with the L.A. Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday and Wednesday, and took their Thursday to Sunday, 4-game series against Kansas City, 3 games to 1.
But before putting yesterday's game away in the eighth inning with a 5-run rally, the Yanks, along with 47,890 fans hoping to witness the 600th home run of Alex Rodriguez's career, instead found themselves shocked and concerned for him when reliever Blake Wood's 95 mph fastball dropped him to the floor.
Down goes A-Rod! It looked a lot worse at first than it actually was. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
The impact produced a pop-like sound that was heard from the pressbox. Since the at-bat took place with the bases loaded, the hit-by-pitch forced in a run that doubled New York's lead over K.C.,10-5. However, the game momentarily took a backseat to the health status of Rodriguez, who was grimacing in pain from what most people initially thought was a blow to the head area.
Luckily for Rodriguez, though, that wasn't the case.
"It got me on the [forearm] pad," said Rodriguez. "I have pretty much full strength. No question, that was the most dangerous moment. But I'm okay."
"[Alex] said he's fine; he has a purple mark and could squeeze [his hand] fine," said a relieved Joe Girardi. "It was such a scary moment when [the ball] is up there, but it grazed him."
Minutes after being hit, Rodriguez got up, gingerly, and replays showed that he was, indeed, grazed in his left hand and arm.
Head athletic trainer Gene Monahan and Joe Girardi walk A-Rod off the field. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
Juan Miranda would come in to run for Rodriguez, who expects to be in the lineup tonight when his team takes on the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.
Starter Phil Hughes pitched 5.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, 2 of which were home runs from Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel that accounted for every run K.C. scored off him.
Fortunately for Phil Hughes (W, 12-3), there was only one guy named Scott Podsednik playing for Kansas City. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
Podsednik, who led off the game with a single up the middle, gave Kansas City a 2-0 lead in the third inning with the 1st of his 2 long balls, a 2-run home run (4) off the left field foul pole.
Curtis Granderson started the Yankees' half of the inning with a leadoff, solo homer (8) to right off Royals starter Sean O'Sullivan (L, 1-1) (5.0 IP, 7H, 5R), who actually beat New York earlier this week as a member of the Angels before he was traded to Kansas City.
Later that inning, the Yankees rallied for 3 more runs to take a 4-2 lead on Derek Jeter's RBI double, Mark Teixeira's RBI, infield single to third, and Alex Rodriguez's RBI double to left that scored Teixeira from first.
Rick Ankiel cut the Yankees' lead to 4-3 in the fourth, when he hit a monstrous, solo home run (4) off the facade of the third tier in right.
Said Hughes of the blast, "That definitely made up for the distance that [Podsednik's first home run] didn't have."
In the bottom of the fourth, Granderson homered (9) for the second time in the game, which marked his 5th career multi-home run game, and his first since July 29, 2009, when he hit two against the Rangers at Texas as a member of the Detroit Tigers.
In addition to marking the 9th time a Yankee has homered twice in the same game this season, the blast made Granderson the 6th Yankee - after Teixeira, Jeter, Rodriguez, Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher - to have a multi-homer game.
"It's always good to get things started," Granderson told Latino Sports. "I was trying to go out there and get a feel for things. I got good pitches to hit and I put good swings on them."
After fouling a 2-1 pitch off his left foot in the fifth inning, Alex Rodriguez went down in pain. Rodriguez's discomfort was temporary, and Joe Girardi and assistant trainer Steve Donahue, after a brief word with the 3-time AL MVP, jogged back into the dugout. Rodriguez eventually grounded out to short (6-3) in that at-bat.
As heavy rainfall forced the exposed portion of the sellout crowd to run for cover, Phil Hughes struck Wilson Betemit out looking for the 1st out of the sixth. Then, the Stadium grounds crew, at 2:59 p.m., raced onto the field and covered the infield with the tarp.
For the 2nd time this week, the rain forced the YMCA Boys to earn their money. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
Play would resume at 5:31 p.m. (after 2 hours and 32 minutes), at which time lefty reliever Boone Logan took over pitching duties for Hughes.
Brett Gardner's sixth-inning, RBI double to left made it 7-3, and in the seventh, Rodriguez, facing reliever Kanekoa Texeira with two on and 1 out in his 4th at-bat of the day, smashed a one-hopper second baseman Mike Aviles couldn't handle that brought in Swisher.
Down 7-3 entering the eighth, the game seemed to have shut on the lowly Royals, but Joba Chamberlain kicked it back open in the eighth by yielding Scott Podsednik's 2nd homer (5) of the afternoon - a 2-run blast to right - that got his team back in it at 7-5.
Podsednik, who hadn't hit multiple home runs in the same game since April 17, 2004, vs. the Houston Astros as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, now has 3 career multi-homer games.
In the New York eighth, Nick Swisher kicked off a 5-run rally with a 2-run single off reliever Blake Wood that provided the Yanks with more breathing room at 9-5. The next batter, Teixeira, singled through the right side to load the bases for Rodriguez.
Every fan still around after the delay stood up cheering at that point, knowing it would be Rodriguez's last chance to hit number 600 at home. Rodriguez took Wood's first pitch, a 95 mph fastball, for a called strike; laid off another heater for a ball; and came out of his shoes to swing at a 96 mph fastball he missed for strike 2.
On his follow-through, Rodriguez dropped to one knee a la Reggie Jackson. Wood's next pitch was the one that knocked the Yankee third baseman out of the game. A-Rod would be redeemed by his close friend and teammate, Robinson Cano, who, like Posada on Saturday, reached a personal milestone of his own that involved the number 1,000, only his was for hits.
In his 3, 232nd at-bat, Robinson Cano got his 1,000th career hit, making him the 3rd quickest homegrown Yankee - behind Derek Jeter (3,112) and Don Mattingly (3,042) - to reach the mark. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
Cano's 1,000th hit was a 2-run, ground-rule double to right that wrapped up the Yankees' scoring at a dozen runs.
With reliever Chan Ho Park on the mound, Ankiel, standing at third, scored a meaningless run for Kansas City in the ninth that made it 12-6 on a catching error Posada (E, 6) made at home plate. Three batters later, Park brought yesterday's protracted game to a merciful end by getting Podsednik to fly out to left for the last out.
Tonight, Javier Vazquez (8-7, 4.68 ERA) takes the hill for New York opposite the Cleveland Indians' Jake Westbrook (6-6, 4.74 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. (ET).
Puerto Rican Twins, Melissa y Militza Ríos & Cristina Betancourt lead Puerto Rico’s triathlon team to Gold. (Photo courtesy META / Andre Kang)
Mayagüez, PR: Puerto Rico’s baseball team is now 4-0 after beating Virgin Islands 6-0 today at Luis A. "Canena" Márquez stadium in Aguadilla. They end the first round of baseball in these Central American Games 2010 as undefeated leaders in Group A followed by Venezuela 3-1 and Panama 2-2. Guatemala 1-3 and Virgin Island 0-4 were both eliminated Approximately, 4,000 fans rooted their national team to victory.
Puerto Rico ends first phase undefeated (Photo Meta)
Sharp Shooting
Cabo Rojo – Sharpshooter, Daniel Castro, from Bayamón won the Gold in sharp shooting at 70 meters male with a total of 346 points. Puerto Rico had not won a Gold in these Central Americans Games since Ponce 93, when Javier Quiñones won it at 50 meters.
Daniel Castro wins gold with 346 points. (Courtesy Gerald López-Cepero/META)
Jose Guillen's homer (16) played an important role in Kansas City's 7-4 win in The Bronx. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
YANKEE STADIUM - Jose Guillen, who is a native of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, hit a home run in the top of the fifth inning to help lead the Kansas City Royals (42-55) to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees (61-35) in a sweltering Saturday afternoon game in the Bronx.
Kansas City starter Kyle Davies (5-6) pitched well in the win today going five and one-thirds innings giving up seven hits, four runs, three walks and three home runs while striking out three batters. Davies earned a win for the first time since May 28, 2010 in Boston.
“I felt fine earlier in the game; I made some really good pitches in the first three innings. Then I was just throwing in the fourth, fifth and sixth.” Kyle Davies said after the game. “I don’t know if it was because of the heat or excitement, but I just lost command of the fastball and there were some bad results.”
Manager Ned Yost agreed saying, “Well, Kyle was cruising up until he game up those two home runs and then he started to labor. He just got to a spot where he was trying to do too much instead of relaxing and pitch like he did over the first four innings.”
Catcher Jorge Posada believes rookie Dustin Mosley can be a factor in the second half. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
The sellout crowd of 41,138 anxiously awaited the 600th home run of Alex Rodriguez career instead sat through a rough first inning where starter Sergio Mitre (0-2) ran into trouble. Scott Podsednik laced a single to center field to get the Royals offense going. Jason Kendall was hit in the hand to set up runners on first and second for Billy Butler.
“My pitches today were up; I was falling behind the count too much.” Mitre said of his outing. “I didn’t feel rusty; I was fine it was just the location of my pitches today was up.”
Butler would hit into a fielder’s choice, which was played by Alex Rodriguez who tried to throw a bullet to Jorge Posada. Unfortunately the ball left the catcher’s glove to plate the first run of the game, as Butler advanced to second on that throw. Jose Guillen lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Royals. Both of the runs in that inning were unearned, due to the fielding error by Posada.
Catcher Jason Kendall who had two stolen bases (9) in the game hit a single to left field in the top of the third inning. Butler laced a single to left field to score the third Royals run. In the top of the fourth inning was when the Royals really broke the game open.
Alex Gordon started the top of the fourth with a walk to get the rally going. Wilson Betemit, native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, ripped a double (8) to center field to have runners on second and third for Rick Ankiel who placed a double (6) to right field, which made the score 5-0 Royals. Scott Podsednik hit a single to left field to plate Ankiel to give the Royals the 6-0 lead.
“It was nice to get to get some good pitches with the runners on base today,” Ankiel said of his big hit in the game. “I was able to put it in the gap and it helped us score some runs and get the win.”
In the bottom of that inning the Yankees finally broke through with two runs as Mark Teixeira started the inning off with a home run (19) to right field. Two batters later Jorge Posada laced a home run (12) to the same spot cutting the Royal lead to 6-2.
The top of the fifth inning Guillen would give the Royals the 7-2 lead by lifting a long home run (16) to left field above the Poland Spring sign. That was when manager Joe Girardi called for relief pitcher Dustin Moseley to stop the bleeding. Moseley did well for the Yankees going four and two-thirds innings and giving up one hit and one walk, while striking out one batter.
Alex Rodriguez went homerless today, going 1 for 4 in the current, unforgiving heat-wave that has overwhelmed New York City. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
“Moseley did great for us today,” Jorge Posada said after the game. “He has a good idea of what he wants to do and I think he will be a guy who is going to help us.”
Joe Girardi agreed with his catcher saying, “That is the best Moseley has thrown for us all year.”
Curtis Granderson started the bottom of the fifth with a walk to set the stage for Mark Teixeira, who would lift a two-run home run (20) to center field into the bleacher creatures to cut the Royals lead to 7-4. Kansas City kept the Yankees off the board with great relief pitching from former Yankee Kyle Farnsworth, who was greeted with a loud chorus of boos. Along with Farnsworth the pitching of Robinson Tejeda and Joakim Soria, who is a native of Moncloa, Mexico kept the score at 7-4.
Mark Teixeira hit 2 HRs (20) today, but his contributions weren't enough to keep New York from dropping the 3rd game of the 4-game, weekend series vs. Kansas City. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
“When you are in a good streak you put good swings on good pitches, “ Teixeira said of his big two-home run day. “When you feel good you make good contact.”
Bani, Dominican Republic native Robinson Tejada had some of his best stuff today going two strong innings giving up one hit and striking out two batters. The reliever who had been struggling for most of the season was sensational in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“You just have to believe,” Tejada said of bouncing back. “When you have the opportunity to do something good you just have to believe in yourself. I believe in doing something good every day. I am going to go out and be aggressive and try to help the team win some games.”
The game wasn’t without drama as in the bottom of the ninth inning it seemed as if New York may mount a comeback. Derek Jeter hit a ground-rule double (18) which bounced into the right field stands. Curtis Granderson walked to start to stir the sellout crowd. Runners were on first and second for Mark Teixeira who looked like he beat out a ground ball at first, but was called as the final out in the game.
“It was a really close play (of Teixeria being called out in the bottom of the ninth) our guys thought he was safe. But he was called out and that is the end of it.” Girardi said after the game.
Teixeira said this of the close game, “There are no moral victories, when you are trying to win the division and lose a game you just need to make sure you come back and try to win tomorrow.”
Girardi was also upset with the close loss saying “Giving up those first three unearned runs really hurt us today.” He continued by saying, “We didn’t make the play at the plate and that helped them score two runs. Then Jason Kendall gets a walking lead to steal second and Butler gets the base hit before we get the next out, so we really gave them those three runs.”
Alex Rodriguez has one last opportunity to hit his historic 600th career home run in the Bronx tomorrow, as the Yankees try to take three-games out of this four-game set. Righty Phil Hughes (11-3, 3.99 ERA) takes on Sean O’Sullivan (1-0, 2.08 ERA) in the 1:05 p.m. game on Sunday.
Dominican Female Volleyball Team Players Celebrate their 3rd Consecutive Gold in International Play. (Photos Courtesy Juan Luis Martínez/META)
Mayagüez, There were two sports arenas that were in total mayhem yesterday in these Central American & Caribbean Games. One was here in Mayagüez as the two top teams in female volleyball, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico faced each other for the Gold medal in these Central American & Caribbean Games.
Both teams were undefeated and they both knew that in the end they would face each other as they have in the last three occasions in international and regional competition where the Dominicans have won. The Dominicans are rated 10th in the world and the Puerto Rican’s are rated 11th.
The DR’s sextet were ecstatic as they won their third consecutive Gold medal in international play. They have won Gold in El Salvador 2002, Cartagena in 2006 and now in Mayagüez 2010. With the absence of Cuba, the Dominican female volleyball team is no doubt the dominant team in these games. During the 1980’s and much of the 90’s the Cuban female volleyball team was rated #1 in the world. They were known as the “Mulattas Del Caribe” since they were all tan and dark skinned ladies that were also beautiful.
Boricua Female Basketball Team Pose with Everyone Responsible for Helping them win Puerto Rico's First ever Gold Medal in these Central American & Caribbean Games. (José Rodríguez/META)
Meanwhile about 25 minutes away, the second arena packed arena was in the basketball haven town of San German, where the Puerto Rican female basketball team defeated the Dominican Republic for the Gold. This is the first time that Puerto Rico wins a Gold medal in female basketball in these Central American Games. The “Golden Girls” as they are known have a solid squad that has a very aggressive and fast style of play. Stephanie Rosado scored 19 points to lead PR to an 81-69 victory over the República Dominicana.
Javy Vazquez (8-7, 4.68 ERA) sat down with the Latin press at Yankee Stadium this Wednesday. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
Yankee Stadium—The Yankees continued its monthly Spanish Language press conferences on Friday afternoon, July 23, with Javier Vazquez responding to reporters’ queries. The veteran hurler, who returned to the Bronx this season in a trade with Atlanta, was a member of the club in 2004.
The first questioner asked Vazquez for his opinion regarding his poor start in pinstripes this season, Vazquez replied, “I think the principal error I made was putting too much pressure on myself by trying too hard to impress.” He said the pressure came because of the problems he had with the Yankees in 2004. Vazquez went 14-10 in 2004, but compiled his highest ERA, 4.91, since his sophomre season in the majors with Montreal in 1999.
Another reporter asked him to compare his 15-10 mark and 2.87 ERA with Atlanta last year to his current 8-7 record and 4. 68 ERA. He responded, “The difference between last year and this was in the beginning. Little by little, I’ve improved. Last year was a good year for me. This year, I would like to win the World Series with the Yankees.”
The veteran hurler, who has pitched eight seasons in the National League and is currently in his fifth season in the American League, was asked to compare the two leagues. Vazquez said, “The American League is more difficult because of the designated hitter. It is a tremendous difference in the National League where the pitcher bats and it is much easier to get out of trouble.”
He compared the ballparks in the respective leagues by saying, “I don’t pay much attention to the parks. I’m a fastball pitcher, so I know some parks are larger. I don’t see much difference [even though] there is a big difference between the leagues.”
The native of Ponce, “La Perla del Sur”, in Puerto Rico, was asked to a assess what was called a decline in Puerto Rican baseball. He replied in a thoughtful and lengthy assessment to a question, “I have answered many times.” The major league pitcher who will reach 34 years of age on July 25, explained, “I think you can’t compare the eras. When I was child we played ball outside all the time. Now, there are computers and video games for children. They don’t go out as much to play ball.”
Vazquez was also asked to state his opinion regarding the inclusion of players from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in the annual MLB Draft. Vazquez responded artuclately and honestly to the complex query, “I don’t know what effect it will have. It’s very complicated.” Regardless of the situation, he believes, “If you’re good, you will be signed after the draft or as a free agent.”
The final and quite interesting question asked Vazquez to name his favorite athlete and his least favorite batter to face. Vazquez quickly named a basketball icon, Michael Jordan, as his favorite. “He’s a winner”, said Vazquez. Minnesota’s Justin Morneau is someone Vazquez does not enjoy seeing come to the plate. The hurler explained, “He’s a tremendous hitter who I don’t want to face him.”
The conference, as the ones that preceded it this season, provided an interesting and informative insight into one of the Latino Yankees.
