Six in the City (Postgame Notes 23 July 2008)

Eight shut out innings.

Two clutch hits.

Six wins and two sweeps in a row.

The Yankees can't ask for too much else right now (aside from an effective Hawkins, but even I admit that's pushing it).

The team hasn't just played better out of the break; they've been dominant. Oakland and Minnesota are not bad teams--overachieving, maybe, but certainly not bad. In fact, before the All Star break, the Yankees were trailing both Minnesota and Oakland in the Wild Card Race.

Now?

Not so much.

Mike Mussina's ERA is now down to 3.26.

Mussina. ERA. 3.26.

This is a guy that at the beginning of the season was supposed to be competing for the five spot.

He now has thirteen wins, tied for the league lead with Cliff Lee.

Today he allowed six hits over eight innings, struck out seven and (once again) did not walk a batter.

If he is not a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, there is something drastically wrong with the universe.


Also of note: seven different Twins struck out.


As for the offense, the Yankees did not have a dominating offensive explosion as they had in the first game, but they played like the Yankees, exploiting Minnesota's mistakes (Alexi Casilla running off the field as if the inning were over as opposed to doubling up Jose Molina most prominent among these) and getting two two-run hits from Justin Christian and Alex Rodriguez.

They have scored five runs or more in four of their first six games after the brea.

The Yankees have a well-earned off day tomorrow before they head into Boston, and that series now has some added significance. As of right now, the Yankees are only two back in the loss column of Boston; if Seattle can win tonight, they will be just one game out of the wild card spot.

The Yankees have Joba, Pettitte and Sidney Ponson pitching against Beckett, Wakefield and Lester, so it should be a very interesting weekend.