NEW YORK – “Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good.” As a sportswriter and sportscaster, you gotta love your clichés – and folks, I can’t think of a better one to describe this past weekend’s series with the crosstown Mets than the aforementioned one about luck.
The Bombers, like the Amazins, looked sloppy all weekend, starting Friday night at the Stadium. Thankfully, they were as lucky as can be.
I was out at the ballpark Friday night for what will go down as one of the most amazing finishes in Subway Series history thanks to Luis Castillo, who’s blunder in the ninth sealed an improbable Yankee win.
With two outs and two on in the ninth against Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, Alex Rodriguez had failed again in the clutch – or so it seemed – popping up to Luis Castillo in short right for what would have been, should have been the final out.
Instead, two runs raced home as the ball fell safely to the outfield turf after striking Castillo’s outstretched glove, a most improbable finish for the first Subway Series game at the new Yankee Stadium. The Yankees stole a 9-8 win over the Mets on Friday, an ending that will be talked about for decades to come.
"I really have never seen that before, and I’ve played for a long time," A-Rod said afterward. “That’s why you play for nine innings – that's why you play hard. The lesson we take from here is to play all 27 and hustle all the time.”
Yankee closer Mariano Rivera was in line for the loss. He should have been the goat after surrendering an RBI double in the eighth to David Wright that gave the Amazins a lead.
But the Bombers stormed back for the 21st time this season, the most in the majors, handing K-Rod his first blown save of the year – even if most of the blame should be placed on Castillo’s shoulders for failing to use two hands in catching the popup.
Luis, come on, that’s the first thing we teach little leaguers. TWO HANDS!
Derek Jeter, who has a lifetime average over .400 against K-Rod, lined a one-out single to start the rally in the ninth. He stole second, but pinch-hitter Johnny Damon – out of the lineup with an eye malady – struck out swinging for the second out of the inning.
Wanting no part of the hot-hitting Mark Teixeira, K-Rod walked the Yankee first baseman for Rodriguez, who has one career hit lifetime against K-Rod.
True to form, A-Rod provided what would have been the final out, popping up to right. K-Rod and the Mets were shocked when a hustling Texieira came flying across home plate with the winning run.
“I have to catch that ball,” Castillo said. “I didn't get it. I feel bad. It was a routine fly ball. I need to get it.”
The fortunate Bombers walked away Friday night with a gift win – one they quickly returned Saturday in a surprising 6-2 loss.
After Friday’s incredible comeback victory, the Mets got to Andy Pettitte for five runs. Alex Rodriguez went deep in the second inning, but it was one of only four hits for the Bombers against starter Fernando Nieve in the second game of the Subway Series.
The relatively unknown right-hander effectively silenced the Bombers’ bats in an exceptional fill-in start. Omir Santos homered and drove in three runs for the Mets in a bounce back win.
Now, as a Yankee fan, you have to be thinking the Bombers are going to lose the series with Johan Santana taking the hill Sunday, which means Mets fans will be saying how the Amazins should have swept the series with Friday night’s loss a defeat that should have never happened.
It was an unpredictable series to say the least. The Yankees were very lucky in my opinion, benefitting from some big breaks, none more important than Santana’s ineffectiveness Sunday. Santana was so bad, you have to wonder if he’s injured.
Whatever the reason, it was a lucky break for the Yankees as Santana was way off his game. The Yankees capitalized on the worst start ever by Santana, taking the first chapter of the 2009 crosstown series, 2-1. Hideki Matsui and Robinson Cano homered in a nine-run fourth as the Bombers hammered Santana, coasting 15-0 over the Mets at the Stadium. The Bombers lit up Santana for nine runs.
“It shows you he’s human,” said Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett, who won for the third time in four starts. “It happens to everybody. This is a very, very potent lineup. Our job is to keep them in the game as best we can, because they’re going to score runs.”
Robinson Cano and Damon each finished with three RBIs, while rookie catcher Francisco Cervelli and Cano logged three hits apiece. Derek Jeter went 4-for-4 in the leadoff spot, setting the tone for the rest of the lineup in their 17-hit performance.
“It’s just the Subway Series – you’re going to see some strange things,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “If someone would have told us that’s how we were going to win two out of three, I never would have guessed it.”
Those are the breaks, Mr. Girardi. Those are the breaks. You didn’t get them in Boston, losing three straight, but you had to be happy to have them this weekend when the Yankees escaped winners of two of three.
The Bombers welcome lowly Washington next, beginning tonight at the Stadium. CC Sabathia will take the mound tonight for the Yankees.
Notes: Lefty reliever Damaso Marte got clearance from Dr. James Andrews on Monday, and is set to resume his throwing program at the team’s Minor League complex in Tampa, Fla…Yankees manager Joe Girardi devoted his off-day to a cause near and dear to his heart, hosting a fundraiser to benefit Alzheimer’s research. Girardi’s "Catch 25 Foundation" organized its second-annual "Remember When, Remember Now" gala on Monday at New York’s Grand Central Oyster Bar. Girardi’s father, Jerry, is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease…The verbal spat between Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez and Yankees reliever Brian Bruney escalated into a physical confrontation on Sunday, as the pitchers swapped aggressive words and gestures in the outfield before the game. The players had to be separated after K-Rod confronted Bruney in left field, once the Mets had completed their stretching regimen. Bruney said that his intention was to approach Rodriguez to make peace, after he was quoted saying that Rodriguez has “a tired act” and called the closer’s on-field actions “embarrassing.” Bruney later apologized for his comments…We covered the MLB Draft last week, which ended Thursday. In total, the Bombers made 20 selections – 12 position players and eight pitchers. New York had taken Slade Heathcott, an outfielder from Texas, on Tuesday in the first round with the 29th pick, bucking its trend of taking pitchers early in the Draft. The Yankees were sure to bolster their farm system with arms, though, taking pitchers in the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth rounds, including Seton Hall's Sean Black, who was a second-round pick in 2006.
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