Yankees Get Series Win in Final Visit to Metrodome (Postgame Notes 08 July 2009)

The Yankees' 12th win in their last 14 games was a bit of an odd one.

For example, take AJ Burnett, who had been stellar in his past four starts. It wasn't quite a bad start, at least not by the final results--technically it was a quality start--but it involved making a lot of good pitches at the right time.

He didn't get his first strike out until later in the game, but it came with two outs and the bases loaded.

Talk about wiggling out of jams.


Ultimately, it was a start that would have thwarted lesser pitchers--there were always, it seemed, men on base and control was in short supply, as the three wild pitches will attest--but AJ Burnett is not a lesser pitcher.

Actually, when you think about it--and friends at River Ave Blues took this line--the game was less Yanks-vs-Twins and more Yanks-vs-Mauer. Given what Mauer's been doing this season, that's not entirely shameful.

On many rotations he could be the ace of the staff, and tonight he showed why.


As for the offense, it wasn't the offensive show of yesterday, athough it looked in the beginning like it might be, but as has been so often the case in this 12-of-14 stretch, the Yankee hitters did just enough.

For you A-Rod hitters, just remember that Alex Rodriguez had the RBI hit that ended up being the winning run for the Yankees.


Now, as Alfredo Aceves takes the mound tomorrow, he can do so knowing that the Yankees have already won the series and that the bullpen, for the most part, is fairly well rested. Phils Coke and Hughes pitched tonight, and Hughes is probably unavailable for tomorrow. Still, though, Tomko, Robertson and Bruney should all be available--and, if necessary, Mo--so, unless Aceves completley flames out, the Yankees are not in poor shape.