ALDS GAME 1: CC MONSTER & RUSSELL MARTIN POWER YANKEES

Wow, what a win. There was a 2 hour, 41 minute rain delay before this ALDS Game 1 in Baltimore even began, but it was well worth the wait. With the stupid 2-3 division format this year in the LDS, the Yankees need to, at the very least, win one of two in Baltimore so they could go back to the Bronx for Game 3 with at least a split. The Yanks took care of that behind the clutch home run by Russell Martin and the power pitching from CC Sabathia in a 7-2 win.

Let’s start with the Russell Martin homer. Leading off the ninth inning against Jim Johnson, who compiled 51 saves on the season, Martin was able to drive a 2-0, two-seam fastball over the left field wall to make it a 3-2 game. Raul Ibanez and Derek Jeter followed with singles before Ichiro drove in Ibanez on a soft infield single to make it 4-2. Robinson Cano then ripped a two-run double to left to make it 6-2, thus chasing the ace Baltimore closer. Nick Swisher capped off the ninth inning rally by sac-flying Cano.

The rest of the offense came from an Ichiro RBI double in the first and a Mark Teixeira RBI single in the fourth. Tex ended up getting thrown out at second on a great throw by right fielder Chris Davis, and this came after Baltimore taking the lead the previous half inning. It’s always great being able to respond after your opponent scores the prior half inning, especially in the postseason. Those run scoring plays came off of starter Jason Hammel who allowed two runs in 5.2 innings pitched.

CC started, and he was absolutely fantastic, once again. He pitched 8.2 innings of two run, eight hit (six singles), seven strikeout, and one walk ball. His biggest inning came in the eighth when it was a 2-2 tie. JJ Hardy led off the inning with a double, but CC responded by striking out Adam Jones, popping out Matt Wieters, and inducing a weak grounder from Mark Reynolds to escape the jam. Joe Girardi pulled his ace in the ninth with two out following a Lew Ford double, though it would have been nice if he left him in to get the complete game. Either way, David Robertson picked up the final out in the ninth to seal the Game One win. CC was absolute money, and if the Yanks play their cards right, his next start will be in Game One of the ALCS on Saturday.

Yanks beat the O’s 7-2.

The Yankees will look to sweep the Baltimore portion of this series later tonight, as Andy Pettitte (5-4, 2.87 ERA) will oppose Wei-Yin Chen (12-11, 4.02 ERA). There’s no one I’d rather want pitching in the postseason than Pettitte, as he’s arguably the greatest postseason pitcher ever. Plus, the Yanks have had success against Chen this year (5.25 ERA in four starts, 24 IP against NYY), so hopefully everything works out. Let’s win Game Two and head back to the Bronx up 2-0! Go Yanks!
 


--Jesse Schindler, BYB Lead Staff Writer
Follow me on Twitter @SchindlerJesse


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