Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Highbridge News: Yuke Down
Highbridge News: Yuke Down: Yankees put Youkilis on disabled list and beat Astros By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, May 1- Earlier in the day, Kevin Youkilis becam...
Yuke Down
Yankees put Youkilis on disabled list and beat Astros
By Rich Mancuso
BRONX, NEW YORK, May 1- Earlier in the day, Kevin Youkilis became the latest casualty to be placed on a never ending New York Yankees disabled list. The injury toll grows, but the wins keep coming, the latest Tuesday night in the Bronx as New York defeated the Houston Astros 7-4.
Youkilis, signed to a one-year contract, filling a void at third base for the disabled Alex Rodriguez, was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a lumbar spine strain. He has been experiencing lower back pain the past week and sat out the weekend four-game Yankees series sweep over Toronto.
After banging out 17-hits against Yankees pitching in their opening series game win Monday night at Yankee Stadium, Houston had opportunities against starter Hiroki Kuroda (4-1). But, the young Astros struck out 12-times and left numerous runners on base.
Despite struggling early, Kuroda won his team-high fourth game of the season. The slider and off speed pitch were on target after throwing 67 pitches and putting a runner on in the first three innings, recording shutout ball for seven innings and eight of the strikeouts.
“You have to be pretty good to stick around to make it through those first three innings and then be good enough to give your team seven innings,” said manager Joe Girardi about his starter
The Yankees, after a 1-4 start, finished the month of April, 16-10. Girardi is more than pleased, especially with the veteran players that have stepped up to the plate.
“The offense has been spread around,” commented Girardi. “I am pleased the way these guys have been playing. They have done a very good job for us. It hasn’t always been pretty but our guys have come up with clutch hits when we needed them,”
One in particular is Travis Hafner. He stepped up big again in the cleanup spot, 3-for-4, and has driven in at least one run in eight of the Yankees’ nine series this season. Hafner drove in the final run in a three-run eighth.
Girardi said about Hafner, “You just see that his approach is good. He’s been great in that four-hole for us. With all the people we have out, he’s done a really good job in our lineup.”
And Lyle Overbay, getting the regular start at first, got the lone Yankees home run of the game. His fourth opened the eighth inning scoring. David Robertson and Shawn Kelley came out of the pen and Houston combined to score four runs in the last two innings. The big blow was a two run homer from Chris Carter off Robertson in the eighth.
The sparse crowd remaining from the 34,301, chanted “We want Mo,” and Mariano Rivera got the final out and recorded his 10th save in as many chances.
The Astros, a young team in their inaugural year in the American League, and with the lowest payroll in the game, saw starter and loser Philip Humber (0-6) allow four runs in six innings. He entered the game having given up 18 hits and 15 runs over his last two starts.
“I’m a little bit frustrated but it’s a part of the game,” said Humber who was removed after trailing 4-0, giving up nine hits and walking two.
However, with the exception of injuries there is no reason for Girardi and his Yankees to be frustrated. They ended April better than expected, second to the Boston Red Sox in the American League East, and hope to begin the month of May taking another series with a win over the Astros Wednesday evening.
E-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com
Monday, April 29, 2013
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Highbridge News: Bronx Stands with Boston
Highbridge News: Bronx Stands with Boston: Yankees Pay homage Boston (Photos by Gary Quintal) By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- So many ways Tuesday night at Ya...
Bronx Stands with Boston
Yankees Pay homage Boston
(Photos by Gary Quintal)
By Rich Mancuso
BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- So many ways Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium there were reminders of how sports and baseball play a role to heal wounds. This time, a day after the Boston Marathon bombing that took three lives and injured over 180, there were the Arizona Diamondbacks, Jackie Robinson and number 42, plus a Fenway Park tradition, “Sweet Caroline.”
Yes, a tune that has been an eighth inning ritual of Red Sox nation came to the Bronx. Boston was in Cleveland and the Red Sox heard what the Yankees were doing to unite two cities who have shared in pain.
“It was such a tragic day,” said Kevin Youkilis, the former Red Sox player who now wears Yankees pinstripes. He would play in the Patriots league game at Fenway over the years, and venture off to the finish line viewing another conclusion of the annual Boston Marathon.
On a day off in New York City Monday, Youkilis spent numerous hours on the phone to see if friends and family were okay that make it a ritual on Patriots Day and attend the marathon. His wife and sisters have run in the event over the years.
Monday it was friends and a city, Boston, the only baseball organization Youkilis knew prior to wearing pinstripes. The Yankee Stadium electronic board outside displayed, “United We Stand” with Yankees and Red Sox logos and a ribbon on the big scoreboard inside displayed insignias of the teams and a message, “New York stands with Boston….Pray for Boston.”
“It gave me chills and was emotional to me to hear that,” commented Youkilis about the playing of “Sweet Caroline” after the third inning. “Because the fans were into it and it was cool. Thought it was very special and a very great tribute to an organization that is a rivalry.”
A rivalry, New York and Boston that has diminished over the past few years, but when fans at Yankee Stadium are wearing Boston caps and jerseys near the pinstripes, there is a meaning of unity and emotion. It happened in the Bronx Tuesday night.
As was the meaning of wearing number 42 on Jackie Robinson Night as players, the managers, coaches and umpires did. Major League Baseball once again paid tribute to Jackie Robinson. And a player named “Robinson” Cano had the big three-run home run. The final score was 4-2, as in “42” and the lone remaining player who wears the number, Mariano Rivera saved a game for the last time on Robinson’s day.
Yes, it was an emotional and special night in the Bronx. The Diamondbacks made their first trip to the new Yankee Stadium. They were 1-5 at the old ballpark across the street, and Rivera was the pitcher on the mound in that emotional World Series won by Arizona in Game 7 at Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix back in 2001.
That World Series ended in early November because the baseball schedule was pushed back with the events of September 11. It was a series that helped mend the wounds of a nation still mourning the effects of a devastating terrorist attack.
“We’re all behind the people of Boston,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi prior to the start of the game Tuesday night. And for a night Yankee fans united with Red Sox fans.
Because baseball and sports, the world of fun and games has a way of bringing that message of unity in a time of tragedy.
e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com
Highbridge News: Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win
Highbridge News: Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win: (Photo by Gary Quintal) By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The statistics registered during the game played between the ...
Cano, Yanks Honor Jackie Robinson with Win
(Photo by Gary Quintal)
By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK, April 17- The statistics registered during the game played between the Yankees and Diamondbacks at Yankee Stadium on April 16 were extremely appropriate for a Jackie Robinson Day contest. The enduring legacy of Robinson’s achievement in integrating the national pastime has been celebrated at every ballpark in the majors on April 15 or the date of the next home game since 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s first game in the majors.
On Tuesday night, April 16, every player, coach, manager and umpire on the field at Yankee Stadium wore Robinson’s #42. In a short ceremony held before the game began, two of the 1,400 scholarship recipients from the Jackie Robinson Foundation were recognized.
Arizona reached the scoreboard first, scoring two runs in the top of the third. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A fly ball to center by catcher Miguel Montero was the first out of the inning, but also drove in the first run of the contest. The next batter, Cody Ross, singled to knock in the second run.
After leaving the bases loaded in each of the first two innings, the Yankees took the lead in the fourth. The first two batters, Lyle Overbay and Chris Stewart, singled to left. Robinson Cano, named in honor of Jackie Robinson, homered to right to score three runs, which were sufficient to ensure the Yankee victory.
Not only does Cano’s given name honor Robinson, but he wears #24, the reverse of Jackie’s #42, now retired on all clubs by Major League Baseball, to represent the debt he feels he owes to the Brooklyn Dodger legend,
Cano, batting a healthy .326 in his 12 games this season is currently on a tear. He is batting .500 (13 for 26) in his most recent six games. Seven of his 12 hits were for extra bases, four doubles and four home runs. He has driven in 11 runs in that span. That the Yankees have won five of those six contests was noted by reporters and Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who after the game commented, “When he got hot, we got going. He doesn’t take it for granted that he’s a good player. Robbie works very hard.”
After loading the bases in the bottom of the seventh, a fly ball by Eduardo Nuñez drove in the final run of the game, making the score an appropriate 4-2.
Mariano Rivera, the only major league player currently wearing #42, entered the game in the ninth frame. As expected Rivera retired all three batters he faced to earn his third save of 2013 and the record setting #611 in his renowned career. Girardi quipped to reporters, “It’s kind of funny seeing #42 facing three #42’s.”
Yankees ace CC Sabathia (2-1) will face undefeated Wade Miley (2-0) in game two of the series on Wednesday night.
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