THE MAGIC OF RAUL IBANEZ

With the Yankees' magic number at two and the AL East Division championship on the line, many New York fans decided not make an emotional investment in their team on Tuesday night.  While some fans may not want to admit as much, the magnitude of the game against the Red Sox did not produce the playoff atmosphere that we have all seen in Yankee Stadium in years past in this type of situation.  There were many empty seats, as fans decided not to brave the soggy conditions in the Bronx for this huge game.  On September 27th, Michael Kay speculated that the dreary atmosphere in the Rogers Centre in Toronto was a contributing factor to the Yankees' poor performance and 6-0 loss to the Blue Jays.  Astoundingly, it seemed as if the same thing could occur at the Stadium on Tuesday night as fan interest and enthusiasm seemed much lower than usual! 

 

Although Yankee starting pitcher, David Phelps, pitched credibly, he yielded two runs in the first inning on an opening single by Jacoby Ellsbury, a double by Dustin Pedroia that drove home Ellsbury, and a sacrifice fly RBI by Cody Ross.  The Red Sox led 2-0, and for much of the game, it looked as if that would be enough to produce a Boston victory and a devastating Yankee loss.  The Yankees did manage a single run in the bottom of the second on an infield single by Curtis Granderson who was able to continue to second base thanks to a throwing error by Pedro Ciriaco.  

 

Granderson stole third and was driven home on an infield single by Eduardo Nunez.  Boston held that lead until a lead-off HR by James Loney off Rafael Soriano in the ninth gave the Sox a little breathing room and a 3-1 lead going to the bottom of the ninth.

 

The Yankees entered the bottom of the ninth without a single comeback victory when trailing after eight innings.  New York was the only MLB team without a victory in that situation during the 2012 season.  For a brief moment, it looked like the Yankees would end that ignominious situation in the bottom of the ninth.  They scored two quick runs on a lead-off single by Granderson that was immediately followed by a clutch line-shot, pinch-hit HR by Raul Ibanez.  Game tied 3-3.  Following an Ichiro ground-out, Derek Jeter doubled to left, Nick Swisher was intentionally passed, and Alex Rodriguez worked another walk to load the bases for Mark Teixeira.  Teixeira flied out weakly to center on a broken bat pop-up that was so shallow, Jeter was forced to remain at third.  Robinson Cano ended the inning with a ground ball to second for the third out.

 

Mark Teixeira was very nearly the Yankee "goat" for the game.  He was 0 for 6 on the night, but that does not tell the entire story.  In innings one and three, he batted with one out and runners at first and third.  Both times he responded with ground ball double plays (6-4-3) to kill the rally and the inning.  In the fifth, Tex batted with Swisher at first and two out, and produced yet another ground ball to short to end the inning.  He also fouled out to first in the 8th inning, and grounded out to third in the 12th, to go along with his weak fly out in the ninth that left Jeter stranded at third with the winning run.  Teixeira may have been happy about the relative sparse and unenthusiastic crowd at Yankee Stadium, because he was treated to a scattering of "boos" following his last two plate appearances. 

 

It should be noted that Rafael Soriano received similar treatment when he yielded the extra Red Sox run in the ninth inning.  Yankee fans were not in a happy mood for much of the evening!

 

With Andrew Miller on as the eighth Boston pitcher of the game in the twelfth inning, something finally broke for the Yankees.  New York could not clinch the division due to the fact that the Orioles had already defeated Tampa Bay 1-0.  Nevertheless, the Yankees could cut the magic number to one, and they did just that with two walks (Francisco Cervelli & Granderson), followed by another clutch hit from Ibanez.  

 

Raul grounded a ball to the left side that just made it into left field over a leaping Francisco Cervelli who rounded third and beat the throw home for the winning run.  Yankee fans who braved the wet conditions and who stayed for the duration were rewarded with a 4-3 victory, made all the more sweet by fan-favorite Cervelli scoring the winning run!  The Yankees retain control of their own destiny and can win the AL East title tomorrow with another victory over Boston or an Oriole loss in Tampa!

 

Tuesday's final:  New York 4  Boston 3 in 12 innings.  

 

 

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

Twitter: @yankeefrank23

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