The Chronicles of Mo

Sunday, July 16, 2006
Home Game 46
Yankees 6 White Sox 4
Subway Race Winner: D train (I think. It was tough to hear and I couldn't see the video screen)
Cap Game: #1 (Same deal. Couldn't really tell.)



You know that scene in The Chronicles of Riddick, where they're on the plant Cremetoria and the sun of coming up over the horizon and any living thing in the path of its rays was torched? Well, it was that kind of day. Our seats were still in the shade when we got there, but slowly that shade went away. Row by row was engulfed in sun-light, until it finally hit us. The closest thing to a cloud in the sky today was a sky-written Dunkin' Donuts advert. Steve was lucky he was in the shade today.

Walking the lead-off man is never a good way to start a game. Giving up 2 consecutive hits is even worse. Luckily Wright got out of it with some nice defense behind him. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Konerko hit a grounder to A-Rod, who got Iguchi in a run-down. It wasn't the prettiest of pickles but they got the out. Dye then grounded to A-Rod, who made a nice grab behind the bag, and turned a 5-4-3 double play. After a shaky start to the game Wright came out of it giving up only 1 run.

The Yanks wasted no time getting that run back. Jeter crushed one into the visitor's bullpen, his first dinger in about 2 months. Giambi followed with a walk. And A-Rod hit one out in nearly the same spot as Jeter's to put the Yanks ahead 3-1. I had a feeling that Alex would have a good day at the plate when he made those nice plays in the top of the inning.

The Sox got a run back in the 3rd on a rather bizarre play. Podsednik once again led off with a walk, moved to second on a single by Iguchi, and to third on a fielder's choice by Thome (Iguchi was out at second). With runners on the corners, Konerko hits a line drive into right field, scoring Podsednik. But I guess Thome held up a bit to see if it was going to be caught. When it dropped in, he lumbered to second base. When Guiel retrieved the ball, he fired to Jeter at second to force out Thome. So it was a FC 9-6 force at second. I wonder if Ozzie gave him an earful when he got back to the dugout or if he gets a buddy pass like Manny.

The Yanks manufactured another run in the 3rd. Melky led off with a double, moved to third on a pop-out by Jeter, and scored on a sac-fly by Giambi. They would add two more in the 4th, courtesy of a mini 2-out rally from the bottom of the order. Double by Phillips, who scores on a single by Cairo, who scores on a double by Bubba.

Wright again couldn't make it through the 6th inning, but he did an admirable job nonetheless (the Yankee starters each gave up 3 runs during the series. Not too shabby). He left the game with 2 runners on and 1 out. Villone relieved getting pinch hitter Anderson to pop out, but the runner on third scored. Uribe followed with a single to left. Crede tried to score from second but was gunned down by Melky at the plate. That's his 8th assist on the year, the most in the A.L.

Villone got into some trouble in the 7th, when the first 2 batters got on base. But really, they were 2 plays that Jeter could have made. The first was a pop-up to shallow left. Jeter ran it down and we figured he would make another one of his over-the-head catches, but it ticked off his glove and dropped for a single. Next batter hits a ground ball to the Captain, a sure-thing double play ball. But Jeter boots it and the runners are safe. Myers comes in to pitch to Thome and gets him to pop up to center. Two young schmucks behind me were bitching about Myers. Saying stuff like "They pay him $5 million to pitch to one batter." First off, his salary is $1,150,000. Secondly, he's a freakin' lefty specialist. That's what he does. He pitches to lefties. And he's pretty good at it. If there was a lefty up after Thome he woulda pitched to him too. The rest of the 54,000 in attendance were smart enough to appreciate his effort and gave him a nice ovation when he left the mound. So, with the tying run at the plate, Farnsworth came in and got the next 2 outs to end the inning.

Now the 8th was a different story for Farns. He gave up a lead-off dinger to Pierzynski and 2 straight singles. Cue Enter Sandman. Pop-out to second. 4-6-3 double play. 7 pitches, inning over.

Mo decided to make his milestone save a little more interesting for us. To start the 9th, Iguchi doubles to right. Mo then walks Thome to put the tying run on base. But he get Konerko to hit into a 6-4-3 double play (the third DP of the game). Mo closes out the game by striking out Dye. His 21st of the year and 400th of his career.

We ended the afternoon with some Callahan's. Despite the heat, it was a fantastic day at the Stadium. Great game. Yankees sweep the defending champs. And Mo saves #400. (And Boston lost:-)

Random Notes
– When Bob Sheppard announced the Yankee lineup before the game, the theme to Superman was playing instead of the theme to Star Wars. Don't know if this was the first time or not or whether they will continue to use it.

– Sugar Ray Leonard, promoting The Contender threw out the first pitch.

– A piece of one of the signs in the upper deck was dangling the entire game. Hopefully they will get that fixed soon. There's a lawsuit just waiting to happen.

In attendance record: 17-13