Reid Brignac had a field day on Old Timers' Day, smacking 2 homers (4) in Tampa's 10-5 flogging of New York. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
YANKEE STADIUM - In the second emotion filled tribute days at Yankee Stadium the Tampa Bay Rays powered by Reid Brignac and Carlos Pena combined for eight runs batted in to help the Rays (55-35) to defeat the New York Yankees (57-33) by the score of 10-5 in Saturday evening baseball in the Bronx.
As the Yankees celebrated the 64th annual Old-Timers day while honoring the memory of legendary announcer Bob Sheppard the team could not rewrite the magical comeback victory that they had yesterday. Rays’ starter Jeff Niemann (8-2) had a great outing going six and one-thirds innings, striking out six batters, while giving up six hits, four runs and four walks.
“I thought that he (Niemann) did great,” manager Joe Maddon said of his starter after the game. “It was a tough start and he was able to get us deeper into the game. That was enough. He had one rough stretch out there today, but he once again did well.”
Niemann had this to say of the start today, “I just went out to the mound and made my pitches, whenever I got into trouble today the defense really bailed me out and that was the key to our win today.” On the offense he said, “It was great to get the early lead when you are a pitcher you want that lead to make things more comfortable so it was awesome to see.”
A.J. Burnett (7-8) started the game a man on a mission getting two quick outs, but started to falter as he gave up early runs in a two innings plus two batter outing, giving up four hits and four runs, while also hitting two batters. Burnett came out in the top of the third inning with a laceration on his pitching hand.
A.J. Burnett's boneheaded blunder took him and, consequently, the Yanks out of yesterday's game after only 2-plus innings. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
In his frustration in giving up three unearned runs to the Rays, starter Burnett violently pushed open the clubhouse doors at the entrance and cut his hand on one of the plexiglass shelves that holds the lineup cards.
“It was an embarrassment what I did today,” Burnett said to reporters after the game. “I could have gone out to the mound and shut the Rays out for the next five or six innings.” The starter continued to say, “I was told by my manager Joe Girardi and by the GM Brian Cashman that I am needed here, that my team needs to be thought of and 100% this will never happen again.”
Even though Burnett was hurt the Rays had a huge day offensively cashing in on scoring opportunities early and often. Starting with the first run as Carlos Pena ripped a double (11) to right field which gave the Rays the 1-0 lead. While helping the team off offensively, Pena also had a great defensive play in the bottom of that inning robbing Nick Swisher of a base hit.
Carlos Pena added a homerun (19) in the 8th that put the icing on Tampa's assault on Yankee pitching. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
“Every time I can contribute with the bat it is a good thing,” Pena said. “That is what I like to do is to swing the bat and help the team get the win.” He continued to say “I think it is very important to get the first run in the game. Anytime you can get that first run off of a difficult pitcher it is a plus.”
The Rays added to their lead as Reid Brignac in the top of the second inning hit a two-run homerun (3) to right field to make the score 3-0. The Yankees cut into that lead in the bottom of that inning as Robinson Cano laced a double (24) to left field. Curtis Granderson and Francisco Cervelli had back-to-back walks to load the bases for Brett Gardner who placed a single to center field and made the score 3-2. Rays starter Jeff Niemann kept it that way by getting Derek Jeter to strike out and Nick Swisher to ground out to end the inning.
Tampa would add to the lead in the top of the third as Evan Longoria was hit by one of Burnett’s pitches, a wild pitch moved Longoria to second for Pena who grounded a single to center field which plated Longoria and gave the Rays the 4-2 lead. And that was when manager Joe Girardi made the call for reliever Dustin Moseley who held back the offense for the Rays for the rest of that inning.
In the top of the fifth inning the Rays really starter to run away with the game, as things started badly for the Yankee fans with a Matt Joyce walk. John Jaso hit a single to right field to set up runners on first and third for B.J. Upton who lifted a sacrifice fly to right field which made the score 5-2 Rays. Jason Bartlett hit a single to right field to continue the inning for Reid Brignac who hit his second home run (4) to right field to give the Rays the 8-2 lead.
For Brignac he was able to establish a career highs with his two home runs today along with the five runs batted in. He became the fourth Ray with a multi-home run game this season.
“It was a good day, I was fortunate enough to get us some hits and score us some runs” Brignac said after the game. “I am happy about the win it was a big game for our team, Niemann pitched a great game for us today and kept us in the game, and we were able to get a big win.”
Mark Teixeira tried to get the offense going in the bottom of the fifth inning by hitting a home run (18) to right field and made the score 8-3 Rays. Unfortunately for the 48,957 in attendance the Yanks could not drive in any more runs.
Evan Longoria laced a double (29) down the left field line in the top of the sixth inning, the All-Star third baseman eventually came in to score the ninth Ray run on a John Jaso sacrifice fly to left field. Jorge Posada answered with a run of his own with a home run (11) to right field in the bottom of the inning and made the score 9-4 Rays.
The Rays scored the last run they would need in the top of the eighth inning as Carlos Pena hit a solo home run (19) to right field, for the 10-4 lead. In the bottom of the ninth the Yankees would try for one last comeback effort as Nick Swisher started the inning with a walk. Swisher sped to second and was awarded the bag on defensive indifference to set the stage for Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez would rip a ground-rule double (21) to right-center field to make the score 10-5. The Yankees though could not muster any more comeback magic as back-to-back groundouts gave the Rays the win.
Poor guys, considering what they sat (or slept) through. The way the Yankees played yesterday, they would've had a better chance against the Rays by bringing the surviving members of the 1950 team out of retirement. ... Just some Old Timers' Day humor. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
These two teams will meet in the final game of the three-game set on Sunday as lefty Andy Pettitte (11-2, 2.70) looks to continue his fine season against young gun David Price (12-4, 2.42 ERA) first pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.
OTD NOTE: From left to right, the Yankees pictured above are Don Johnson (26), Hank Workman (9), Duane Pillette (35), Charlie Silvera (29), Jerry Coleman (42) and "The Chairman of the Board," New York's own Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (19).
Part of the damage at the Central American Stadium caused by extreme weather conditions. (Photo WAPA)
Mayaguez, PR - The stage that was to serve as the scene for tonight’s main attraction for the 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games was totally destroyed due to a severe weather condition that spurned high velocity winds and rain to the West coast area of Puerto Rico.
According to the National Weather Service, a thunderstorm was recorded at 12:37 noon and the Doppler radar indicated that it packed winds of 35-50 mph.
Two persons were injured, one of them had to be flown to San Juan for an amputation of his fingers. The freak weather caused tonight’s much anticipated Gala Inaugural presentation to be cancelled. However, this will not affect the games that are scheduled to begin tomorrow as planned.
The Inauguration that has over 400 dancers, major presentations from the islands top stars and cultural institutions such as, Olga Tañon, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Wisin & Yandel and Bernie Williams and accompanied by fireworks, lasers and the lighting of the games official torch that has circled the island and traveled through all of the 78 island municipalities will now be held tomorrow.
The mayor of Mayagüez, José Guillermo Rodríguez spoke at the emergency press conference held at 3 PM today and stated that Mayagüez has a resiliency to survive major disasters. “We survived a terrible earthquake, fire and tsunami that occurred at the earlier part of the century after each deadly occurrence Mayagüez rose up better and stronger.” He continued, “what happened today was unfortunate, but not severe and our response was there in less than five minutes to address the situation. The games will continue as planned and tomorrow we will have the best inauguration in the history of these games.”
The Buckeye Connection in New York! Nick Swisher, of Col., Ohio, wins game in 9th for The Boss, who was born in Rocky River, Ohio. (Photo by Bill Menzel)
YANKEE STADIUM -- This one was for The Boss.
With 2 outs In the bottom of the ninth inning of last night's 3-game series opener, Nick Swisher (3 for 5, HR, 3 RBI) lined a game-winning RBI single to right that scored teammate Curtis Granderson from second to lift New York (57-32) over the Tampa Bay Rays (54-35), 5-4.
As the battle between the Yankees and Rays - the top 2 teams in baseball - kicked off during the twilight hours of the day, the occasion marked the first game New York has played since the passings of iconic Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard (1910-2010) and principal owner George M. Steinbrenner III (1930-2010) earlier this week.
For a moment it seemed as though Derek Jeter would be the one to get the ninth-inning, walk-off hit, as New York had men on first and second with 1 out. Tampa reliever Dan Wheeler, however, spoiled what 47,524 screaming fans thought was going to be another clutch moment in Jeter's portfolio when he struck the Yankee captain out swinging with a 74 mph slider low in the zone.
One would think Jeter would be the ideal guy to end the night with a walk-off hit, that it would've brought the game to a fitting ending.
Jeter thought otherwise.
"The Boss didn't like the [Michigan State Wolverines], so that's why I struck out," Jeter told one of the beat writers in jest.
Never short on superstition and subtle humor, Jeter's words, albeit playful, were referring to the Ohio State Buckyes-Michigan State Wolverines college football rivalry. Jeter was born in New Jersey but raised in Michigan, ergo it was apropos that the glory last night instead belonged to Steinbrenner's fellow Ohioan and lifelong Buckeyes supporter, 2010 AL All-Star right fielder Nick Swisher.
"The goal tonight was to win," said Swisher, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, and played Division 1 baseball for Ohio State. "We wanted to win it for [Mr. Steinbrenner] tonight, and we did."
The Yankees won the game in comeback fashion, the way George Steinbrenner would've appreciated.
"We never died, we never gave at-bats away," said Yankee catcher Jorge Posada (1 for 3, HR), who hit his 10th homer in sixth inning.
The game itself was an uphill battle for New York, whose ace, C.C. Sabathia, wasn't at his sharpest.
With 1 out in the top of the second, Ben Zobrist reached on an infield single to third and scampered into second on Alex Rodriguez's errant throw (E, 6) to first, which went wide of an outstretched Mark Teixeira. Zobrist then scored on Willy Aybar's sac fly to deep center to give Tampa a 1-0 lead.
Tampa's All-Star third baseman, Evan Longoria (1 for 4, RBI), doubled in Jason Bartlett (2 for 4, 2R) to make it 2-0 in the third. In the Yankees' half of the inning, Nick Swisher cut the lead in half with an RBI single through the right side that scored Brett Gardner.
Tampa's offense loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth on Sabathia, when Carl Crawford (2 for 5) singled to right. The next batter, Longoria, however, fell victim to a pitcher's best friend when he bounced into a 5-4-3 double play. Bartlett scored on the play to increase the Rays' lead to 3-1, but Longoria wasn't credited with the RBI.
New York tied the game, 3-3, in grand fashion in the sixth with back-to-back homers from Robinson Cano (17) and Jorge Posada (10). Posada's blast to the second deck in right marked the 3rd time the Yankees have hit back-to-back homeruns this season, and the 7th time the they've gone deep multiple times in the same inning.
Both homers came off Tampa starter James Shields, whose night ended as soon as Posada's ball landed. In six innings, Shields allowed 3 runs on 4 hits (2 HR).
Tampa regained the lead, 4-3, in the top of the seventh, when B.J. Upton (2 for 4) scored on a fielder's choice. The tie-breaking run came on Ben Zobrist's RBI groundout, which followed Sababthia's key strikeout of slugger Carlos Pena a batter earlier with the bases loaded. The Yankee ace finally got out of the inning by getting Kelly Shoppach to ground out softly to second.
"[Mr. Steinbrenner] always talked about being tough, being a warrior; that's what C.C. was tonight," said an emotional Joe Girardi after the game. "I thought we played like Mr. Steinbrenner expected."
Sabathia escaped having given up only 1 run one that inning despite loading the bases, bringing an end to an outing in which he allowed a total of 4 runs on 8 hits in 7 innings.
Nick Swisher knotted the game at 4-4 in bottom of the seventh with a leadoff homerun (16) to the second deck in right.
Mariano Rivera gave up a leadoff single to Upton in the ninth, but he'd pick him off at first for the first out. Rivera then got Crawford to fly out to right, and Longoria went down looking at a 2-2, 93 mph cutter on the outside corner.
After Nick Swisher singled in Granderson to win the game in the bottom of the inning, the mellifluous tune of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" momentarily gave way to one last post-game, public address announcement from the legendary Bob Sheppard, whose voice, even from beyond the grave, commands a level of reverence that no one else in his line of work will ever match.
As a native of The Bronx, I can honestly say that Mr. Sheppard's voice was part of the backdrop of my childhood.
Mayagüez, PR: La Sultana Del Oeste (The Sultan of the West) is the other name that is used to describe Mayagüez, PR a very proud and cultural town that has always been known for its progressive politics. Mayagüez is considered one of the largest cities in Puerto Rico behind San Juan, Ponce, Caguas and Carolina. It has a rich cultural history that dates back to the days of Spain’s colonialism that has produced many of this island nation’s greatest patriots that have fought against slavery and for independence.
Mayagüez might be a West Coast city far from the hustle and bustle of the San Juan Metropolitan area, but for the next 15 days it will be the center of attention not just on the island, but in the Caribbean and Central America where 31countries will be competing in these XXI Central American & Caribbean Games.
Newly constructed waterfront in Mayagüez (Photo LSV)
Having any major sporting event in Puerto Rico an island dubbed, La Isla Del Encanto always involves more than just sports. Over 100 musical performances and artist will be performing in three major stages spread out throughout the town. This is going to be 16 days of a sports, music and artisans festival. Artist like Grand Combo, Victor Manuel, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Olga Tañon, Cultura Profética, Grupo Mania, Andy Montañez are but a few of the headliners that will be performing.
These games will hopefully be an economic stimulant for an island and a particular region that has been hit extremely hard by the lingering economic situation affecting the region. The present unemployment rate for the island is much higher than the 16.9% reported by the government especially in the West Coast area also known as “Porta Del Sol” where unfortunately, the economic sun has not been shining too bright in the last few years.
Brand new track & field, soccer park with new baseball stadium in the foreground have helped give Mayagüez a great facelift. (Photo LSV)
We hope to be reporting and giving you, our readers a daily update of these games that might not receive much attention in the major corporate media. We are also honored to be collaborating with our sister radio program, WKJB 710 AM and WPRA 990 AM in Mayagüez, PR with a special program, Resumen Centro Americano. For those of you who want to hear us, please visit us at www.wkjb710.com from 9 PM to 11 PM.
Though this island suffers from a lot of political divisions, there will be a lot of unity from all sectors for the next two weeks. The present governor from the statehood party is not very popular in this region. The Mayor of Mayagüez is very popular and is from the Commonwealth party and many of the young volunteers are strong advocates for Independence. However, they will all be working together to make sure that Puerto Rico as host of these games looks good to the rest of the world, now if we could only have games like this everyday
Interesting facts
5000 Athletes will be competing, the largest of any other games
Cappie Pondexter, who leads the New York Liberty in scoring, lifted the team to back-to-back home victories this week. The Liberty will look to make it three straight at home Sunday. PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
NEW YORK – As the hoopla surrounding the decision made by LeBron James has started to recede, basketball fans can concentrate on again watching summer basketball. After three games on the West Coast and the WNBA All-Star Game that was played at the Mohegan Sun one day earlier, the New York Liberty returned to Madison Square Garden to begin the second half of the WNBA season on Sunday afternoon.
New York City aficionados of women’s basketball were as familiar with the players on the visiting Chicago Sky team as they were with the Liberty. Former Liberty stars Shameka Christon, Catherine Kraayeveld and Erin Thorn were wearing Chicago jerseys.
Also in a Chicago uniform was rookie Epiphnny Prince, a star at Rutgers University and the highest scorer in a high school game with 113 points. Christon has not played since June 11, when she suffered an orbital fracture. Another familiar face to women’s basketball fans is Sylvia Fowles, a member of the USA Basketball National Team, who was named the MVP of the All-Star game on Saturday after scoring 23 points and grabbing eight rebounds.
