New York Yankees Win in 10th, Sweep First Place Tampa Bay Rays

As Derek Jeter scored the winning run in the bottom of the tenth inning against the Rays on Wednesday, one thing became very clear—the New York Yankees have their eyes set on another AL East crown.

That thought may have seemed ridiculous on Friday night, when a 6-4 loss to the Red Sox dropped the Bombers nine out of first. But just five days later, New York has won four straight against Boston and Tampa Bay to pull themselves within 6.5 games of the best record in baseball.

And, they’ve done it with pitching.

Remember when all the critics said the Yankees didn’t have the rotation to get back into the playoffs this year and then the Pinstripes reeled off seven straight victories in June to move to 40-33? 

The haters then said the success was due to the fact that New York was playing bad National League teams like Houston and San Diego.

Well, the Yankees staff, led by starters Mike Mussina, Joba Chamberlain, Andy Pettitte and Sidney Ponson, just held the third and ninth best hitting teams in baseball to a combined six runs in four games.

What will the critics say now?

Here are the grades from the Yanks’ 2-1 extra-inning victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Joe Girardi, Manager: (B+) It’s nice to see the skipper playing small ball again. The Yankees laid down two sacrifice bunts and stole a pair of bases on Wednesday.

I do, however, question pulling Ponson after just six innings and 87 pitches, when he had only surrendered one run on five hits. What happens if the Yanks don’t score in the bottom of the tenth, and Girardi is forced to put in his second-rate relievers to pitch the eleventh and the twelfth? Why not avoid that by letting your starter, who was throwing very well, go one more frame?

I also would have pinch-hit for Brett Gardner with Wilson Betemit when the Rays brought in a lefty with a runner on second and one out in the seventh. The rookie doesn’t have a single hit against a lefty in his Big League career and he didn’t pick one up against Howell, striking out looking on four pitches.

Finally, I thought Girardi could’ve put Betemit in for the light-hitting Jose Molina in the ninth with a runner on third and two outs. Molina popped out to second.

Brett Gardner, LF: (D+) Gardner was 1-5 with three strikeouts, but he did swipe his fourth base of the season.

Derek Jeter, SS: (B+) The Captain worked a huge eight-pitch walk to get aboard in the tenth and then hustled around the bases to score the winning run on Abreu’s double in the gap.

Bobby Abreu, RF: (B+) Abreu was just two out of his last 22 when he stepped to the plate in the tenth. However, he picked a good spot when to break out of his slump. With Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui (two of the top four hitters in the American League) on the DL, Abreu needed to step up and start hitting again.

Alex Rodriguez, 3B: (C-) Not the best clutch game for A-Rod. He went 1-4 with a K and left three men on base.

Jason Giambi, 1B: (A) The ‘Stache shined on Moustache Day at the Stadium. Giambi's clutch RBI single up the middle in the first makes you wonder why it took him six years to figure out he could get more hits by not pulling the ball every swing.

Jorge Posada, DH: (D+) The former catcher went 0-3 with a walk and left four runners on base.

Robinson Cano, 2B: (D+) Cano went 0-3, but laid down a sweet sac bunt in the ninth.

Melky Cabrera, CF: (C-) After Justin Christian stole third with one out in the ninth, all Cabrera needed to do was hit the ball to the outfield to win the game. But, instead, he struck out. It didn’t cost the Yankees on this day, but these are the type of things that have killed the team in the playoffs the past few years.

Jose Molina, C: (A) Molina picked up a hit, and gunned down another runner. I’m beginning to warm to the idea of him starting every day.

Justin Christian, PR-DH: (B) Christian pinch ran for Posada in the ninth and promptly stole third. Too bad Cabrera couldn’t get the job done.

Sidney Ponson, SP: (A) I’ll take a good start every other outing from the number five guy.

Jose Veras, RP: (A) Struck out two in a perfect seventh.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP: (A) Struck out one in a perfect eighth.

Mariano Rivera, RP: (A) One walk but four K’s in two great innings that earned him and the Yankees a victory.

Yankees' Overall Grade: (C+) It’s great that they’re winning despite only averaging 3.5 runs per game over the last four, but you can’t always count on great pitching performances and so the Yanks need to start hitting already.