What the hell? Since when do the Yankees play small ball? A stolen base on a pitchout and then a ballsy two-strike sacrifice bunt capped off by a sacrifice fly to plate the go-ahead run, all expertly executed by the… Yankees??? That’s supposed to be our move, damned dirty thieves.
??
Yes, the Yankees finally beat the Angels at their own game by manufacturing a run when it really counted while the Angels failed to do so, instead leaving a small village on base throughout the late innings of the game and even managed to turn a hit-and-run play into a strike ’em out-throw ’em out double play.
I suppose the Yankees had to finally pick up a trick or two from the Angels after all the losses they have been forced to witness at the hands of the Halos, so I can’t be too upset. Besides, I wouldn’t be too worried about the Bronx Bombers pulling off the same trick in the post-season. Scioscia clearly was on to the Yankees’ tricks and would have had them nailed if he hadn’t had the fourth string catcher in the game. Plus, does anyone else really expect A-Rod to come through in the clutch in October like he did tonight.
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Don’t get too excited, A-Rod, it isn’t like you actually came through in October.
Angelic Accomplishments:
- The Angel Stadium crowd was in post-season form tonight. Lots of good chants, everyone standing at the right moments and, most importantly, drowning out all the Yankee fan posers that slithered their way into the stadium.
- Kendry is officially back, a four-hit night plus a walk of Mariano Rivera. Yep, that’ll do it. Now if the Halos can just get Bobby Abreu’s bat back on track they should be all set for the playoffs.
Devilish Details:
- Memo to security, please keep Roger Lodge out of the announcer’s booth in the future. Wow, has that guy ever met a cheesy, shameless plug he didn’t like? Remind me not to listen to his radio show… not that I was ever tempted to do so.
- It sure looked to me like Brett Gardner overslid the bag on his ninth inning steal, but that is no reason to complain after Palmer and Budde did such a lousy job of executing that pitchout.
Halo Anti-Hero:
- Ervin Santana
These lapses in concentration for Ervin have to stop. It continues to amaze me how he can just cruise for a few innings at a time and then suddenly just lose control of the game and get banged around all of the sudden. Three homers is just too much, especially if Santana has any hope of starting in the playoffs.