CC Sharp Again as Yanks Take Series From Jays (Postgame Notes 14 May 2009)

The Yankees did not score four runs today, but since they only gave up two, they can probably live with it.

CC Sabathia did not dominate in the way he dominated in Baltimore, but two runs over eight innings ain't exactly a bad thing, either.

He had some good innings and some stressful ones, and needed Brett Gardner to throw out Rod Barajas at home in order to keep the score at 2-1 Jays. He also worked himself into a jam in the seventh with runners at first and third with only one out, but like any true ace, was able to gather it together to get a strike out and a ground out.

It wasn't the best performance CC's had this season, but the eight innings was just what the Yankees needed, given Phil Coke's bad back and the fact that anyone else pitching that inning would have resulted in through-the-roof sales of Tums.

Mariano Rivera pitched a 1-2-3 ninth and looks as though he's finally built the velocity he needs. Reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated.

The Yanks didn't do much offensively, but at the same time Brian Tallet has been impressive in his starts thus far.

In the first they scored when Tallet walked Swisher with the bases loaded; they tied the game in the seventh when Derek Jeter blooped a single to score Gardner from third and then took the lead on a Hideki Matsui solo shot in the eighth.

Johnny Damon extended his extra base hitting streak to ten straight games, tying Don Mattingly and Paul O'Neill for the Yankee record, but struck out twice after that and did not reach base again.

Alex Rodriguez looked as though he just missed a few pitches--his timing, understandably, is not quite there yet, but when it comes, he's in for a monster season.

Francisco Cervelli had two hits again tonight; a Mendoza line hitter in AA, he's holding his own thus far in the Majors.


The Yankees head home having gone 4-2 on a road trip, as well as having won three of the last four. Only Hughes pitched poorly on the trip--Burnett could have won his game had someone not named Halladay been pitching against him.

With the team back at .500, gaining a game on the Sox and the Jays, and Bruney, Posada and Wang all looking like they'll be back sooner rather than later, things are looking up for the Yanks.