CHAVEZ CARRIES YANKEES OUT OF DETROIT IN SERIES SPLIT

Yesterday the Yankee offense produced a season high 18 hits and scored 12 runs on that hit production.  The goal today was win today and get out of Detroit with a split of the series. We did and all was right in Yankeeland.

Hiroki Kuroda held the hot Tiger offense at bay, meanwhile the Yankee hitters worked.

After the 29 minute rain delay, the Yanks struck first with two runs in the second inning.  Red hot Eric Chavez, singled to center and Raul Ibanez tripled to drive Chavez home.  Ichiro Suzuki followed with a single to left to score Ibanez and the Yankees had the 2-0 lead.

In the 5th, the Tigers erupted for three.  Jhonny Peralta led off the fifth with a double to center, and Alex Avila followed immediately with a two-run home run to right to tie the game. Then suddenly, the Tigers went up 3-2.

On the Andy Dirks double, umpire Bill Welke appeared to call the ball foul as it hit very near the left field line.  He changed his call to fair, but Ibanez seemed to hesitate on the Welke foul signal and the crowd reaction.  He had difficulty recovering the ball and that's when it became 3-2.

Girardi rushed from the dugout to argue and  protested the call and the placement of the runner.  Girardi argued that Berry should be sent back to third rather than being allowed to score on the play.  Lip readers could see that Girardi also intended to protest the game, but the run scored.  Girardi was ejected by Welke, and the game continued.


Then in the 8th, things changed again.  Joaquin Benoit entered and allowed to the next two Yankee batters, Mark Teixeira and Chavez to do damage. Tex hit a one-out homer to right and then super hero Eric Chavez  ripped an opposite field home run to left that was a no doubter!  That quickly the Yankees had a 4-3 lead.

Somewhat surprisingly, the Yankees inserted David Phelps to bridge the gap to Soriano.  Phelps got 2 outs but also allowed a single to center by Prince Fielder.  Phelps balked and Fielder went to 2nd when his right foot slipped of the pitching rubber.

RaSo came in for the 4 out save despite things getting slightly hairy when Alex Avila got a double and Omar Infante hit a single.  with a sharp single to right.  Ichiro pounced on the ball so. The Tigers couldn't tie it.  Then, after a Dirks fly out, it was untuck and game over...Yankees win.

 The final, New York 4 - Detroit 3. 

The Yanks leave town with a much more mellow Motown mood as they head for Toronto!

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

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