Double Nickle: Yanks-Twins Gamer II

Game 55 on the season finds the Yankees with an even record and winners of seven of their last ten as they head into their second trimester. Chien-Ming Wang is on the mound for New York against the Twins today. You have to look all the way back to May 2nd, five starts ago, for the last victory he recorded. He is coming off what at a glance look like rough outings against Seattle and the Mets, though he was probably left on the mound a bit too long in each case and the Yankees did stage a thrilling comeback to win the Mariners game. Boof Bonser is on the Bump for the Twins. He lost both his starts against the Yanks last season and has been getting crushed over his last five starts.

Lineups follow, comment away.

NY Yankees
J. Damon lf	.288
D. Jeter ss	.272
B. Abreu rf	.296
A. Rodriguez 3b	.291
H. Matsui dh	.339
J. Giambi 1b	.243
R. Cano 2b	.219
J. Molina c	.219
M. Cabrera cf	.266
C. Wang	3.82
Minnesota
C. Gomez cf	.286
A. Casilla 2b	.340
J. Mauer c	.318
J. Morneau 1b	.309
M. Cuddyer rf	.228
J. Kubel dh	.250
D. Young lf	.257
M. Lamb 3b	.245
N. Punto ss	.265
B. Bonser	6.16

Comments

[attackgerbil]

Casilla walks and swipes second. Morneau brings him in going with a high fastball off the plate to left center for a single.

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After a groundout from ARod, Godzilla doubles off the left center wall.

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Jason takes one for a ride but Gomez chases it down at the track. Nicely struck, good catch.

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Cano flies out to Young to end the Yankee 2nd.

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Kubel grounds out weakly to second.

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Young doubles to the right field corner.

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Lamb rips a single to right, but right at Abreu. Hit it too hard for Young to score from second. Runners on the corners to Punto with one away.

[attackgerbil]

Punto sac fly to right scores Young. Throw from Abreu was in time but was about 10 feet off line.

[attackgerbil]

Gomez grounds to Jeter who takes the force at second to end the inning, Twins 2, Yanks 0.

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Molina grounds out to lead off the third. Melky down swinging, looking a bit foolish chasing a curve.

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Damon works the count full, and then checks his swing on the high heat to take the walk.

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Jeter takes a ball, then Damon steals second on ball two.

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Jeter grounds to Punto, should have been an easy play but he drops it from his glove and Jeter's safe on E6, Damon goes to third.

[attackgerbil]

Abreu takes a strike on the outside corner, then fouls a fastball back. The 0-2 is a breaking pitch that misses low away. The 1-2 is driven to left center, scoring Damon. Young bobbles it a bit, but it's recorded a double with Jeter now at third

[attackgerbil]

2nd and 3rd, two away to ARod, who takes low in for ball one. Then takes a strike. The 1-1 is a fastball inside; the 2-1 misses low in. 3-1: fastball and ARod misses. Full count: line drive single to left scoring Jeter and Abreu. Yankees take a 3-2 lead.

[attackgerbil]

ARod swipes second as Matsui takes a strike.

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Godzilla out on a slow grounder 4-3.

[attackgerbil]

Two-out error by Punto eventually leads to three Yankee runs; nice job taking advantage of the opportunity. Now, can Wang hold?

[attackgerbil]

Casilla walks for the second time. Mauer bunts, Wang fields but the throw is not in time.

[attackgerbil]

Morneau up with runners on first and second and nobody out. He pops a 1-1 to shallow left for the first out.

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Cuddyer loops a hung sinker to center for a single, scoring Casilla and advancing Mauer to third. Game tied at three.

[attackgerbil]

Zubel down swinging for the second out. Needed that.

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Young chases low away two go down swinging as Wang pitches out of the jam.

[attackgerbil]

The 1-1 is called a strike and Giambi didn't like it. The next pitch, Giambi rips a line drive up the first base line but Morneau makes a very nice diving grab to record the out.

Then Cano goes the other way for a single..

[attackgerbil]

Molina hints bunt but takes strike one. Now swinging through the high fastball to make it 0-2. Molina chops to third; Lamb fields it and throws to second. The throw was in the dirt but Casilla made a nice grab to get the force.

[attackgerbil]

Melky looking a bit baffled by Boof. Cabrera grounds to short; Punto steps on second for the force to end the Yankee fourth, still tied at three.

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Lamb leads off with a double. *sigh*. Punto pushes him over on a groundout to first. Gomez grounds softly to short but Lamb holds; two away Casilla.

[attackgerbil]

Casilla walks yet again, bringing up Mauer. Not good. Might as well concede second so Giambi can play normal depth.

[attackgerbil]

Wang now starts Mauer out with two pitches away. Now a foul to make it 2-1.

[attackgerbil]

Mauer lines out to Jeter to end the fourth. Whew. That could have been really ugly.

[attackgerbil]

Lamb makes a nice stab on a grounder by Damon and gets him by half a stride.

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Jeter takes strike one, then chases a curve low away. Bosner misses in the dirt. The 1-2 is lined out to Lamb.

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Abreu draws a walk to bring up ARod with two away.

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Abreu swipes second on a swinging strike that makes the count 1-2.

[attackgerbil]

The 1-2 is fouled out of play; the next pitch misses just low. Deuces: fouled back. 2-2 again: grounded to Lamb (busy guy) who throws to first to end the inning.

[attackgerbil]

Morneau gets rung up on a check swing he couldn't hold for the first out of the Twins fifth.

[attackgerbil]

Cuddyer pops to shallow left where Jeter tracks it down.

[attackgerbil]

Kubel down swinging on three pitches. That's Wang's best inning by far.

[attackgerbil]

Matsui walks to lead off the sixth.

[attackgerbil]

Giambi up; he takes ball one. Giambi rips the next pitch but foul. Another pitch ripped foul. He's been killing it all day. Stache power. The 1-2: way outside. Giambi strokes the next pitch to right field for a single. That's it for Bosner; Jesse Crain in to face Robi.

[attackgerbil]

Cano fouls the first pitch off. The 0-1 is popped to shallow center for the first out.

[attackgerbil]

Molina takes the first pitch for a strike, it was low. The next pitch is fouled back. The 0-2 is fouled back. Breaking pitch misses outside. The 1-2 is away. The 2-2 is fouled back. Molina doubles to the right field corner scoring Matsui, with Giambi advances to third.

Great at bat by Molina.

[attackgerbil]

Melky hits a high fly ball to left; Giambi tags and scores.

Damon singles the first pitch to left, scoring Molina.

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Jeter strokes a 1-2 up the right field line, but just foul. The next pitch is grounded out 4-3 to end the top of the sixth, Yankees leading 6 to 3.

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Delmon Young singles back up the middle to lead off the Twins sixth.

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Lamb flies out to left for the first out.

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Punto singles a grounder to right to make it first and second. Someone needs to get up and get loose.

[attackgerbil]

Edwar Ramirez is up in the pen.

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Double steal is successful.

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Gomez strokes the first pitch to shallow right. Abreu doesn't try to lay out make the catch. Young scores, Punto to third.

[attackgerbil]

Wang's out.

[attackgerbil]

#@*( ADPSN ASP( DN DA( B D() ABNS

[attackgerbil]

Thats what it looks like when my head hits the keyboard.

Casilla grounds to first; Giambi throws to Jeter for the force, but Jeter's throw is way off to the left and Giambi doesn't have a chance.

Punto scores. Good throw would have gotten the double play. Gomez came in with a hard slide to break up the DP.

[attackgerbil]

Casilla has to hold at first. Mauer flies out to Melky in shallow center to end the sixth, Yankees up six to five.

[attackgerbil]

Ex-RedSock Breslow on to face Abreu.

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Abreu down looking on a pitch that looked a bit outside.

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ARod down swinging on three pitches.

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Matsui fouls one off, then he's badly fooled to fall behind 0-2. The next pitch is away; the 1-2 misses outside. 2-2 in the dirt. Payoff: fouled back. Another foul, and another, and another, and another. Matsui strokes the next to deep right center but Gomez makes the catch to end the inning.

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Morneau pops out to Damon.

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Cuddyer crushes a Ramirez change-up into the first row of seats in left to tie the game.

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Kubel lines out Damon for the second out.

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Veras coming in to face Delmon Young.

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Veras singles to right (his third hit of the night).

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Lamb pops out to end the seventh, game tied at six.

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Giambi down swinging, chasing a slider way outside.

[SF]

Wow, an honest-to-goodness old school Gerb gamer!

[attackgerbil]

Cano flies out to right. Cuddyer had to dive to make the play when Casilla pulled of of it.

Breslow looked fantastic. He's through, as Guerrier comes on to face Molina.

[attackgerbil]

Yep. Home watching the game with the lad.

Molina down looking to end the Yankee eighth.

[SF]

It would normally be Joba time at this point, right?

[attackgerbil]

Punto grounds out 4-3 for the first out.

[attackgerbil]

This would be a good time to have him for sure.

[SF]

Check this out (off-topic, but there's nobody else around to complain, and I know you won't!), it's pretty cool.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/manny_500_homeruns/

[attackgerbil]

Gomez completely falls apart against Veras, down swinging for the second out.

[attackgerbil]

But Veras is doing pretty well right now. Casilla ahead on the count 3-1; this would be his fourth walk. Now he takes a pitch for a strike and a full count, and fouls off the payoff. The 3-2 is popped high in front of the Twins bench; Molina makes the catch right in front of Ron Gardenhire to end the inning.

[attackgerbil]

That's so awesome.

[YF]

just checking in here. have been watching but unable to comment.

alex casilla is listed as 5'9 180. MAYBE he's 5'7 165. Maybe.

[attackgerbil]

Joe Nathan on for the Twins. Melky lines the second pitch to left field for a single.

[attackgerbil]

I can play with data display sites like that for hours.

[SF]

Tonight is like old times - just us Mods around, game threads a window into our sad, social life-less souls. Feels kinda nice for a change, right?

Though I certainly much prefer the chatter with the regulars. Where is everyone?!

[attackgerbil]

Damon was bunting, but then put on the hit and run; Damon fouled it off.

[SF]

Yeah, it's graphically pretty nice, and certainly intuitive. Kudos to the Globe for that one.

[attackgerbil]

> Where is everyone?!

At the party to which we weren't invited.

Another hit and run attempt, another foul trickler.

[attackgerbil]

Now they take the hit and run off, and of course, Damon grounds into the 6-3 DP.

[attackgerbil]

Jeter up with two outs.

[rootbeerfloat]

I'm here, mostly lurking. Last Little League game of the year wore me out and not the kids so chaos reigns. I'm just coming up to speed on what happened in both games but I like reading your comments though.

[attackgerbil]

Jeter works a long at bat, but on the payoff he chases a slider to end the Yankee ninth.

[attackgerbil]

Kyle Farnsworth comes on for the bottom of the ninth, facing Mauer. I have a deep, sinking feeling.

[attackgerbil]

Congrats on the close of the season, RBF!

[attackgerbil]

Great breaking ball by Farns to ring up Mauer for the first out.

[YF]

farns vs morneau in the bottom 9th? time to put on your glove if you're in the bleachers!

[attackgerbil]

Farnsworth gets the outside corner to put Morneau in an 0-2 hole. Giambi fields a ground ball bullet and Farns covers the bag to record the second out.

[YF]

An out!

[attackgerbil]

Cuddyer gets suckered and is rung up to end the ninth. FREE BASEBALL!

[YF]

Farnsy!

Okay. A run and then Mo and we all watch SNL!

That Globe graphic package on Manny's HRs is awesome. Wish there was a way to "show all" however, instead of just looking at each stadium in isolation. Also, would love to see the total hr's by count. Great fun though. Looks great. When you change the park and the balls fly out....beautiful. Paging Kottke!

[attackgerbil]

Reyes in for the Twins. Abreu grounds out to Punto on the first pitch.

First pitch to ARod is called a strike. Looked bad from where I was sitting. Now ARod chases low. Then a ball. The 1-2 is low.

[attackgerbil]

ARod takes ball three, and then walks, bringing up Matsui with one away.

[attackgerbil]

ARod gets a huuuuggee jump and takes second uncontested.

[YF]

Alex, Alex, Alex.....

Horrible.

[attackgerbil]

@!#^!@*&^

ARod gets hung up between second and third.

CRAP.

[attackgerbil]

Matsui pops out the Lamb in foul territory to end the Yankee tenth.