Yankees announce holiday doubleheader

This just in from the Yankees:
 
The New York Yankees today announced their game from Friday, June 5 vs. the Tampa Bay Rays – postponed due to inclement weather – has been rescheduled for Monday, September 7 at 7:05 p.m., as the second game of a day-night Labor Day doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.

In addition, the promotional item – a Yankee Stadium Figurine courtesy of Sports Authority – scheduled to be given away on June 5, will be distributed to the first 18,000 fans, age 21 and older, with tickets for the rescheduled game on Monday, September 7 at 7:05 p.m.

The Labor Day doubleheader will be the Yankees’ first on the holiday since they split two games on September 4, 1978 vs. Detroit at the original Yankee Stadium, winning the first game, 9-1, behind Ron Guidry’s 20th win of the season.

Fans holding paid tickets, purchased directly through the Yankees (Yankees.com) or Ticketmaster, for the June 5 postponed game may use them for the rescheduled game between the Yankees and Rays or exchange their paid tickets for any regular season game at Yankee Stadium within 12 months from June 5, 2009 (subject to availability).

Tickets for the postponed June 5 game will only be valid for the rescheduled 7:05 p.m. game on September 7, not the regularly scheduled 1:05 p.m. game.

Tickets can be exchanged at Yankee Stadium Advance Ticket Windows only (open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and until two (2) hours after the scheduled start time of any regularly scheduled home game).

Complimentary tickets (COMP) or equivalent tickets bear no cash value and cannot be exchanged or redeemed for any benefits that may be offered to ticket(s) with a dollar value. Fans holding complimentary tickets for June 5, 2009, must use their tickets for the rescheduled game on September 7 at 7:05 p.m.

For complete information about the Yankees’ rainout policy, please visit www.yankees.com/rainout.

With respect to tickets purchased through StubHub, please visit www.StubHub.com, call 866-STUBHUB (866-788-2482) or e-mail customerservice@stubhub.com for complete information about StubHub’s rainout policy.

Yankees vs. Red Sox: 6/10/2009 Lineups

yankees.jpgYANKEES (34-24)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF

Pitching: Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 14.46)

redsox.jpgRED SOX (34-24)
Dustin Pedroia 2B
J.D. Drew RF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Jason Bay LF
Mike Lowell 3B
David Ortiz DH
Mark Kotsay CF

Nick Green SS
George Kottaras C

Pitching: Tim Wakefield (7-3, 4.50)

Memo to Wang: Get it done

By Jon Lane
A few quick hits to set the table for Game 2 of Yankees vs. Red Sox (YES HD, 7 p.m.):

David Ortiz is having a miserable season, but leave it to the Yankees
to be the antidote for his ills. Ortiz hit one to Cambridge Tuesday
night to bring his average against them to .304 (7-for-23) with a
homer, seven RBIs and four runs scored in the six games between the
rivals. I couldn’t kill A.J. Burnett for Ortiz going yard despite it
being a terrible pitch. After all, he is still Big Papi, but a two-run double to Nick Green in the third
inning that bumped Boston’s lead to 5-0? Absolutely inexcusable. To
think that one reason why Yankees signed Burnett was his success
against the AL East last season, along with the
if-you-can’t-beat-him-sign-him theory. In two starts against the Red
Sox, Burnett has allowed 11 earned runs in 7 2/3 innings, a 12.91 ERA.
My colleagues Jerome Preisler and Steven Goldman aptly sum up where
Burnett stands at this point.

It’s bad enough the Yankees are 0-6 against the Red Sox; any prayer they have of capturing the AL East, this has to improve – immediately. Tonight it’s hold your breath with Chien-Ming Wang taking the hill. Even during his peak performance, Wang is 3-3, 5.11 in seven career starts at Fenway Park, while Ortiz owns a .444 (16-for-36) lifetime average with two homers and four doubles against the right-hander. Keep your expectations in check, says John Flaherty, but Wang needs to perform. If not, Phil Hughes must be summoned at the first sign of trouble.

Amazing, the Yankees are winners of 19 of 26 and are tied for first place, but this has the settings of another panic attack if Wang can’t get it done. He may be limited to 85-90 pitches, but that sinker needs to be biting. At the very least Wang has to keep the Yankees in the game; Hughes, Alfredo Aceves and Mariano Rivera will be ready and rested. Of course it’ll help if the offense can muster more than two hits off Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield.

Yankees vs. Red Sox: 6/9/2009 Lineups

yankees.jpgYANKEES (34-23)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Nick Swisher LF
Melky Cabrera RF
Brett Gardner CF

Pitching: A.J. Burnett (4-2, 4.69 ERA)

redsox.jpgBOSTON RED SOX (33-24)
Dustin Pedroia 2B
J.D. Drew RF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Jason Bay LF
Mike Lowell 3B
David Ortiz DH
Jason Varitek C
Mark Kotsay CF
Nick Green SS

Pitching: Josh Beckett (6-2, 4.09 ERA)

The Pulse of New York

Every Tuesday, YES Blog takes the pulse of New York on the hottest
topics being talked about right now in the world of sports. What’s your
take on the below issues?

Would you have asked Mariano Rivera to intentionally walk Evan Longoria on Saturday?(polls)

Which of the below options is best for Phil Hughes right now?(survey)

How interested are you in the MLB draft?(surveys)

Have you bought into the Twitter in sports craze?(polls)

Last week, 36 percent of those voting thought the Magic would win the NBA title. One week later, who will win the NBA title?(polling)

Rivals go at it again

By Jon Lane
Not since 1974 have the Red Sox won six straight
games against the Yankees in one season, when they ran off seven
consecutive victories over their rivals. At that time the rivalry was
simmering before exploding later that decade. Dating back to 2003, this
has been at another level, and another chapter will be written starting
tonight. You can catch the game on My9, and tune into YES for complete
pre and postgame coverage starting with Yankees Batting Practice Today at 6 p.m.

Here’s where the teams stand:

  • The
    Yankees are in the AL East penthouse, one game ahead of the Red Sox,
    and are a much different team than the one that dropped five straight
    to them in the early going. Alex Rodriguez has since returned to the
    lineup and New York has been on a 21-8 run. A-Rod may be batting .248,
    but has eight home runs in 29 at-bats. More important is that his mere
    presence alone has had a major impact Mark Teixeira, who is is batting
    .364 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs hitting ahead of A-Rod in the lineup.
    Teixeira, incidentally, now leads AL first baseman in All-Star voting.

  • Yankees
    starters are 12-2 in their last 24 games while limiting opponents to
    three earned runs or fewer in 18 of 25 starts. Leading the way is CC
    Sabathia, who has pitched at least eight innings in six of his last
    eight starts (4-1, two no-decisions). The burly lefty starts Thursday
    night against Brad Penny.

  • Big start tonight for A.J. Burnett,
    4-2 with a 4.69 ERA and seeking his third straight win after going
    winless since April 14. Burnett leads the Yankees with 65 strikeouts
    and is seeking redemption both team-oriented and personal. His last
    time pitching at Fenway Park, Burnett blew a 6-0 lead on April 25,
    allowing eight runs on eight hits in five innings of a 16-11 loss.

“We owe them a couple,” Burnett said.

  • Bigger
    start for Chien-Ming Wang Wednesday night. Everyone is well aware of
    Wang’s early-season troubles and terrible track record at Fenway (3-3,
    5.11 ERA in seven starts). Wang returned to the rotation last week and
    while he was far from great, it was something to build on
    considering what he’s had to endure. However, you’d think his leash
    will be short. Many are speculating (including me) that Phil Hughes
    will be summoned almost immediately if Wang digs himself a hole.

  • As
    you also know, David Ortiz is in the throes of an awful season. Big
    Papi, who’s made his living killing the Yankees and rivaling Tom Brady
    and Adam Vinatieri as Boston’s greatest clutch performer, is batting
    .197 with two homers and 22 RBIs in 51 games. He visited an eye doctor
    on Monday and his vision checked out well, which has left the Back Bay
    mystified as to what has happened to him. Leave to Red Sox Nation to
    panic. A few callers phoned into WEEI-AM saying he “stinks” and needs
    to be relegated to part-time duty. Good line from Dale & Holley
    though in response to Joe Girardi’s complaint about the Yankees playing
    nine straight games in National League cities: The Red Sox played 50
    games without a DH, the Yankees can play nine.” Ouch.

Rays vs. Yankees: 6/8/09 Lineups

yankees.jpgYANKEES (33-23)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Hideki Matsui DH
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF

Pitching: Andy Pettitte (5-2, 4.33)

rays.jpgRAYS (29-29)
B.J. Upton CF
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Carlos Pena 1B
Ben Zobrist 2B
Joe Dillon DH
Michel Hernandez C
Gabe Kapler RF
Reid Brignac SS

Pitching: Andy Sonnanstine (4-5, 7.07)

That winning feeling

By Jon Lane
The fact that the Yankees are 32-22 and tied for first place is nice enough. How they continue to find ways to win along with an unshakable confidence that there’s always a chance to win is one of the remarkable storylines of the season. Even during an eventual loss Wednesday night, cameras caught A.J. Burnett gesturing to his teammates, “That’s one,” after Jorge Posada’s seventh-inning home run trimmed the Yankees’ deficit from three to two.

There’s an amazing vibe around the team that has carried over to every game. Melky Cabrera’s eighth-inning heroics on Thursday led the Yankees to their league-leading 19th come-from-behind victory and it was the second time they rallied from down at least four runs.

“I think our club feels that we could come back at any time,” said Joe Girardi. “Sometimes when we don’t get it done we feel like, ‘Wow, we didn’t get it done.’ There is confidence in that clubhouse. Keep us close and give us a chance.”

Jerome Preisler was with me at the game outlines a series of subplots that defined the win, including Cabrera ducking Burnett’s attempt at another pie to the face.

_______________________

Don’t look now, but the beleaguered bullpen has allowed only one run over their last 11 innings (Ian Kinsler’s solo homer off Alfredo Aceves on Thursday). During the Yankees’ current 17-5 run, relievers are averaging more than three innings a game and are 6-3 with a 3.15 ERA.

David Robertson, who needed to throw only one pitch to earn the win, is 5-0 in his career with two one-pitch victories, owns a 2.08 ERA in 11 appearances this season and may finally stick around awhile.

“Guys are starting to settle into their roles now,” said pitching coach Dave Eiland. “Early on, guys were pitching out of their roles and the starters weren’t going as deep in their games, and guys not used to going multiple innings were going multiple innings and came back on shorter rest. It starts and stops with starting pitching. If they can take us to the middle or late innings, the bullpen has a way of working itself out.”