AJ near perfection to win this one with help from Scutaro an BJ.

Toronto v New York Series finale and also last game before All-Star break. Sunday July 13, 2008.

Burnett pitching on three days rest, he was so good in his last game, mixing it up with his pitches, when he is on his game he is definitely number two after Halladay. Has a lot to prove if he is on the trading block for the 31st. JP denies it of course. Jays lineup is definitely AAA… Who would have thought that none of the 3, 4 and 5 hitters that started the season would be playing today. Frank has long gone of course, Vernon is injured and Alex at the birth of his daughter. This lineup does not strike fear into Pettite. On the other hand, the young guys, Inglett and Lind in particular have really stepped it up and are making their case for the first team. Overbay is playing well this week but Rolen struggling. Anything can happen with this team and usually does. If Burnett stumbles it will be the bullpen committee each contributing as they have a few days of rest ahead.

Pitching: Burnett 9-8 5.23 ERA v Pettite 10-6, 3.93 ERA
Lineups:
New York: Jeter, Abreu, Rodriguez, Giambi, Posada, Cano, Cabrera, Betemit, Gardner and Pettite pitching.

Toronto: Inglett, Eckstein, Overbay, Barajas, Mench, Rolen, Lind, Scutaro, McDonald. And Burnett pitching.

The result: Toronto wins 4-1.

The very good: Burnett an incredible performance and on three days rest. Takes it into the ninth.
The good: Scutaro three run HR in the second inning makes up for being the goat yesterday. Rolen two hits and on base three times. Kevin Mench on return from AAA two doubles and stolen base. Yankee fans leaving in the seventh.
The bad: Jays 3-11 with runners in scoring position and too many left on base.

The game: Top 1st: Jeter at bat strikes out on three pitches, great start. Abreu at bat grounds to Rolen, throw to Overbay, two down. Here are the big boos for Rodriguez, full count, strikes him out. Crowd loves that. 12 pitch inning for AJ. Great start, now for the offence.
Bottom 1st: Inglett leading off, grounds to Jeter, throw to Betemit at 1B. Eckstein at bat full count, doubles to LF corner wall. Overbay at bat, can he bring him in? strikes out on feeble swing. Barajas breaks bat grounding to Rodriguez at 3B, throw to Betemit for the out at 1B. 18 pitches.

Top 2nd: Giambi grounds to McDonald at SS, throw not in time safe at 1B, one on, Posada at bat, full count, grounds to Scutaro, that’s better Marco, flip to Johnny MC throw to Overbay double play ball. Makes up for yesterday error. Cano at bat, 3-0 count. Walks him on four. Cabrera at bat, grounds slowly to Rolen, barehanded throw to get Cabrera at 1B. 26 pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Mench at bat not exactly burning it up this year, but first start on return from AAA, doubles over Abreu’s head to the RF wall. Once again bat at 2B, Rolen now, needs a good game for a change, 4-36, 0-2, now full count, number ten pitch, singles into RF, Mench scores. 1-0 Jays. Lind at bat, Rolen at 1B. No outs. Walks him on four pitches. Two on, no outs for Scutaro, bunting, sign is taken off. YES YESYES Marco, this one is HIGH rocket into Jays bullpen, three- run HR for Marco. 4-0 Jays. McDonald first pitch grounds to Rodriguez one down. Inglett at bat full count, fly ball to Gardner, two down for Eckstein. Grounds to Rodriguez, throw to 1B gets him. Long inning for Pettite. Now at 53 pitches.

Top 3rd: AJ with the 4-0 lead. Betemit at bat first pitch fly ball out to Lind, one down, Gardner at bat grounds to McDonald great throw to get him at 1B, Jeter at bat two down, first pitch fly ball out to Mench, six pitch inning for AJ. Perfect. Quick up and down inning and get those Yankees back in the field before Pettite gets a breather after his long inning in the 2nd. 32 total.
Bottom 3rd: Overbay at bat, gets hold of one but high fly ball out to Cabrera in CF. One down. Barajas at bat strikes out, two down. Mench at bat grounds to Cano, throw to Betemit in time. Quick inning for Pettite. 63 pitches.

Top 4th: Abreu at bat, doubles to right centre. Close play but Mench double pumped that ball before he threw it to Johnny Mc that was the difference. Rodriguez fly ball out to Inglett in CF. Giambi at bat one down one on. Strikes out. Two down. Posada hits him on the foot. Two on. Cano at bat, grounds out to Overbay at 1B. Nice pitching AJ. 42 pitches.
Bottom 4th: Jays need to have a good inning here and build on that lead. Rolen at bat, 1-1. Yes Scott doubles down the line into RF. 2-2 today. Lind at bat singles up the middle, Rolen holds up at 3B, maybe could have scired there. Two on no outs. Scutaro again 3-0 count here, Geise up in bullpen. Fly ball out to RF, Abreu throw gets Rolen at the plate, double play, two down. Leyva holding earlier may have cost them there. Lind also mental error stayed at 1B. McDonald at bat. Strikes out. Not good. Could have been big inning there. 78 pitches.

Top 5th: AJ needs another good inning here. Cabrera first pitch fly ball out to Lind, one down. Betemit at bat strikes out. Gardner at bat, strikes him out on three pitches. Great ten pitch inning here for AJ. 52 pitches.
Bottom 5th: Now Jays need to make up for last inning. And see Pettite leave the game here. Top of the order Inglett at bat, strikes out. Eckstein at bat, strikes out two down. Overbay at bat lines it off Jeter’s glove. Barajas first pitch swing pops up to Rodriguez, that was an awful swing by Barajas and gets Pettite off the hook. 88 pitches.

Top 6th: Jeter at bat, grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay, one down. Abreu at bat, grounds to McDonald keeps it down and throw from his knees, just not in time. Rodriguez at bat, careful here AJ. Singles it into LF. Two on one down. Giambi at bat fly ball out to RF Mench. Two down. Posada also dangerous, Barajas throw almost went into CF, McDonald dives to save that. Yes AJ strikes him out. AJ pumps his fist, that could have been the game there. Great pitching. 69 pitches.
Bottom 6th: Can the Jays put this one away here? They have had so many chances to bury Pettite. Mench, Rolen and Lind. Mench at bat doubles to Gardner in LF, second double of game. BUT they have to bring him in here. Rolen at bat 2-2 today. Full count. Hard liner out to Gardner in LF. One down for Lind. Grounds to Cano at 2B throw to Betemit gets him, Mench moves to 3B. Scutaro at bat, two down. Strikes out. 107 pitches for Pettite. Jays throw away another opportunity.

Top 7th: Cano at bat gets holf of this one but lines very hard out Johnny Mc. Great catch, one down. Cabrera at bat grounds back to Burnett throw to Overbay. Betemit at bat grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay. Nine pitch inning, 78 pitches.
Bottom 7th: Can Jays put it away this inning? Giese now pitching. McDonald at bat singles to CF. Inglett at bat, shows bunt, high fly ball out to Cabrera in CF. one down. Eckstein at bat, fly ball out to Abreu, two down. Overbay at bat McDonald stealing, safe at 2B. If he had gone with Inglett at bat he would be scoring here. Walks Overbay. Two on now for Barajas, had better have a better at bat than the last one. Lines hard to Gardner in LF.

Top 8th: Wilkerson in CF. Inglett to RF and Mench to LF, Lind out. Gardner at bat, strikes out. Number seven and free pizza for everyone. Jeter at bat, Strikes him out. Two down. Abreu at bat grounds to Scutaro throw to Overbay. 89 pitches.
Bottom 8th: Can Jays do it THIS inning? They have had SO many chances here in this game to make it a blowout. David Robertson pitching. Mench at bat, 2-3 today. Walks. Has had a nice day at bat on base three times. Now Scott Rolen also 2-3 today. Would love a big one here Scott. Strikes out. Wilkerson for first at bat today. Full count, runner going and safe at 2B although Wilkerson struck out. Two down another runner in scoring position but we have been here all day today with no result. Scutaro at bat, pops it up to Jeter. Not good inning for the hitters again.

Top 9th: Can AJ finish it here? Guess who leads off? The boos tell it all. Rodriguez gets under this one high fly ball to CF Wilkerson. One down. Giambi now, gets hold of one here into the Jays bullpen, HR. 4-1 Jays. Posada at bat, singles to RF. Cano at bat, That’s it for Burnett. Here comes Cito. Great ovation for AJ. After only three days rest he has pitched his best game of season. BJ now to finish it off we hope. One down one on. Cano grounds to McDonald, flip to Scutaro throw to Overbay, double play ball.
And that’s the game friends. Jays win this one and the series and without the big guys Vernon and Alex.

Win number 10 for AJ and save number 18 for AJ. Enjoy your break team, see you in Florida on Friday to sweep those Rays losing again today.