Toronto v New York final game of series.
Rubber game of series. Jays would love to beat Burnett today and the series. Interesting to compare records. Both Romero and Burnett have almost identical records. In fact Romero’s ERA is fractionally better, not bad for a rookie. This could be a tough one if Burnett is his dominating self, but Jays fans know he can be unpredictable as well. Romero has a tough assignment against this Yankee lineup.
Lineups: Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Lind, Overbay, Wells, Ruiz, Encarnacion, Chavez, Inglett and Romero pitching.
New York: Jeter, Damon, Matsui, Rodriguez, Posada, Cano, Swisher, Hinske, Cabrera and Burnett pitching.
The good: Ruiz second home run in two days. Relief pitching by League going three innings. Romero kept Jays in the game. Jays overall gave Yankees a tough series and it could have gone their way.
The poor: Manager Cito gambling on no pinch runner for Chavez and losing potential winning run. Wells just keeps getting worse if that is possible.
Top 1st: Scutaro pops it up to Hinske in shallow right, one down for Hill. 2-2 count, full, strikes out looking. Lind, umpire calling those high pitches for strikes. Singles back up the middle. One on for Overbay. Wild pitch and Lind to second. 3-0 count, walks on four. Vernon with two on. Another high pitch, Posada out already, I note Yankees do this far more than Jays catchers.2-2 down and away ?? Vernon swings over the top. Cito has to move him down the order, fat chance. Cito’s weakness.
Bottom 1st: Jeter, hit on his foot, Damon, not sure why Jeter is staying in the game, if there is damage on that foot you would think he would want it checked out and not do further damage. Macho. 2-2 count, doubles down the right field line into corner, Jeter goes to third on play. That would not help his foot injury. Matsui, with two in scoring position and no outs. Perfect pops up to Lind in shallow left and Jeter holds at third. One down for A-Rod. Grounds to Encarnacion, throw home but Jeter has stopped, back to Encarnacion not in time, A-Rod safe at first and bases loaded. Posada. Grounds to Hill, bobbles the ball, should have been two but throw to first to get Posada but Jeter scores 1-0 Yankees. Tough luck for Romero. Two in a row, he should be out of this with no run. Cano pops up to Wells in shallow centre. Could have been worse but should have been much better. 22 pitch count for Romero.
Top 2nd: Ruiz, oh Yes Randy, gets hold of this one, first pitch bomb into the left field bullpen way over 400ft and into the wind. That was some hit, Ruiz home run number two in two days …. Hello Alex !! Crowd is QUIET! 1-1 game. Encarnacion. Pops up to Swisher one down for Chavez, pops up to Posada for second out. Inglett, singles up the middle, Scutaro with one on. Singles into left and Inglett gets to third with his speed. Two on for Hill, 2-2 Hill not going after that low pitch. But did go for that one. Jays get one back but could have should have been more. 44 pitch count for Burnett.
Bottom 2nd: Swisher, 3-0 count. Full count and walks. Now Chavez calming Romero down. Hinske with one on and no outs. Strikes him out on great curve, one down for Cabrera. Nice to have a number nine guy with 12 home runs… Cito when will Snyder come back? 3-0 count, there’s a strike. Pops it up to Inglett, shallow right centre, diving for the ball as the wind holds it up, nice catch Joe. Two down. Jeter, foot must be ok. Grounds to Scutaro throw to Hill for the force at second and Cabrera. 38 pitch count.
Top 3rd: Now Jeter is out, Pena in his place. Jeter should have come out when he injured the foot, there are so many bones there he could have easily broken, Lind grounds to short, ball bounces over Pena into left. Overbay strikes out on three pitches, unusual for Lyle. Wells, with one down and one on. That’s better Vernon, just back up the middle but solid hit. Two on for Home Run Randy. Not this time, grounds first pitch to Pena on to second on to first, double play ball. Pitch count 52.
Bottom 3rd: Damon, home run to right, this guy just golfs one hand every pitch the same way. Ricky pitch him away. Jays hitters note this. Just get that ball up into the wind. 2-1 Yankees. Matsui strikes out. A-Rod, with one down. Fly ball to left for Lind, two down. Posada, strikes out. Pitch count 53.
Top 4th: Jays have outhit Yankees 6-2 but are behind. Encarnacion, lines it to shirt, great diving catch by Pena, that was a single all the way. Chavez, pops up first pitch to second, come on Raul. Think here.Two quick outs Inglett, grounds to Cano throw to first for third out. Jays hitters need more patience here, Burnett is not in top form today. pitch count 60. Last two innings only 16 pitches as a result of the impatience not Burnett’s pitching.
Bottom 4th: Cano leading off. High fly ball to right, home run, pitch them away Ricky, learn man. 3-1 Yankees. I guess as visiting teams get used to this right field they will be lifting them just like that. Swisher. Walks. One on for Hinske. Strikes out, Hinske arguing. One down. Cabrera, 2-0, come on Romero. That’s better 2-2, Oh boy, Romero throws ball away at first, come on. Swisher to second. There’s no need for that Ricky just get the guy out at plate. Cabrera grounds to Encarnacion throw to Overbay two down. Swisher stays at second. Fly ball to Wells in shallow centre for third out.
Top 5th: Scutaro leading off, showing bunt. Grounds to Pena fumbles but in time to get throw to first in time. One down for Hill. Full count. Singles up the middle, why don’t Jays do more like that? Lind with one on and one down. Strikes out on three pitches. Jays hitters are swinging over the top of these pitches. Overbay, full count, strikes out looking. 79 pitches he should be in the 90’s by now if Jays hitters were not so impatient.
Bottom 5th: Damon, 2-2, full, walks on perfect strike there. Romero not getting any breaks today. Matsui. Very nice grounds back at Romero ducks and Scutaro steps on second throw to Overbay double play ball. A-Rod. 1-2 count, 2-2, doubles to the wall in left. Posada, another 2-2 count, full, down the middle for a strike. Could be Romero’s last inning though. 95 pitch count.
Top 6th: Wells leading off. Grounds to Pena throw to first, one down. Ruiz, singles back up the middle. Encarnacion, singles to left, two on one down for Chavez, 2-0 count. Jays nine hits but only one run. 2-2, wild pitch, both runners move up, ok let’s take advantage of this. Full count. Perfect singles to right. Ruiz scores but Encarnacion held up on throw. 3-2 Yankees. One down and rumors on first and third for Inglett. Action in Yankees bullpen. Strikes out on three pitches. Scutaro’s turn. 100 pitches for Burnett. Rain starting also. 0-2 count, 2-2, another wild pitch, here comes Edwin and this game is tied up 3-3. Chavez to second. Ball four. Two on for Hill. Let’s hit one out Aaron. Not this time grounds to Pena, throw to first for the out. Jays have outhit Yankees 10-4.
Bottom 6th: Romero can start level again. Crowd emptying out here with rain. Cano, 2-0 count. 3-0, fly ball to Lind in left, one down. Swisher, fly ball to Lind. Hinske, grounds to Hill, throw to Overbay and three up and down for first time today. Romero has not had it easy all afternoon.
Top 7th: Coke now pitching. Lind leading off. Lefty-lefty match up. High fly ball to left corner Damon has it at the wall, one down. Overbay, singles over Cano into right. That’s it for Coke. Robertson now pitching. Wells, has one hit today but is still not looking confident out there. I guess .257 average does that to you. Pops it up to Hinske in right. Two down. Ruiz with two hits today. I can see Cito moving him up the order in front of Vernon if he continues to hit. Another wild pitch and Lyle moves up to second. 2-2 count. Grounds to A-Rod, throw to first for the third out.
Bottom 7th: Who is on today for Jays to close this one out? League? Yes called that one right. Hang on here. Depends which Brandon is out there today Jekyll or Hyde? Cabrera leading off. Grounds back to League, throw to Overbay, one down. Top of the order Pena singles back up the middle. Damon, golfs it to Wells in centre, one down one on for Matsui strikes out and, nice throw, Chavez gets Pena off the bag. Great double play to end this one.
Top 8th: Bottom of the order, Robertson still pitching, Encarnacion leading off. Lines it hard to left but right at Damon, one down for Chavez, full count. Walks on ten pitches, great at bat. Inglett with one on. No pinch runner for Chavez ? Strikes out, Scutaro with two down. That’s it for Robertson, Hughes now pitching. Singles to right, Chavez chugging around to third. Hill with two on and Chavez at third. Fly ball to Hinske in right. Would a pinch runner have scored on that hit by Scutaro? Johnny Mc maybe.
Bottom 8th: League still out there, Cito rolling that dice again, Matsui, fly ball to Inglett in right. A-Rod 2-2. Strikes out. Two down for Posada, full count, don’t let him get away Brandon. Strikes him out. Nice pitching and Cito gambled right on League but lost the pinch runner bet though.
Top 9th: Jays need to get something here and keep Rivera out of the game. Hughes pitching, Lind strikes out. One down for Overbay. Lines it up the middle. 2-4 today. One on one down for Vernon. Pops it up to Hinske. Oh boy. Where do you put Vernon in the lineup to hide him and minimize this horrible slump? Ruiz with one on and two down. Strikes out. Jays have outhit Yankees 13-5.
Bottom 9th: League still out there, Cito has blind faith. More than most Jays fans do. Three innings is expecting far too much for Brandon. Cano, full count. Grounds to Hill throw to Overbay one down. Swisher, grounds to Hill throw to Overbay two down. Hinske, strikes him out. Cito is a gambling man. Extra innings, Yankees love these.
Top 10th: Jays get another chance but bottom of the order unless Cito uses his bench. Chad Gaudin pitching. Encarnacion. Full count. Pops it up to Swisher. 10 pitch at bat. Chavez, singles to left. Now Johnny Mc is pinch running. Better late than never Cito. Inglett with one down and one on. Strikes out. Two down for Scutaro. 0-2 count. 2-2. Full count. Johnny Mc has been waiting for this. Come on Marco, called third strike, have to swing there Marco. Game on the line.
Bottom 10th: Barajas in as catcher. Camp now pitching. Cabrera strikes out.Teixeira pinch-hitting for Pena. Teixeira pops up to Scutaro. Damon pops up to Overbay. Camp did his job.
Top 11th: Teixeira in as first baseman. Swisher in as right fielder. Hairston in at short. Hill fly ball to right field Swisher, one down for Lind grounds to A-Rod throw to Teixeira for second out. Overbay, and walks. Oh boy, here comes Wells. 1-5 !! today. 0-2 count, goes after ball way shoulder high. Fouls it off. Shows how desperate Vernon has become these days. Full count. Is he swinging or taking? Swinging. 1-6 today.
Bottom 11th: Matsui, strikes out looking, great curve on the corner. A-Rod, hit on the left elbow even with the pad, this looks bad. No he is ok, on base. Posada, singles to left. A-Rod to second. Cano that’s the game doubles to right centre. Yankees win 4-3.
Jays had their chances, but some questionable managing today.
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