"Win leaves Yankees feeling youthful...Chamberlain, Ramirez each dominant for one inning of relief" -- Aug. 19, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Three lockers separated the cubbyholes that belong to Joba Chamberlain and Edwar Ramirez. The two relievers stood upright, the lines on their faces shifting as they listened, spoke and grinned.

Packs of reporters, print and broadcast, encircled the pair of pitchers. They had just dazzled a Sunday crowd of 55,071 at Yankee Stadium, combining to help seal a 9-3 win over the Tigers.

Chamberlain stood with a massive sling of ice wrapped over his arm and around his stomach, coloring his skin a shade of red where it touched him and adding to the already thoroughbred look branded from head to toe on his 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame.

Fifteen feet away stood Ramirez, the man manager Joe Torre labeled a thermometer earlier this season, playing off the slenderness of the 26-year-old rookie, who stands 6-foot-3 but rarely pushes a scale's needle past 150.

The two relievers are not related, but Chamberlain and Ramirez share a common trait: They throw nasty pitches -- so deceptive and biting, in fact, that left fielder Johnny Damon took a stab at describing what kind of pitcher the two of them would combine to make.

"Umm... Cy Young?" Damon postulated.

Quite a compliment, that, but the Yankees are more interested in how Chamberlain and Ramirez perform individually and in tandem. For the big fellow, the one who received chants of "Joba! Joba!" in the scoreless seventh inning he pitched, it's all about a fastball that reaches 100 mph.

Chamberlain's slingshot of a right arm explodes the ball from the tips of his fingers, so much so that catcher Jorge Posada said he couldn't compare it with that of any pitcher who has fired heaters into his mitt.

For the afternoon, the 21-year-old Chamberlain got Gary Sheffield to strike out, and then he struck out American League MVP candidate Magglio Ordonez on three pitches.

The next batter Chamberlain faced, Carlos Guillen, a .304 hitter, stayed alive at the plate for just a few more seconds than Ordonez, striking out on four pitches.

Ramirez helped explain what the oomph of the Tigers lineup was up against: "[A] very, very, very, very good fastball. And a good breaking pitch."

Detroit had to be happy to see Chamberlain exit. Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Chamberlain's fastball got his hitters so geared up for the heater that they had no chance against the rookie's slider.

Despite some frustration fuming over the Tigers' lack of hitting with runners on base, Leyland spoke some words that seem to already be spreading across the Bronx faster than the subways.

"He's one of those special guys."

Leyland's comment came across clear, but he easily could have been referring to Ramirez -- at least judging from the performance the right-hander turned in after relieving Chamberlain.

Ramirez came on in the eighth and used just 15 pitches to strike out the side. The fastball, which he throws between 89-92 mph, worked well as a setup pitch, skimming the corners for quick strikes.

But Ramirez broke out his secret weapon when he got ahead in the count. It was the pitch he featured in his Major League debut, when he also started an inning by fanning three in a row.

It's the changeup which Torre has studied well.

"That pitch is one of those power changeups," said Torre, who tied Casey Stengel for second place in franchise history with 1,149 wins as a Yankees manager. "It's one of those that, even if you look for it, it's tough to hit it, anyway."

Torre said he and Yankees management are working to take care of the two rookies, most notably Chamberlain, who, at least to this point in the season, is ordered one day of rest for every inning he pitches.

The two relievers don't care so much about the plans, however. They're having fun. They're pitching. They're doing well, and, as Chamberlain said, they may help even each other become better and prove Damon right.

"Hopefully, maybe I can learn [Ramirez's] changeup one day," Chamberlain said, "and I can give him some tips on the slider."

Damon, freshly showered and standing at his locker -- one spot over from Chien-Ming Wang, who started the game and picked up his 14th win -- said the two young guns could surprise teams during the Yankees' run at a pennant.

It all starts on Monday against Los Angeles at Angel Stadium. The Halos will be the first team, assuming they saw Chamberlain and Ramirez dominate the Tigers on Sunday, to make their scouting reports just a little bit thicker.

Either way, Damon, who launched a go-ahead solo home run off Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman, said the Yankees are as solid as they've been all season, and now they have these two guys at the other end of the locker room standing under blue name plates reading "Chamberlain" and "Ramirez."

"They're throwing the ball well and nobody knows too much about them yet," Damon said. "We have a lot of good things going on."

Yankees Notebook, Aug. 19

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- There were lots of boos for Gary Sheffield on Saturday afternoon, and then a chorus of cheers for Kyle Farnsworth. The power-on-power showdown in the seventh inning resulted in a swinging strikeout, and all of the sudden, the 54,802 in attendance for the Yankees' 5-2 win over the Tigers ushered the formerly out-of-favor Farnsworth back to the dugout with all the glitz and glamour of a hometown hero.

The crowd rose to its feet when Farnsworth got two strikes on Sheffield, and then exploded into an ovation when home-plate umpire Jeff Kellogg shot his hand up for the out. At that point, Farnsworth walked as casually as ever off the mound, past the first-base line and into a group of pinstriped teammates waiting to give him high-fives.

"That's one thing about these fans," manager Joe Torre said. "They're going to let you know they appreciate you, just like they're going to let you know that they think you can do a better job."

Since the right-hander surrendered a run to the Royals on Aug. 4, Farnsworth has thrown four scoreless innings, while walking just one and striking out four. Over that stretch, his ERA has dropped from 4.87 to 4.47.

Farnsworth has been working on his mechanics with pitching coach Ron Guidry since the All-Star break. Of late, Torre said, Farnsworth has shown a smooth motion off the rubber, leading to better location with his fastball and, even more importantly for the right-hander, his slider.

"It definitely feels like [the ball is] coming out [of my hand] a lot easier," Farnsworth said. "I think that's just being nice and, mechanics-wise, just keeping it quiet and not trying to explode and jump out too fast."

As Torre noted on Saturday, pitchers can't settle into a role that disregards the practical need of getting into games on a regular basis to stay sharp. The skipper said he learned that lesson earlier this season, when Mariano Rivera struggled in save situations because he didn't have opportunities to pitch in those spots frequently. Too many days separated his outings, and as a result, Rivera's ERA skyrocketed to 10.57 by the end of April.

Farnsworth has been through stretches this season in which he hasn't pitched for five consecutive days. He doesn't suggest, however, that regular trips to the mound have keyed his recent success. Instead, he attributes the strong innings to a change in attitude on the mound.

"I'm not fighting myself," Farnsworth said. "I'm just pitching, and whatever happens, happens."

Jeter rests: Derek Jeter, who got the day off on Sunday, resorted, as he often does, to joking with Torre after he found out his name wasn't on the lineup card.

"He always has his tongue in cheek," Torre said of the captain. "He says, 'I guess I've been benched,' and then he walks out of my office -- that type of thing."

Torre noted that, more often than not, it's too easy to put Jeter and his other stars into the lineup every day without a second thought, but given the wear and tear of a 162-game season -- not to mention the fact that the Yankees now have a deeper bench than they did on Opening Day -- the skipper is looking to give his prominent players a day or two off when he can.

"The season catches up with a lot of guys," Torre said. "We ignore both [Jeter] and Alex [Rodriguez] all the time, because we're so used to writing their names in the lineup -- and Robby Cano, too. ... We're just trying to be vigilant there, just try to take care of people before they have a problem."

Torre closes in on Stengel: With 1,148 wins in his managerial career with the Yankees, Torre needs just one more victory to tie Casey Stengel for second place in franchise history, an accomplishment he never would have imagined achieving as a youngster.

"Casey is who I grew up with," Torre said. "When [the Yankees] started that five World Series in a row, I was like 5 years old, and even though I wasn't a Yankees fan at the time, you certainly couldn't help but notice how dominant the Yankees were. Then I got to know Casey personally when he was managing the Mets. He was a colorful character."

With Saturday's victory over the Tigers, Torre recorded the 2,141st win in his career, passing Walter Alston for sole possession of eighth place on baseball's all-time list. That, coupled with his pending tie with Stengel, makes Torre a proud, yet humbled man.

"The number of games I've won is impressive, but the numbers that I've been lucky enough to win as a Yankee means a great deal to me when you start realizing the names you're connected with," Torre said.

Getting to know Joba: Five baseballs sit in Joba Chamberlain's locker, all of them in a perfect horizontal row on the top shelf. One was used in a Florida State League game, another in an Eastern League game, another in the Futures Game, and still another at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

And, of course, the last ball in the row of five is the game ball from his first Major League game against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

"They're just a little reminder of what it takes to get here," Chamberlain said. "[They remind me] of the hard work it took and to not ever stop working hard."

Now that the hard work has been accomplished -- for a cup of coffee, at least, if not much, much more -- Chamberlain is willing to reveal other secrets than the significance of those five balls.

While it may not be top-secret information, Chamberlain was excited to talk about his favorite foods and desserts. Steak tops the list of his main-course favorites, while ice cream and brownies is his choice of dessert.

Coming up: Phil Hughes (2-1, 4.44 ERA) and the Yankees will hit the road to take on Dustin Moseley (4-2, 4.84) and the Angels on Monday for the first game of a three-game series at Angel Stadium. First pitch is slated for 10:05 p.m. ET.

"Yankees routed by Orioles...Karstens hit hard in start; offense held in check by Cabrera" -- Aug. 14, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- The first five innings were the preview, like a trailer for a movie. The snapshots were enticing. Aubrey Huff smacks a grand slam; Daniel Cabrera dominates New York's powerhouse offense.

But this game may have revealed itself in the fullest in the sixth inning, a script that started with Robinson Cano botching a throw for an error.

From there, it just got uglier.

The box score shows that a Nick Markakis double came next, but the 52,567 at Yankee Stadium saw that left fielder Hideki Matsui misjudged Markakis' line drive, running a few steps in before retreating to the wall to retrieve the ball.

Throw in two singles, two walks, a hit batter and four runs, and that about sums up the inning -- the reel of how things went from bad to worse for the Bombers in an 12-0 loss to Baltimore on Tuesday, the largest margin of defeat this season since a 14-2 loss to Texas in May.

The hard times started with Yankees starter Jeff Karstens and carried into New York's middle relievers, all of whom had trouble throwing strikes.

"Most ballclubs will beat your brains out when you set them up with counts like we did tonight -- 2-0, 3-1, 3-2," manager Joe Torre said. "You really have no room to do anything to keep them guessing at that point in time."

Jim Brower relieved Karstens to start the fourth and Brian Roberts took advantage, ripping a single and stealing two bases off Brower, who did not pay enough attention to the speedster. Roberts scored the first of six runs -- four earned -- that Brower gave up.

From that point on, even though the Yankees had scored seven or more runs in their past 10 home games, New York's chances of a comeback went from slim to slimmer.

"You like to think that you have a chance to come back, but you need somebody to go out there and not give up anything, and we weren't able to do that," Torre said. "They scored in [six] straight innings. The only way you're going to be able to cut into the lead is to put a band aide on it, and we weren't able to do it."

Brower was the pitcher who started the sixth, pitching to four batters without recording an out. Then Torre brought in left-hander Ron Villone, who recorded the first out. Despite being down 11-0 at that point, fans applauded the pop out to third baseman Alex Rodriguez -- there was nothing else to cheer about. It was that bad.

Either that or Cabrera was that good. In spite of his ongoing struggles with the strike zone -- he issued six walks on the night -- the big right-hander allowed only two hits to the Yankees in 6 2/3 innings, a Matsui liner and an A-Rod dribbler. Not even Melky Cabrera, who came into the game having recorded a hit in 18 consecutive games, could find a gap or even a pocket of air.

Cano, who went 0-for-4 at the plate with a strikeout, said Cabrera was a different pitcher than the last time he faced him in Baltimore.

"He's tough because he's a guy who throws hard," Cano said. "Every time he throws to you, it seems like he's sitting next to you."

Like Cabrera, Karstens struggled in the walks category, but Karstens had other things to worry about. After the first inning, his pitches floated up, became flat and were hittable. Or crushable -- at least for Huff's grand slam in the third.

That long ball, along with four other hits, knocked Karstens out of the game after three innings, as he walked four and saw his record drop to 0-3 on the season.

"I've got to start performing sometime soon," Karstens said. "Any time you put baserunners on without them having to hit, I don't know the percentages, but usually they end up scoring pretty good."

Torre said he and general manager Brian Cashman will discuss soon their options surrounding the team's pitching, and Karstens could be at the middle of it.

With Roger Clemens set to return on Saturday, the Yankees rotation will be set, and since Karstens isn't a polished reliever, Torre and Cashman may opt to dip into the bullpen at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The loss, which snapped New York's four-game winning streak, stung a little bit more because Boston came back to beat the Devil Rays, 2-1, on Tuesday to gain ground on the Yankees and spread the gap in the American League East to five games.

With this game behind them and Wednesday's rubber match in front of them, Torre said the Yankees can't look back. Who would want to, anyway, the skipper noted.

"It's easy to turn the page," Torre said, "when you have something ugly to look at."

Yankees Notebook, Aug. 14

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Manager Joe Torre has seen a remarkable change in his bench over the past few weeks and months. Gone are the seldom-used Kevin Thompson, Chris Basak, Miguel Cairo and Wil Nieves.

On Tuesday, the Yankees' dugout bench featured a completely revamped set of reserves. But it's not just different personnel, it's a different personality.

"I think the guys who are on the bench every day are having fun with it now," Shelley Duncan said. "I think at some point in the year people can sort of be upset about not playing, but now, looking at the lineup every day, everybody can say, 'Whoa, this is a bench. We're a part of it.'"

There on the blue-padded bench, at least for Tuesday's game, sat Jose Molina, an eight-year veteran who has batted .292 with three doubles since joining the Yankees at the trade deadline.

Also there was Andy Phillips, who, despite a recent slide at the plate, has put together a .280 average with a couple of home runs and 20 RBIs in 150 at-bats.

Then there was -- now, this one could come as a surprise -- Johnny Damon. He was sitting there because of Melky Cabrera's outstanding defense in center field. Damon brings to the bench a speedster who can slap the ball around and hit a long ball now and then. His .259 average is down this season, but the 12-year veteran has stolen 20 bases in 22 attempts, not to mention he's doubled 19 times.

And, of course, there's the rookie Duncan, who after coming on the scene this season became a cult hero of sorts by hitting five home runs and batting a .722 slugging percentage, higher than that of Alex Rodriguez.

Other players included in the mix are Jason Giambi and Wilson Betemit, both of whom started on Tuesday at designated hitter and first base, respectively.
Torre said the makeup of the bench and how it's being rotated is all a part of an effort to "blend" together the entire roster, keeping the players both fresh and hopefully at the top of their games.

"Great players on the bench," Betemit said. "I mean, these guys can do anything. That's why we're here. If they need me or one of these guys to do a job, we're ready to do it. That's part of the team."

Duncan said for players like Damon and Giambi to accept a role off the bench, even if it's only for a few games a week, is a testimony to the Yankees' goal of being world champions.

"It really shows the light that you see at the end of the tunnel and how close we're getting to it," Duncan said. "We haven't arrived yet, but we keep grinding to get there. Each day we get closer, closer as a team, and it's about winning right now. That's what it takes. It takes a 25-man roster, and these guys are being true professionals and being wonderful teammates. No one is complaining, nobody is asking for more [playing] time. It's awesome."

The Joba plan: Though praiseful of his newest arm in the bullpen, Torre said he would stick mostly with experience on the mound and keep Joba Chamberlain on his "set in stone" pitching plan: One inning pitched, one day off; two innings pitched, two days off.

"Last night, I watched him out there in the eighth inning and I was holding my breath getting through it," Torre said. "Not that he was afraid of it, but he was pumped. And I was just happy the result was there and, 'Nice going, but you're out of the game.'"

The team is trying to ease Chamberlain into his role as a reliever, which, prior to this season, was foreign to him. Having such a set plane for a pitcher with a couple of years in the Minor Leagues might be overboard, but Chamberlain has blown through four leagues in the Minors this year, rocketing through the system.

"We have to keep in mind that we drafted him a year ago at this time, and he's 21 years old," Torre said.

The Yankees manager hinted at another reason why the Yankees have been delicate with Chamberlain's splash in the Major Leagues thus far -- he reminds Torre of the beginning of Angels' closer Francisco Rodriguez, who, after his ascent through Los Angels' farm system in
2002, has compiled 135 saves and posted a 2.32 ERA.

Igawa here to stay: According to a report on ESPN.com, Kei Igawa will remain a Yankee for the foreseeable future, as the Yankees withdrew the left-hander from waivers before the 2 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday. The Yankees and Padres had reportedly been discussing a deal that could have included Igawa.

Rizzuto tribute: In honor of the late Phil Rizzuto, the Yankees will Rizzuto's No. 10 on their left arms for the remainder of the season. The team is also wearing black armbands this season in honor of Cory Lidle, who died in a plane crash shortly after the Yankees were eliminated from the postseason last year.

Bomber bits: Doug Mientkiewicz has started taking batting practice, and Torre said a Sept. 1 return is a sure bet for the first baseman. ... Betemit, who has started at first base for two consecutive days, will take over at second base on Wednesday while Robinson Cano takes a day off.

Coming up: The Yankees will send Phil Hughes (2-1, 4.64 ERA) to the mound to face off with Orioles ace Erik Bedard (12-4, 3.11) in the final game of this three-game series at Yankee Stadium. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.

"Buddy Ball good enough for Braves...Given chance with Atlanta, journeyman continues to win" -- August 7, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Facing the top team in the National League East and needing a win to unease those same Mets, the Braves handed the ball to their Buddy.

Out of nowhere -- Korea, where he last pitched professionally, to be precise -- this pitcher,
Buddy Carlyle, who carries a demeanor akin to his name, has given the Braves a boost in the hot summer months.

Despite pitching in only his 13th game this season, Carlyle picked up his seventh win by holding the Mets to three runs over five innings in a 7-3 victory on Tuesday at Shea Stadium.

"Another good ballgame," manager Bobby Cox said. "He started bending a little bit, but he didn't break."

The win came amid a playoff-type atmosphere. Carlyle, however, said his experience in past Minor League stretch runs helped prepare him for such intensity.

He just doesn't seem to get rattled, doesn't seem to get flustered.

"To me, he's the [team] MVP ... he's faced some tough lineups for us," right fielder Jeff Francoeur said. "He's not facing the last-place teams. He's beat the Mets, he's beat the Padres. He's beat some good teams, and we feel confident with him."

Carlyle has waiting years for this success. Batters hit the now-29-year-old hard in 1999, when he started seven games as a rookie for the Padres, and offenses continued to pummel his pitches the following year.

After those two brief seasons in the Majors, Carlyle waited until 2005 for another shot, this time with the Dodgers.

But Carlyle didn't stick with Los Angeles and was sent globetrotting in search of work. The journey took Carlyle to Japan and most recently Korea before the Braves took a chance on the 6-foot-3, 185-pound hurler this offseason.

Carlyle has responded by posting a 7-3 record and 4.28 ERA in 13 appearances, and all of this after juggling his own self doubt about whether he could really compete with the top arms in world.

"Sometimes it crosses your mind," he said.

His surfacing in the Braves' rotation hasn't been dumb luck, though. Carlyle said he's changed his mechanics and worked on a cutter over the past few years.

But the main adjustment has been in his thinking. He had to learn what kind of pitcher he was.

"Pitchers, when they're in their low 20s, I don't think you have an idea," Carlyle said. "There are some guys with exceptional stuff, but that wasn't me. You just mature as a pitcher, and I think you get to know who you are and what you can do. As I've gotten older, I think that's something I've achieved. I'm not someone who's going to go out there and throw 96 or 97 miles per hour, so I just try to get outs any way I can."

He used that strategy in the fourth and fifth innings Tuesday. With runners at the corners and nobody out in the fourth, pitching coach Roger McDowell visited Carlyle on the mound.

McDowell reminded Carlyle that he had a 6-0 lead. He didn't need to worry about the runners, didn't need to try to overpower the next batter, Moises Alou, or strike him out. He just needed an out.

"He's probably going to score," McDowell said, according to Carlyle. "Just try to treat this like a new inning, with the one-two-three [hitters] up, and try to get out of this."
Carlyle paused for a moment.

"It worked out just like he said to do it."

Carlyle induced a double play in exchange for a run. He would allow two more Mets to score in the fifth, but Atlanta's offensive support sufficed, as is usually needed for a team's fifth starter.

Though Carlyle's not as gifted as some flame-throwing prospects, Cox wore a smile talking about Carlyle and his simple pitching approach after the game.

"He comes right at you with his stuff. That's it," Cox said. "If he walks a guy, he sure isn't pitching around anybody. I don't care who it is. He goes right after them."

"Historic homers mark Yankees...Bonds' 756th conjures up memories of Bombers blasts" -- August 7, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Cemented as the most storied sports franchise in history, the New York Yankees are used to momentous events.

But if you felt a bit of a rumble when Barry Bonds eclipsed Hank Aaron with home run No. 756, it's probably because Monument Park shook in applause.

Like those hallowed memory plaques in center field at Yankee Stadium, Bonds' home run is something to be tucked away, remembered, replayed and relived. It also stages a nice reminder of all the Yankees' memorable homers throughout this past century.

The well of home run heroes in the Bronx runs deep, and no single homer could stand out as the One, the Unforgettable, the Undeniable.

"There are ... many," Yankees closer Mariano Rivera said. "Oh, so many. My goodness."

The Yankees have too many historic long balls to choose just one, and that's why the following list begins with the Yankees' most memorable homers of the past 10 years and works its way back through time:

Miracle Boone, Oct. 16, 2003: Before he had stared out toward Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, before he had stepped into the batter's box and before he even took his warm up swings, Aaron Boone stuttered a minute as he readied himself in the Yankees dugout in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series.

Manager Joe Torre had caught his attention.

Boone hadn't been able to muster up a decent at-bat the entire game, so Torre had a talk with the third baseman.

"I remember saying to Aaron before he went up to the plate against Wakefield ... 'Try to hit a single to right, and it doesn't mean you're not going to hit a home run,'" Torre said. "That's the last thing I said to him going up there. And the knuckleball just stayed right there and he hit it out of the ballpark. ... It was a wonderful feeling for me. Best single to right I've ever had."

The shot gave the Yankees a 6-5 victory and prolonged the Red Sox's Curse of the Bambino.

"That one was to win the series. So many, but I think that one is No. 1," Rivera said.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman shared the same sentiment.

"Aaron Boone. Game 7. Win or go home," he said. "It's against a guy that was a Yankee killer, Wakefield. It was just unexpected. Boone had struggled since he had been acquired by us, and probably the least likely you'd expect to do it, and then all a sudden, boom -- it's over."

Leyritz's liftoff, Oct. 23, 1996 Known as a steady offensive player during the regular season, Jim Leyritz transformed when postseason play began. Leyritz, who mostly played catcher and some infield, hit a game-changing home run in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series vs. the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

Facing a 6-0 deficit against the Braves, the Yankees rallied for three runs in the sixth. Then in the eighth inning, they put runners on the corners with one out and Leyritz coming to bat. Mark Wohlers, the Braves' 100-mph flame-throwing closer, was the pitcher.

After Leyritz fouled off one of Wohlers' fastballs straight back, the right-hander opted to try out his third-best pitch -- the slider -- against Leyritz.

You guessed it. The slider never reached the catcher's glove, and instead ended up over the left-field fence for a three-run homer and 6-6 tie. When the Yankees won Game 4, it became the greatest World Series comeback since 1929.

"Leyritz won the game," Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. "It changed the whole series around."

Tough Rhodes for Justice, Oct. 17, 2000: With the Seattle Mariners ahead, 4-3, in Game 6 of the 2000 ALCS, left-hander Arthur Rhodes came on to face David Justice with two runners aboard in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium.

Justice worked the count to 3-1 and then blasted a fastball into the upper deck in right field to give the Yankees a 6-4 lead. The stadium erupted and the Yankees went on to win, 9-7, to set up a Subway Series with the Mets.

"I don't think this place could get any louder," Cashman said. "That was a game we won because of [the homer], and we went on to the World Series and we won the World Series that year. We made it count. We made it stand up."

Tino slam, Oct. 17, 1998: With Mark Langston on the mound for San Diego in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series, Tino Martinez came up to bat shortly after the Yankees had tied the game in the seventh on a Chuck Knoblauch three-run homer.

Three more Yankees reached base that inning before Martinez came up to the plate, and the Yankees first baseman worked the count full. Martinez then smashed a grand slam to give the Yankees a four-run lead.

"It was important, a big one," Cashman said. "It set the tone for the rest of the series. We never looked back."

Fearsome threesome, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2001: Martinez, Derek Jeter and Scott Brosius hit crucial home runs at Yankee Stadium while pitted against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series.

The trio of home runs in Games 4 and 5 -- though not enough to push the Yankees on to another World Series championship -- rocked New York.

"Clearly, the home runs against the Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series in the home games here [were very memorable]," Cashman said. "Jeter, Tino, Brosius. Again, I'm not sure if this place can get any louder."

More blasts from the past:

• Reggie Jackson, 1977 World Series: Showing little patience but lots of power, Jackson hit three consecutive home runs on the first pitches he saw to beat the Dodgers in Game 6 at Yankee Stadium. By the time he had rounded the bases for his third homer, the crowd was chanting "Reggie!" "Reggie!" over and over.

• Mickey Mantle, 1964: Mantle smashed the longest home run hit at Yankee Stadium, a 502-foot shot to center field off Ray Herbert. He would later hit a 565-foot blast at Griffith Stadium in Washington off Chuck Stobbs.

• Roger Maris, 1961: Maris connected for his record-setting 61st home run off Red Sox pitcher Tracy Stallard in the season's final game.

• Babe Ruth, 1932 World Series: Some say Ruth called his shot off Cubs pitcher Charlie Root, and ended up with two homers on the day.

"Surging Yankees complete sweep" -- Aug. 5, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com

NEW YORK -- First things first, right?

Since the All-Star break, the Yankees rank first in batting average, first in home runs, first in runs scored, first in RBIs, first in on-base percentage and first in slugging percentage.

And with their 8-5 win on Sunday at Yankee Stadium, the Bombers are 18-7 since the break.
In other words, first in wins.

The Yankees sit a half-game behind the Tigers and Mariners for the top spot in the American League Wild Card race, and the AL East has tightened considerably since the Midsummer Classic.

"Right now, we're in a position to do the work ourselves," manager Joe Torre said. "We don't have to rely on anybody else."

Mike Mussina carried the brunt of the work on Sunday, scattering nine hits without walking a batter in his seventh win of the season. Two double plays and the resurgence of a juggernaut offense backed the 38-year-old veteran through six innings.

With the win, Mussina picked up an honor of sorts. He recorded his 246th victory, breaking a tie with Dennis Martinez to become the winningest pitcher in Major League history never to record a 20-win season.

The game ball used in his record-setting game won't work as a bargaining chip like Alex Rodriguez's 500th home run, but Mussina said he's satisfied with the all-time mark. He's just glad to be pitching, and even happier to be pitching when the Yankees' offense is putting up so many crooked numbers.

"We've been doing that lately," Mussina said. "We're putting it in play. We're putting it in play hard. I know we're hitting a lot of homers ... those are the kind of things this team has done in the past to be successful, and we've been doing it the past couple of weeks, and scoring a lot of runs and winning some games pretty handily."

Hideki Matsui hit his 100th homer with the Yankees, and he leads all Japanese-born players in the home run category. The fan who caught the ball gave it back to Matsui in exchange for an autographed bat and ball.

After hitting .345 with 13 home runs in the month of July, Matsui has started August 6-for-17, including a home run off Kansas City starter Gil Meche on Sunday. According to Torre, the Yankees left fielder "just sucks up those RBIs."

Matsui is one of several left-handed bats coming alive in the Yankees' second-half surge. Bobby Abreu recorded his fourth three-hit effort in a span of five games, and Melky Cabrera, a switch-hitter batting from the left side on Sunday against the right-handed Meche, extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single and a home run.

The stinging strokes from the southpaws have evoked several questions of late, most of which wonder how all of the lineup's lefties caught fire at the same time.

"I'm not sure," Matsui said. "I think it's just a coincidence."

Despite the ample offense, however, Torre noted his concern for the bullpen, which lost an experience veteran, Scott Proctor, at the trade deadline less than a week ago.

Brian Bruney relieved Mussina with one on and no outs in the seventh. Royals shortstop Tony Pena smacked a hard grounder to third, where Wilson Betemit snagged it and started a double play.

All seemed well at that point, Torre said, but Bruney lost the strike zone, walking center fielder David DeJesus before surrendering a single to second baseman Esteban German.

Mike Myers took over for Bruney, but had troubles of his own, allowing two hits and a walk. Torre had seen enough and brought Mariano Rivera in to get the final out of the eighth. The Yankees closer then finished the ninth for his 17th save of the season.

"The walks still haunt us," Torre said. "We still have to find a way not to go to Mo in the eighth inning."

The bullpen meltdown brought up the frequently asked question surrounding Yankees top prospect Joba Chamberlain, who struck out five batters in two innings on Saturday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Torre stretched out his hand in response to the Chamberlain inquiry.

"I don't even know what the kid looks like," the manager said. "But just to hear all the things I've heard about him, yeah, I'm curious."

Whether Chamberlain is ready or not, whether the bats will continue to produce and whether the Yankees will continue their post-All-Star break winning ways remains to be seen.

But as the club inches closer to playoff-berth territory, the Yankees won't settle for less, Torre said.

"I'm keeping my eye on the division," he said. "Sure, we have the ability to win a Wild Card, but I still want to work harder and win the division."

Yankees Notebook, Aug. 5

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Reliever Brian Bruney, who has struggled recently out of the Yankees' bullpen -- his ERA skyrocketing from 2.52 to 3.40 from July 13-28 -- may have found a problem-solver for his pitching woes.

For his last two outings, Bruney, who has pitched strictly from the stretch this season, has started pitching from the windup when called upon with no runners on base.

Pitching coach Ron Guidry said the change has made Bruney more effective and given the right-hander a confidence boost. But the switch to the windup didn't come overnight.

"We've spoken to him before, but when you're set in your ways, you can't argue about it. They have to want to do it," Guidry said. "He sat in the bullpen the last couple of weeks and said, 'I'm not doing the job I need to be doing, so I have to do something. I have to change something.'
Well, the last two times, he's done a good job and he's got a lot of confidence.

"When you're comfortable and you're confident that you can do it, you don't have to have great stuff to get outs. You can get outs just because you feel good and you know you can do it."

Bruney said the adjustment has been a long time coming. He's been tinkering with his windup during bullpen sessions over the course of the season, but just recently came to the realization that something needed to change.

"I know I feel more comfortable," he said. "It gives me some rhythm and some gathering."

Bruney has pitched two innings since making the change, striking out four without walking a batter. Giving up free passes has been a problem for Bruney this season -- he's walked 29 batters in 41 2/3 innings -- but pitching from the windup may be a fix, or at least a help, to his bases on balls struggle.

"Yesterday [Bruney] said, 'I love it because I feel like I have more control,'" Guidry said. "So as long as he's doing fine and it's working, stay with it. Whether it's the answer or not, who knows? But as long as he feels he's doing better, that's half the problem [fixed]. Why give yourself half your ability when you could start off doing as good as you can? He didn't have to do it, but he did it on his own."

Barry calls A-Rod: Giants slugger Barry Bonds, who tied Hank Aaron with home run No. 755 in San Diego on Saturday night, called and left a voicemail for Alex Rodriguez during the Yankees' 16-8 win over the Royals, congratulating the All-Star third baseman on hitting his 500th homer.
"He left a real nice message last night, actually right after the home run, I guess," Rodriguez said. "The voicemail was probably from about 3 [p.m.], so I guess he was watching from San Diego. And then he went out for the hit, so that's pretty cool."

Giambi watch: Jason Giambi batted 0-for-3 with a walk as the designated hitter for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. He's 1-for-6 with a home run at Scranton.

Yankees manager Joe Torre said it's unlikely Giambi will join the team on Monday in Toronto, but said he expects the slugger to be activated sometime during the team's road trip, which will take the Yankees to Toronto and Cleveland.

Torre added that the turf in Rogers Centre shouldn't be a problem if Giambi is activated while the Yanks are in town to take on the Blue Jays.

"He's going to DH probably, anyway," Torre said. "I don't think it's going to be an issue, and plus, the turf isn't what it once was."

Myers cut from bullpen: Veteran left-hander Mike Myers was told after the game that he will be designated for assignment.

A published report in the New York Daily News said that Myers was informed of the move by Torre and general manager Brian Cashman shortly before the team left for Toronto.
Myers, 38, was in the second year of a two-year, $2.4 million contract. He had a team-best 2.66 ERA in 55 appearances, but left-handers hit .312 against him.

"I was a little taken back by the move," Myers told the Daily News. "I thought I had turned a corner after the [All-Star] break, but had still given up some hits to left-handers. I know I wasn't doing the job they brought me here to do, so I don't have any hard feelings."

Farnsworth boos: Reliever Kyle Farnsworth continues to hear from the fans every time he's called upon out of the Yankees' bullpen. His past two outings made matters worse making the boos louder -- as the right-hander has given up three runs, including two homers, in his last two innings.

Torre said the team's upcoming road trip could help Farnsworth.

"I think he just needs to have a couple of good outings," Torre said. "He's been around a while, and you see signs of stuff. His slider and his fastball are powerful pitches for him. He just needs to locate on a regular basis, and I think once he gets a couple of good outings under his belt, [he will be fine]. Maybe the road will help him."

Rocket man: Roger Clemens presented astronaut Garrett Reisman with a Yankees banner and dirt from the Yankee Stadium pitcher's mound, as the Bombers honored Reisman in an on-field ceremony before Saturday's game against the Royals. The Parsippany, N.J., native will be on board the Space Shuttle Endeavor as part of Mission STS-123, a six-month expedition set to launch out of Cape Canaveral on Feb. 14, 2008. Reisman will bring the items with him to be displayed in the shuttle.

Coming up: The Yankees send Andy Pettitte (7-7, 3.97 ERA) to the mound on Monday to face Jesse Litsch (4-4, 3.47) in the first game of a three-game set in Toronto against the Blue Jays. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m. ET.

August 4 Sider, "Yankees revel in witnessing history"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- As Alex Rodriguez circled the bases after launching home run No. 500 on Saturday afternoon, fans in the left-field stands scrambled their way to the landing site, much like a reversed ripple effect.

The 54,056 at Yankee Stadium, the 27th sellout of the season, had their eyes fixed on the direction of that marked baseball, but back at home plate, and back at the top step of the Yankees' dugout, was a mob of pinstriped players waiting to greet the 22nd man in Major League history to reach the 500-homer milestone.

A-Rod's teammates not only had front-row seats to watch his feat, they've witnessed his magical season -- in which he became the first player in baseball history to record 35 home runs, 100 runs scored and 100 RBIs for a 10th consecutive year -- unfurl over the past four months.

At 32 years and eight days of age, Rodriguez, who also scored three runs and racked up three RBIs on Saturday, is the youngest player to hit 500 home runs. Jimmie Foxx held the previous mark at 32 years, 338 days. Rodriguez also became just the third player to hit his 500th home run in a Yankees uniform, joining Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.

"It's awesome," Bobby Abreu said. "The guy is an outstanding player. He's one of the best players in the game. When you see him playing, you know what he's capable of doing. You know all his talents. He's put it together and he can go out there and show off his talents. For me, it's a lot of fun, especially hitting in front of him."

Abreu, who was on first base when A-Rod smacked Kyle Davies' first pitch over the left-field wall, said he had the perfect angle. There was no way that ball would go foul, Abreu said, and to be a part of the buzz rumbling throughout the stadium was something the Yankees right fielder will forever store in his memory bank.

"Just to be there when it happened," Abreu said. "I got the perfect angle over there, and I saw the ball high. He hit it pretty good, and it was exciting to me."

Hideki Matsui, who hasn't been a stranger to accolades this year, either -- collecting his 2,000th career professional hit and earning the July American League Player of the Month Award -- said Rodriguez's approach at the plate has led to the third baseman's record-setting season.

"He just seems to be calm and relaxed," Matsui said. "During the games, he's very focused. It just seems like he's more comfortable overall.

"I'm not surprised. Knowing him and knowing what kind of talent he has, he is certainly capable of doing the things that he's doing."

Wilson Betemit, who the Yankees acquired at Tuesday's trade deadline, is already seeing the side benefits of playing for a juggernaut franchise.

"It was unbelievable. I got traded and got to see Alex Rodriguez hit a big home run," Betemit said. "It's unbelievable."

Starting pitcher Phil Hughes, who made his first start since going down to a strained left hamstring and later a sprained left ankle earlier this season, didn't sit quietly on the bench as the fans ushered Rodriguez around the bases with cheers. His concentration on the Royals' batters would have to wait a few minutes because this, Hughes said, was something special.

The big right-hander wasn't going to miss a second of it.

"That's probably the last time I'll ever see something like that in person, so I wanted to make sure I was out there," he said. "It's awesome for him. Not something you see every day."

August 1 Sider, "Homers aplenty, just not from A-Rod"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Collectively, the Yankees have belted 16 home runs since Alex Rodriguez connected for No. 499 in Kansas City on July 25. None of them marked the magical 500th milestone, though. A-Rod is hitless in his last 20 at-bats -- 21 if you count his one at-bat in the completion of the suspended game -- his longest drought with the Yankees, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Yankees lineup is soaring.

With Rodriguez, 32, on the brink of making history -- he would surpass Jimmie Foxx as the youngest player to hit 500 homers -- the other players clad in pinstripes are hitting long balls left and right. A quirk of fate, perhaps?

"No, not really," Derek Jeter said. "Home runs are hard to get. He's going to hit a home run eventually. But you can't just go up there and try to hit home runs."

Rodriguez said his recent misfires at the plate would be much more frustrating if the Yankees were consistently in the losing column, but because of the team's second-half surge, winning three consecutive games and soaring to nine games over .500, A-Rod is keeping his head up.

"Guys are picking me up," the All-Star third baseman said. "They're swinging the bats incredibly well, and you kind of just want to join the parade a little bit. The most important thing here is to win."

One reason for Rodriguez's struggles could be the hundreds, if not thousands, of flashbulbs that pop while he's at the plate trying to concentrate on fastballs and breaking pitches. But, as Jeter said, "you're not looking into the stands when you hit."

Aside from the distractions and hype surrounding No. 13, manager Joe Torre said Rodriguez just needs to keep being himself, the player who has 35 home runs and 103 RBIs on the season.

"You know he's trying to get this thing over with," Torre said. "We'd all like to see it happen, but I don't care if it takes three weeks, four weeks. He just needs to play baseball. That's all."

Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bobby Abreu, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and rookie Shelley Duncan accounted for the 16 home runs since A-Rod's 499th against the Royals.

Thirteen of the 16 home runs have come in the past two days against the White Sox, which tied a franchise record previously set in a doubleheader on June 28, 1939, against the Philadelphia Athletics.

Posada, who had three long balls in the team's two homer-happy games, sympathized with Rodriguez's recent struggles at the plate. The mental battle A-Rod is facing at is a tough one, said Posada, who added that "it's just a matter of time."

The general consensus around baseball says that players never succeed when they press to hit home runs. But how could A-Rod clear No. 500 from his mind?

"Trying not to hit a home run," Posada said. "That's probably the toughest thing to do."

"Yanks make homer history in opener" -- July 31, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- Armed with a career .400 batting average against White Sox starter Jose Contreras, Alex Rodriguez seemed primed to join the 500-homer club on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. But instead, seven of his teammates went deep and tied a franchise record with eight home runs, equaling a feat set by the 1939 Bronx Bombers.

The accomplishment, which several White Sox players bantered about in the stadium tunnel after the game -- "We tied their record? Set in 19' what?" -- matched a club mark set in the first game of a doubleheader against the Philadelphia Athletics on June 28, 1939.

After the game, when Joe Torre heard that Joe DiMaggio helped set the previous record, the Yankees' skipper stopped fiddling his fingers over a USA Today paper on his lap.

"Is that right?"

Torre stared through a group of reporters and didn't so much as flinch. Then, leaning back in his black leather chair, he shook his head.

"That's incredible."

Hideki Matsui led the way with two home runs, giving him a total of 13 long balls in July, the most by any player in the Major Leagues for the month.

Also finding the outfield stands were Bobby Abreu, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada and Shelley Duncan. Three of those accounted for the early exit of Contreras, who left after 2 2/3 innings.

Duncan hit the Yankees' final home run, his fourth since being called up from Triple-A on July 20. The rookie didn't start the game and only had the one at-bat.

"It doesn't matter what it is, something special can always happen that no one expects. That's why I love it. That's why I just get jacked when I wake up," Duncan said. "Anyone in this room, anyone who gets in that lineup -- or even isn't in the lineup -- has a chance to do something that nobody will ever forget."

Damon said he couldn't remember a homer-happy game like this, even in Little League. In fact, he had trouble remembering if he's ever seen eight home runs -- in reality or virtual reality.

"Maybe in Xbox or something," he said.

Damon, however, quickly pointed out that the Yankees didn't hoot and holler during the game. Teammates may have had wider smiles, but their success is other players' shortcomings, he said, namely the Chicago pitching staff.

But much like the four White Sox who entered and left the game, Rodriguez found himself taking a lonely seat on the Yankees' dugout bench next to pitching coach Ron Guidry during the game. One has to wonder if Rodriguez heard his manager and bench coach, Don Mattingly, talking at the other end of the dugout.

"It was funny," Torre said. "Early in the game I said to Don, 'The third, the fifth, the sixth and the seventh batters hit home runs, and Alex is left out. I guess they're just waiting for Alex to just do it on his own.'"

The fact that A-Rod didn't make it into the home runs category in the box score only stood out because all eyes -- or lenses -- were on him. But those bulbs popping throughout Yankees Stadium never captured the moment they sought, as Rodriguez, on the brink of the 500-homers milestone, went 0-for-5 at the plate despite hitting four balls hard and three near the warning track.

"They took pictures of the wrong guy tonight," Rodriguez said.

That didn't matter to the rest of the Yankees, and Torre said players around the league who look at the game capsules on Wednesday morning will think A-Rod made history.

"I'm sure if we polled everybody in baseball -- if they didn't see the game, [but saw] eight home runs being hit -- they would have guessed that Alex hit two or three of them," he said.

Matsui, who has hit safely in 24 of his last 26 games, batted fifth behind Rodriguez. He said he had the perfect view of A-Rod at the plate, eyeing the All-Star third baseman clutch his bat and take those powerful swings that have produced 35 home runs and 103 RBIs this season.

The Yankees left fielder joked that his homer-watching jinxed Rodriguez.

"I got the closest seat to see him hit a home run, so I was the one just waiting for him to hit a home run," Matsui said. "So maybe I'm the problem."

July 22 Sider, "Rodriguez racks up homer No. 497"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez launched home run No. 497 on Saturday at Yankee Stadium in a 17-5 victory in the second game of a doubleheader, then he responded to the crowd's curtain call with a wave from the top of dugout steps.

"He had great at-bats, great at-bats in the second game," manager Joe Torre said. "Right from the first at-bat, he just looked very comfortable. He's going to go in and out of that."

The two-run shot to left field came off Tampa Bay right-hander Jay Witasick and placed Rodriguez just three home runs shy of becoming the 22nd member of the exclusive 500-homer club.

A-Rod's 33rd home run of the season -- plus a sacrifice fly later in the game -- gave him 96 RBIs, and he leads the Major Leagues in both categories.

"It's incredible," first baseman Andy Phillips said. "It's hard to even describe what he's doing. You know, it's hard to put in words -- justifiable words. It's just an amazing thing that he's doing, and he never ceases to amaze you every time he steps up there."

Rodriguez's march toward No. 500 has worked its way over Tampa Bay. Saturday night's blast was A-Rod's fifth against the D-Rays this season, and gave him a total of 30 against them.

He hit No. 496 -- his 32nd this season -- on July 16 against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Rodriguez hit homer No. 495 -- his 31st this season -- on July 12 at Tampa Bay in the Yankees' first series back from the All-Star break.

Before the Midsummer Classic, Rodriguez had totaled 30 home runs, setting a personal record and leading the Majors. He also topped the charts in runs and RBIs at the break with 79 and 86, respectively, making him the first Yankee to lead all three categories since Mickey Mantle did so in 1956.

"One more for the books"

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- If history truly repeats itself, then the American League All-Stars may be in trouble when Yankee Stadium hosts the 79th Midsummer Classic in 2008, because the Junior Circuit has lost two of the three previous All-Star Games played in The House That Ruth Built.

Then again, if modern history repeats itself, the AL All-Star squad will walk away victorious, as it has since the 1997 game (with the exception of the 7-7 tie in 2002 at Miller Park in Milwaukee).

Despite what happens in '08, one thing is for sure when it comes to All-Star Games played in the ballpark at 161st Street and River Avenue: future legends will be on display.

Yankee Stadium played host to its first Midsummer Classic in 1939. Ten Yankees players -- six of which were selected as starters -- joined their skipper and AL manager, Joe McCarthy, for a 3-1 victory over the National League in seventh All-Star Game played.

Yankees pitcher Red Ruffing started the game, and Joe DiMaggio connected for a home run in front of the 62,892 in attendance. Outfielder George Selkirk, third baseman Red Rolfe, pitchers Johnny Murphy and Lefty Gomez, second baseman Joe Gordon, first baseman Lou Gehrig, shortstop Frankie Crosetti and catcher Bill Dickey also suited up for the Bombers.

Officially, it was the second All-Star Game played in New York, because five years earlier, the Polo Grounds hosted the annual event in the Big Apple. The main reason Yankee Stadium welcomed the best players around the country to the Bronx in 1939 was because the World's Fair was being held at Flushing Meadows in Queens that very same year.

Now, fast forward to 1960, when catchers Yogi Berra and Elston Howard, pitchers Whitey Ford and Jim Coates, outfielders Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris and first baseman Bill Skowron were honored with All-Star nominations for the Yankees.

The game occurred during the 1959-62 era, when the Midsummer Classic was played in a two-game format. After the AL dropped the first game, 5-3, on July 11 at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City, the All-Star squads headed to New York for the second game.

Willie Mays came into the Bronx fresh off a performance in All-Star Game No. 28 in which he was a home run short of the cycle. The results didn't get any better for the AL team in All-Star Game No. 29, as Ford and the Junior Circuit lost, 6-0, at Yankee Stadium on July 13.

Mays finished the two games 6-for-8 at the plate. He even blasted a home run in Game 2, along with teammates Eddie Mathews, Stan Musial and Ken Boyer. Vern Law was the winning pitcher. That game also marked the 18th and final time that Ted Williams would play among the elite players in the Midsummer Classic.

Nearly 20 years later, a new slate of Yankees would take the field in the most recent All-Star Game played at Yankee Stadium in 1977, which came after the stadium's renovation.

Headed by manager Billy Martin, the Yankees were represented by outfielder Reggie Jackson, catcher Thurman Munson, third baseman Graig Nettles, second baseman Willie Randolph and pitcher Sparky Lyle in the 48th All-Star Game.

DiMaggio and Mays attended the game as honorary captains, much to the delight of the 56,683 in attendance. Once again, the NL beat the AL, 7-5, behind the pitching of the game's MVP, Don Sutton.

Future Hall of Famers in that 1977 game who were on the Senior Circuit roster included Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Sutton, Mike Schmidt, Dave Winfield, Tom Seaver, Bruce Sutter and Steve Carlton. Morgan, Steve Garvey and Greg Luzinski homered for the NL.

Future Hall of Famers who were on the Junior Circuit roster included Rod Carew, George Brett, Carl Yastrzemski, Jackson, Carlton Fisk, Jim Palmer, Dennis Eckersley and Nolan Ryan. George Scott homered for the AL.

"Yankees blow by Rays in finale...Team uses 10-run fourth inning to cruise to third straight" -- July 22, 2007

By Caleb Breakey/MLB.com


NEW YORK -- That wasn't a miscue lit up on the scoreboard at Yankee Stadium. The bulbs were in fine working condition and the electronic switchboard checked out normal. Those two dotted numbers squished together under the fourth-inning column wasn't a malfunction.

Fourteen Yankees came up to bat in the 10-run inning to kick-start a 21-4 rout of the Devil Rays on Sunday. The 29-minute hitting barrage marked the first time the Yankees have plated double-digit runs in an inning since Sept. 4, 2006, against the Kansas City Royals.

"You might go a few years before you see another game like this," Derek Jeter said. "It was just one of those things I don't think you can really explain."

Crooked numbers riddled the box score, but the gold, silver and bronze awards go to the following in order:

• Alex Rodriguez inched closer to the 500-homer club with a two-run shot in the seventh for No. 498.

• Hideki Matsui set a regular-season career high with five hits and homered for the third time in as many games.

• Rookie Shelley Duncan, called up less than 72 hours ago, hit a couple of long balls. His solo shot in the sixth marked his third home run in a span of five at-bats.

The crowd beckoned Duncan for two curtain calls during the game, both coming after his four-baggers. That upped his standing ovations count to three in four games. He even overshadowed Rodriguez, who didn't receive a curtain call after his milestone-chasing homer.

Yankees manager Joe Torre said he leaned over to Rodriguez after one of Duncan's home runs and said, "Sorry, you're not the guy anymore."

Laughs were shared. A-Rod welcomes the 6-foot-5 spirit that Duncan brings.

"It's pretty exciting. He has a lot of energy," Rodriguez said. "Sometimes we need that energy, so that's good. I'm happy he's here."

The Yankees scored a combined 38 runs in the final two games against the Devil Rays, winning their fifth straight series. Torre couldn't recall seeing a two-game outburst like this ... ever.

"Even in batting practice you don't get hits every time you swing the bat," he said. "This was certainly pretty incredible -- to be able to continue to get hit after hit after hit after hit."

But lost in the offense was Yankees starter Andy Pettitte -- literally. Faced with nearly a half-hour layover because of the offensive explosion, Pettitte snuck back into the clubhouse, where team personnel set up a net for him to throw balls into and stay loose.

For the most part, it seemed to work, as Pettitte didn't allow a run after the layover and ended up surrendering a total of three runs over six innings for his sixth win of the season. He also struck out a season-high eight batters and scattered three walks.

Despite staying sharp enough to shut down the Rays' lineup after the fourth, Pettitte made it clear that long periods between innings can rattle pitchers.

"You like to get some run support, but I'm not going to lie to you," he said. "It's hard to try to keep your focus and stay locked in."

It didn't matter if Pettitte could focus after the delay or not. The Yankees piled on seven more runs for him after he took a seat in the dugout.

While history shows that the team's batting onslaught shouldn't repeat itself anytime soon -- the last time the Yankees scored this many runs in back-to-back games was 40 back in 1936 -- the team has spoken a lot this season about forgetting the odds, forgetting the math and forgetting what the past tells them.

Not long ago, fans and media alike were voicing the slim chances the Yankees had of catching the Red Sox in the American League East. Too many games to catch up, stated the general consensus.

But the Yankees have whittled away at their deficit in a second-half surge in which they've won 9 of 12 games. Now, 7 1/2 games separate them from the Red Sox, and outfielder Johnny Damon knows anything's possible with the pride and power of pinstripes.

"With the payroll we have out there, with the players we have, we should be able to beat up on anybody," he said. "We obviously aren't where we want to be right now, but with the way we're playing, we're feeling a lot better about ourselves."