Mo Nearly Blows Season But Yanks Hold On For Important Win Over Bosox

With the bases loaded and no one out in the ninth, Mariano Rivera and the Yankees held a precarious one-run lead over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday afternoon at the Stadium.

If the Sox were able to get one more run across to tie the game at two, it would be hard to imagine New York rallying to win in the bottom of ninth or extra innings and so the Yanks would have dropped their third straight to their hated rivals, putting them seven games out of the Wild Card in July - a position that most likely would have snapped their 13 year playoff streak.

But Rivera was able to work out of the jam he created by surrendering two hits and plunking two batters, and so the Yankees move to just five out of the Wild Card with a very realistic chance of splitting the four-game series with Boston as they send Joba Chamberlain to the mound Sunday to oppose Tim Wakefield.

Isn't baseball great?

The Yankees' offense continued to struggle Saturday, but two runs were enough thanks to six shutout innings by starter Mike Mussina.

Here are the grades from New York's huge 2-1 win over the Red Sox.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (C+) I don't understand how you can take a guy out of a game when he's tossing a four-hit shutout through six, especially when he's only thrown 89 pitches, but Girardi did just that, bringing in Jose Veras for Mussina in the seventh inning.  Luckily, Veras and Kyle Farnsworth pitched well and the Yanks were able to hold on by the slimmest of margins.

Girardi once again passed on a few good bunting situations, which resulted in New York stranding another 10 base runners.  He better start playing more small ball again because two runs isn't going to cut it on most days.

Brett Gardner, LF: (C+) Playing in place of the injured Johnny Damon, Gardner went 0-3, dropping his average to .063, but the rookie came up with the biggest at bat of the game when his sacrifice fly in the sixth gave the Yanks a much-needed insurance run.  Gardner also threw out Dustin Pedroia trying to stretch a single into a double.  I'd really like to see the speedy Gardner lay down a bunt once in a while to try to get on base and make things happen for the offense.

Derek Jeter, SS: (C-) The Captain went 1-4 and stranded two runners.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (D+) Abreu went 0-3 with a walk and is now hitless in his last 11 at bats.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (A) A-Rod went 1-2 with a walk, was hit by a pitch and stole both second and third.

Jason Giambi, DH: (C-) The Human Rally Killer is back!  Giambi, who is now hitless in his last nine at bats, went 0-3 and struck out with the bases loaded, making him 1-11 in those situations this season.  Jason stranded five runners on the day, but he did walk and scored a run hustling home on Melky Cabrera's single in the second.

Wilson Betemit, 1B: (C) Betemit went 1-4 with a run scored and also left five men on base.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (A-) Cano went 1-3 and made a nice play on Coco Crisp's grounder up the middle in the second inning.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (A) The Yankees have been searching for a big two-out hit lately and Cabrera came up with one, rolling an RBI single into right field in the second.  He went 2-4 on the day and made a nice sliding catch in center.

Jose Molina, C: (D) Molina went 0-3 with a strikeout but he threw out Jacoby Ellsbury attempting to steal second and proved his manhood by staying in the game after taking a foul off the left side of his face.

Mike Mussina, SP: (A) I'd like to officially apologize for calling for Mussina's head in April.  He has been more than a pleasant surprise for the Yankees' rotation this year, picking up his 11th win on Saturday.

Jose Veras, RP: (A) Veras struck out two in a perfect seventh and has now made six straight good appearances.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP: (A) I held my breath when he entered a 2-0 game in the eighth but Farnsworth did his job, retiring all three batters he faced.

Mariano Rivera, RP: (D-) This is why the save statistic is ridiculous.

Yankees Overall Grade: (B) The offense still leaves a lot to be desired but the Yanks got great pitching performances from Mussina, Veras and Farnsworth to lead them to a big win over their arch rival.  If New York can somehow win the final game against the Red Sox and sweep the two-game set with the Rays, they would salvage a 5-4 homestand and put themselves right back in the race.