Yankees-Blue Jays: Girardi's Script Spells Success for New York on Opening Day

The stadium was electric on Tuesday night, as the Yankees started their final farewell tour in the Old Ballpark.  The play on the field was no more than any true fan could ask for, a close game with solid starting pitching dominating both lineups.

As a manager, you would always like your pitchers to match or better the other team’s Starter in order to give your team the opportunity to win, and that is exactly what Chien-Ming Wang did for the Yankees over 7 innings against one of the league’s best.  Allowing just 2 runs on 6 hits, the Yankee starter out-dueled the Blue Jay’s Ace on their way to a 3-2 victory in the first game of the season.

After allowing a single to Derek Jeter in the first inning, and A-Rod’s RBI double, Roy Halladay faced the minimum in the second through fifth innings benefiting from ground ball double plays and a Derek Jeter caught stealing in the 3rd.  Even after Melky Cabrera’s 315 foot home-run down the Right Field line, Halladay retired the next three batters in order.

Halladay, in my opinion the best pitcher in the American League, was dominant against the powerful Yankees lineup, but ran into some bad luck along the way for a loss in his first start of the season. Melky’s home-run would be an easy fly-out in probably each of the 29 other ballparks, and Aaron Hill botched an inning ending double play which resulted in the Yankees game winning run.

It was the Yankees showing what they are capable of doing night in and night out which proved to be the difference in the game, strong starting pitching using Joba to bridge the game in the 8th to Mariano Rivera in the 9th while getting timely hits, and playing strong defense.  This seems to be the ideal script for a Yankees victory.

 Melky had two highlight reel catches to end the 3rd inning showing exactly why Brian Cashman did not pull the trigger on the Johan Santana deal this winter.  The Yankees defense was tested often by Chien-Ming Wang’s propensity to throw ground ball outs, and played strong behind their “Ace.” 

Even Jason Giambi came through with a solid game at first, and snagged a line drive off the bat of Marco Scutaro with the Blue Jays threatening to score, after Aaron Hill’s leadoff double in the 7th inning just after Cabrera tied the game in the bottom of the 6th.

More important questions will be answered Wednesday Night when we will see what Mike Mussina has left in the tank for this season as he faces off against oft-injured pitcher A.J Burnett.