The Yankees will take on the Pirates today to make up for the rain out on June 26th. It will be the last interleague game for the Yanks and will serve as a break against division rivals before we start a series with Toronto tomorrow. Momentum is fairly high after sweeping the Rays and splitting the series with the Red Sox, as we now sit only 6.5gb. Let’s see if we can push around the Bucs a bit to extend our winning streak tonight.
Moose will take the mound for the Yankees where he looks to continue his excellent season. Pittsburgh will counter with Paul Maholm, who is on a bit of a hot-streak himself. Maholm is 3-0 with an ERA of 2.74 in his last seven starts. On the season he is 5-5, with an ERA over four. One of those losses was actually against the Yankees, earlier this year. Let’s make it two tonight!
Here is the lineup for the Yankees, we really need some of these guys to pick it up soon (cough Melky, Cano, and Molina):
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Posada 1B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
Christian LF
Mussina RHP
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Today is the second of the two-game series against the Rays. A win for the Yanks would be great because it would move us to 6.5 back and perhaps put a bit of a dent in Tampa’s high hopes. After last night’s wonderful 5-0 shutout, I think it is certainly plausible to predict another Yankee win.
The game is at 1:05EST and Sidney Ponson will make the start for the Bombers. I know it is always a nail-bitter when he starts, but thus far this season (with both the Yanks and the Rangers) the starter has actually done pretty good. He is 5-1 this season with an ERA of 4.19. His stats aren’t the greatest, but he is doing enough to get the team the victory most of the time and that is what matters. His only loss of the season came against the Rays on May 26, but hopefully that will drive him to do even better today.
For the Rays Edwin Jackson takes the mound. Jackson has been amazing in his last three starts, with an ERA of 2.57 and a win. His season record is 5-6 and his ERA is 4.08. Against the Yankees he is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA this year. Our batters have faced him in three games this season so maybe that experience will prove beneficial in today’s game.
Here is your Yankees lineup for tonight:
Gardner LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Giambi 1B
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
Ponson RHP
Here is a something Jeter said earlier today about the game: “People make a big deal, obviously, because it’s Tampa.” Never though you’d hear that, did you?
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The Yankees and Rays will kick off a two game series at Yankee Stadium today. The game will begin at 7:05EST and features Andy Pettitte for the Yanks and Scott Kazmir for Tampa. Both pitchers last started against the Red Sox and both of them left with not-so-great performances. Currently Pettitte is 9-6 with a 4.22 ERA and Kazmir is 7-3 with an ERA of 2.63. Both pitchers have played the opposing team several times and they both boast great stats in those games.
Sadly for the Yanks that means that the offense has historically done poorly against Kazmir. We really can’t afford that in tonight’s game as we sit 8.5 games behind the Rays. This game is definetely a different situation than both teams are accustomed to at this time of year, but there is still a lot of baseball to be played. Let’s hope for a victory tonight and maybe a sweep tomorrow, that will get us right back in this thing.
Here is the Yankee lineup for tonight:
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Posada DH
Betemit 1B
Cano 2B
Molina C
Gardner LF
Pettitte LHP
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The New York Yankees will look to split the four game series with their arch rival, Boston, on Sunday. The 8:05pm start will be featured on ESPN, as both teams look to gain ground on the red-hot, first place Tampa Bay Rays.
Tim Wakefield will be on the mound for the Red Sox. Wakefield is 5-6 on the season, with a 3.72 era. He is 2-5 in his last 10 decisions, with his most recent start (against Tampa Bay) ending in a loss 3-1. Wakefield is 9-16 in his career against the Yankees. The knuckleball specialist has struggled against New York in his career with several guys having good numbers against him. Here are a few Yankees numbers:
Abreu, .316
Cano, .310
Damon, .302
Jeter, .311
For the Yanks, Joba Chamberlain will throw. Joba is 2-2 with a 2.22 era. He has not lost a game since early May, but only recently moved to the starting rotation. Chamberlain is 1-0 in his career against Boston.
With the Yankees bats against Wakefield, and Chamberlain’s dominance, look for the Yankees to settle the series at two! Go Yankees!
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The Yankees need a win today. Losers of two straight to the Red Sox, and 9 behind the Rays, we are in a desperate state. With the offense sporadic, and the pitching questionable, both of these issues need to get fixed.
The 3:55 FOX game-of-the-week features Justin Masterson of the Red Sox against Mike Mussina of the Yankees. Masterson is 4-2 on the season, with a 3.75 era. Justin took a loss in his last start to the Rays 5 days ago. On the season, he has only made 8 starts, going atleast five innings in all of them. On the road this year, Masterson is 1-2 in three starts. He has never faced the Yankees in his career. Time to mash him!
Mussina knows all the old tricks of the Red Sox. 10-6, with a 3.87 era on the season, Mike is 19-17 in 54 career starts against Boston. Mussina has lost his last two starts, but is 6-3 in his last nine decisions. In his last start against Texas, he was a tough luck 2-1 loser.
Look for Mussina to pitch well today, and the bats to finally start to roll off the young rookie pitcher! Time for a win today Yankees! Have a great Saturday Yankee fans!
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Happy 4th of July to all! The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will square off today in the second of a four game series, and will surely produce fireworks at the stadium.
Josh Beckett, 7-5 with a 3.65 ERA, will face Darrell Rasner who is 4-6 with an ERA of 4.92. Rasner has lost his last two starts and 6 of his last 7. He has never faced Boston in his career. He is 3-1 at home this season. Beckett is coming off a 7 inning no-decision against Houston, where he had been back and forth. 2-1 in his last five starts, Beckett has shut down potential. And we all know his past World Series history against the Yankees. In his career, Beckett is 6-3 against the Yankees.
Boston comes into the game 51-37, 3 full games behind Tampa Bay. The Yankees are 45-41, 8 full games back of Tampa Bay.
The Yankees need Rasner to throw well, and the bats to come alive! Go Yankees!
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