Yankees vs. Indians - 5/29/09

Hey Everyone. Back to do some live-blogging of tonight's game between the Yanks and Indians in Cleveland. It'll be Andy Pettitte pitching for the Yanks and Cliff Lee for the Tribe. Big news is that Jorge Posada will return to the line-up tonight, after being out since early May with a hamstring injury. He'll bat 6th.

The game is currently in a rain delay. Radar shows a small thunderstorm moving over the area. Should pass quickly...hopefully. Also, after looking through some other blogs, I read that the midges are back in Cleveland! For those who don't remember, these small bugs descended upon Progressive Field (then Jacob's Field) in the 2007 playoffs and were a big problem for Joba Chamberlain. He would give up the tying run and eventually, the Yanks would lose the game and the series. Good thing he's not pitching tonight.

UPDATE (7:32): Interesting fact from Kim Jones of YES...Tonight (if the game is played) would be the first time that Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Alex Rodriguez are all together in the same line-up since June 22nd of last year. This shows how much injuries have taken a toll on the major players of the Yanks.

UPDATE (7:47): Still raining in Cleveland. Some additional notes from around baseball to mention. Matt Wieters is making his ML debut for the Orioles tonight at home against the Tigers. He is highly touted and could be a major force in turning the team around. I still think they need pitching bigtime. Brett Myers could miss the rest of the season for the Phillies with a hip injury. And the Rockies fired Manager Clint Hurdle after a dismal start finds them in the basement of the NL West. Hard to believe he was in the World Series in 2007. Stay Tuned...

UPDATE (8:10): Word is that they are getting the field ready to play and first pitch will be at 8:30! There will be baseball in Cleveland tonight!

UPDATE (8:43): Underway at Progressive Field. Delay lasted 1 hour and 23 minutes. Couple hit streaks extended right away. Jeter to 12 games with a single to left-center and Teixeira to 11 with a blooper to right. Yanks load the bases for Cano and Posada and both go down swinging. Nice rebound by Cliff Lee.

UPDATE (8:51): Good start for Pettitte as all he allows is a Grady Sizemore single.

UPDATE (9:07): Hits keep coming for the Yanks, and this time, they cash in. Derek Jeter is 2-for-2 as he singles to left to bring home Swisher. Then, Teixeira knocks in Gardner on a groundout to 1st. 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk for the Yanks. A-Rod however strikes out after the Tribe elect to face him with 1st base open instead of setting up a lefty-lefty with Cano. Odd choice, but it works out.

UPDATE (9:16): Pettitte works into and out of trouble. A walk and infield single is followed up with a fly out and a 6-4-3 double play. Walking the lead-off hitter is never good, but Pettitte did a great job to get out of the jam.

UPDATE (9:26): Yanks squeak out another run. Back-to-Back infield singles to short by Cano and Posada followed by a Sac Fly off the bat of Swisher after Matsui advances them to 2nd and 3rd on a groundout. Good, fundamental baseball by the Yanks.

UPDATE (9:41): Pettitte again works into trouble by walking Martinez and Peralta to load the bases, but gets out of the jam when DeRosa grounds to second. Pettitte has been good and relatively economical (50 pitches in 3 innings), but has walked 3.

UPDATE (9:53): Quiet inning for the Yanks...3 up, 3 down. Meanwhile, it's all over in Toronto as the Red Sox lose to the Blue Jays 6-3. The win ends a 9-game losing streak for Toronto. Now, a Yankee win vaults them into sole possession of 1st place in the East. Also, Mets and Marlins are in extra innings in a 1-1 battle. Good starts from Mike Pelfrey and Sean West.

UPDATE (9:59): Pettitte allows only a single to Kelly Shoppach. Still 3-0 Yanks after 4. Pettitte should be able to go at least 6 as he has only 67 pitches. The bullpen is rested to after an off-day yesterday. Meanwhile, I found that if the Yanks do move into first, it would be the first time they'd be alone there since the last game of 2006.

UPDATE (10:08): Posada is now 2-for-3 as he doubles to right-center with 2 out, but Matsui gets caught looking on a borderline pitch.

UPDATE (10:15): Only a single to Cabrera (who's 2-for-3) and Pettitte gets through the 5th with 76 pitches. He's been solid once again. Meanwhile, Lee is at 102 but is out there for the 6th.

UPDATE (10:22): Yankees hit the ball hard, but a Nick Swisher lead-off single is wasted. Jeter and Damon both hit it hard to the corner outfielders, but both balls were caught.

UPDATE (10:30): Pettitte gets into trouble in the 6th, giving up a hit and a walk, then gets to 2-0 on Carroll before he's removed. Looks like he might have something wrong with him as Steve Donahue comes out with Girardi. Shame after such a good start. We'll see if Aceves can hold the lead.

UPDATE (10:41): Aceves comes in, walks Carroll to load the bases with no out and gives up a run on a sac fly that gets charged to Pettitte but maintains the lead...barely. Cabrera grounded out to Jeter, but he made a poor throw that Teixeira did a great job of scooping. That's why the Yanks paid the big bucks for him. 3-1 into the 7th.
Final Line on Pettitte: 5 innings, 6 hits, 1 run (earned), 5 BB, 1 K, 84 pitches, 45 strikes
Final Line on Lee: 6 innings, 9 hits, 3 runs (earned), 2 BB, 5 K, 112 pitches, 71 strikes

UPDATE (10:50): A-Rod singles, and Posada walks, but Yanks can't add to the lead. Posada has now been on base in 3 of his 4 plate appearances with 2 hits and the base-on-balls. Not a bad return at all.

UPDATE (10:53): Some other stats - Yanks are 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and have left 10 on base. Yet, they still lead. Yanks pen needs two more innings before Rivera. If Aceves gets through the 7th, the 8th will be interesting wiht the bullpen. I say, leave Aceves in or bring on Wang.

UPDATE (10:57): 1-2-3 go Sizemore, Martinez, and Peralta. Very impressive 2 innings by Alfredo Aceves. It appears like the Yanks might have found their late inning guy. Now, do they keep Aceves for the 8th or go to another guy? Wang? Coke? Veras? I say either Aceves or Wang.

UPDATE (11:05): Yanks go quiet in the 8th. Now, the big question of who pitches the 8th to try and bridge the gap to Mo. And the answer is...Alfredo Aceves. They leave him in for a 3rd inning of work. I say, Good Choice!

UPDATE (11:15): Aceves gets the job done. Gives up a hit to Francisco for the only blemish over 3 innings. 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks (it was charged to Pettitte), and 3 strikeouts. Tremendous job by him after Pettitte left. Yanks may have finally found their guy late in ballgames.

UPDATE (11:19): After reading Peter Abraham's blog, Andy Pettitte apparently has lower back stiffness. We'll see if it's anything that will keep him out, but I don't think so. At his age, though, you never know.

UPDATE (11:25): Yanks do nothing in the 9th, and now it's up to Mo to close the door. He hasn't pitched since Sunday in the Yanks 4-3 extra-inning loss to Philly.

UPDATE (11:36): Mariano comes in and after a lead-off blooper by Choo, strikes out Cabrera and Sizemore and gets Martinez to grounds to first to end it. Yanks win 3-1 and are in sole possession of first place in the AL East. Pettitte moves to 5-1 on the year. Thanks Everyone!