Jays lose this one but Ruiz, Inglett and Overbay help Richmond keep it close.

Toronto v New York. Game two of three.

Jays played very well last night but it will be hard to duplicate that in Yankee Stadium against Chamberlain. Ruiz called up in place of Rios. Will be interesting to see his bat, that is a tough baptism.

Lineups: Toronto: Scutaro, Hill, Lind, Overbay, Wells, Ruiz, Encarnacion, Barajas, Inglett and Richmond pitching.
Yankees: Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, Rodriguez, Matsui, Posada, Cano, Hinske, Cabrera, and Chamberlain pitching.

The very good: Overbay double to clear bases and score three. Ruiz home run in first game. (and more important opposite field hit). Inglett catch in right to save at least a double by Damon. And a second attempt almost had the Posada home run. Great efforts in right field that we have not seen all season. Richmond has to get a gold star after falling behind 3-0 early he gave Jays chance to get back into this and held it for them until the eighth and striking out eight Yankees hitters.
The good: Encarnacion home run dead centre deepest part of ball park, I didn’t know he had that type of power. Perhaps now he will settle into groove, we need that bat in number seven spot. Also gets praise for his glove in the seventh. Jays hitters had plenty of hits to the wall and track tonight. Close but no enough and they desperately need a left hand bat when they play in New York.
The bad: Cito very definitely tonight. Huge gamble bringing in Carlson for second night in a row and also error leaving him in there when he was obviously not sharp. With Carlson and League you can see right away if they are on and sharp and Jesse was very definitely struggling. Sorry Cito, but that is what managing is all about in my book, it should have been Roenicke to start the inning.

Top 1st: Scutaro gets hold of this and lines hard to left, great catch by Damon at the wall. One down for Hill. Grounds to Jeter, throw to Teixeira, two down for Lind. 3-1 count. Full count, singles into right, under a diving Cano. Overbay with one on and two down. 2-2 count. Strikes out.
Bottom 1st: Jeter first pitch, singles to centre, déjà vu last night. Damon doubles to right, Jeter to third. Teixeira grounds to Hill, Jeter scores, 1-0 Yankees just like that. Damon to third. A-Rod, singles to right, Damon scores, 2-0. Teixeira to third. Matsui with two on strikes out.

Top 2nd: Wells, 3-0 count, fly ball to Cebrera, one down for Ruiz, strikes out on three pitches, welcome to the big leagues Randy. Two down for Encarnacion. Grounds to Rodriguez throw to Teixeira for third out. Quick inning for Chamberlain but Jays are swinging at bad pitches.
Bottom 2nd: Cano, 0-2, lucky break for Richmond, just missed going out in that left field corner. Same again doubles into left. Richmond not fooling many tonight. Hinske, wow what has he been eating? Balk called and Cano moves to third. This is a disaster for Richmond so far. Nobody out and runner at third, strikes out, too much dinner Eric. One down for Cabrera fly ball to Wells in centre, Cano tags and scores on the throw home, 3-0 Yankees. Jeter with two down. Singles up the middle identical hit to first inning, you would think Cito would move Scutaro over into that hole. Damon, one hander lines it into right centre bounces over the wall, ground rule double, that saved a run. Runners at second and third for Teixeira. Arnsberg finally going out to give Richmond a talking to but he is all over the place tonight. Cito should get bullpen working. 2-0 count on Teixeira. There’s a strike. 3-1, loads them up for A-Rod. Richmond has a death wish tonight. Pops it up to Wells for third out. Richmond has another big escape, this could be 7 or 8 for the Yankees by now. Seven hits already for Yankees. 38 pitches for Richmond. He has to focus here.

Top 3rd: Barajas, 0-2 count, pops it up to A-Rod, one down for Inglett, 3-0 count, walks him. One on for Scutaro singles to left. Inglett to second. Good at bat by Scutaro, Hill with two on and one down. 0-2 count, 2-2, Posada out to settle Chamberlain. Grounds to Rodriguez, only one play at second to get Scutaro. Hill safe at first and Inglett at third on the play, two down for Lind. 2-0 count another mound conference, come on umpire they are overdoing this. 3-0, one more to load them up, Ball four. Bases loaded for Overbay, chance for Jays to get something here. OH YES, Perfect Lyle, doubles to right centre to clear the bases and this game is tied up 3-3. Perfectly placed drive by Lyle in the gap to the wall. Vernon now with Overbay at second, grounds to Jeter, throw just beats him out at first. But Jays are back in this now if Richmond can settle. Chamberlain pitch count over 60, ouch, he was cruising along.
Bottom 3rd: Matsui, pops it up for Encarnacion, one down for Posada. Full count, Richmond being too fine. Strikes him out, two down for Cano, grounds to Hil, throw to Overbay for third out. Nice inning by Richmond here, exactly what he had to do and now let Jays hitters do their job.

Top 4th: Ruiz leading off. YES, YES Randy, very nice, opposite field drive hits the foul pole, Home run Randy his first. 4-3 Jays. Alex who? What I like about that was that it was an opposite field hit. His team mates are happy for him in the dugout, Halladay grining from ear to ear. He likes what he sees. Encarnacion, strikes out. One down for Barajas grounds to Rodriguez throw to first for out number two. Inglett, 2-2 count. Strikes out, but Jays newbie gets his first and the lead for Jays. 76 pitches for Chamberlain. They are cheering in Fenway.
Bottom 4th: Hinske, strikes out swinging. Great inside pitch by Richmond. Cabrera with one down. 0-2 count, strikes out swinging same pitch inside. Two down for danger man Jeter 2-2 tonight. Block that hole at second Cito. Grounds to Scutaro, throw to Overbay, three up and down for Richmond. 62 pitches.

Top 5th: Can the Jays see Chamberlain this guy out of game this inning? Scutaro, 2-2 count. Full count. Grounds top A-Rod throw barely beats Scutaro at first, one down. Hill, 2-0 count, singles to left centre, one on one down for Lind. High pop up to Jeter, two down for Overbay. 1-2, grounds to Teixeira for the out. 93 pitches. Boston leading 4-3.
Bottom 5th: Damon, 2-2 count, Lines this one handed to right, OH MY Joe baby. What a catch. Full stretch and bangs into the wall in right, falls over but hangs on to the ball, highlight reel catch. Alex who? Teixiera fly ball to Wells, two down. A-Rod, 3-0, come on Scott. Walks him on four. Matsui with two down and one on. Richmond has to be careful here. 1-0 can’t find the strike zone here. That’s better, 2-2, fly ball to Inglett, the hero of that inning. 80 pitches.

Top 6th: Wells leading off. Pops up to Jeter, one down for Ruiz, batting .500 after that home run, strikes out on three here .333. Two down for Encarnacion. Grounds to Jeter throw to Teixeira for third out. Three up and down.
Bottom 6th: Posada, strikes out, one down for Cano, singles into centre, one on for Hinske, they have been pitching him inside all game, now two outside, 2-0 count.3-0, nothing inside yet. There we go, strike one. Strike two, pops it up to shallow centre for Vernon, two down and Cano holds at first. Cabrera 2-2 count, strikes him out, number eight tonight, very nice Scott. 97 pitches.That could be it for him tonight with top of order next inning.

Top 7th: Chamberlain’s night is over, Bruney pitching. Barajas at bat, high fly ball to left centre, Cabrera gets it at the track. Almost but not quite Rod. Inglett with one down, singles into right, good for you Joe. Scutaro now with one on and one down. Strikes out. Two down for Hill. Opposite field fly ball caught at the track by Hinske. For third out. A couple of long ones there but no joy this inning. Boston winning 6-3.
Bottom 7th: Who will be pitching? Accardo with something to prove to Cito. Great blue glove Jeremy. Jeter leading off. 3-1 count. Full count, pops it up in front of Inglett. One on for Damon, is he bunting? Pops it up into shallow left for Lind running in. Jeter holds at first. One down one on for Teixeira. 0-2 count. Would love a double play ball here. That will do, pops it up to Encarnacion, two down for A-Rod. Oh boy lines this one hard to third, Encarnacion diving to his right, on his knees and throws to second to get Jeter, great play Edwin. Jays have great defence so far tonight.

Top 8th: Coke now pitching. Lind leading off. 1-2 count, fly ball to centre for Cabrera, one down for Overbay, we need another big one here Lyle. 2-1 count. 2-2, grounds back to Coke, throw to Teixeira, two down for Wells, that’s it for Coke. Robertson now pitching. Vernon overdue tonight. 0-3. Grounds to A-Rod, throw to Teixeira and Vernon has a hitless evening 0-4. Boston 6-3 in rain delay but seventh inning so if it is called they have this one and they want Jays to hold on as well.
Bottom 8th: Who has the eighth? Carlson again. Perfect last night but two in a row??? Cito rolling the dice. Will we see Roenicke tonight? Matsui leading off. Cito heard me, Roenicke up in bullpen. His arm is very fresh. 2-2 count. Full count, yes you could see this coming, high fly ball into left field seats, Cito’s gamble did not pay off here, you can’t keep bringing these guys out every night Cito. Game is all tied up 4-4. Posada with no one out. You can see Jesse is not as sharp as he was last night. Another home run to left field. Over leaping Inglett. 5-4 Yankees. Cito arguing that fan interference on Inglett. Umpires are checking video. Review shows call was correct home run stands. Cano with no one out grounds back to Carlson throw to Overbay one down. Hinske doubles to right. That’s it for Carlson but I don’t think he should have been out there tonight at all. Rivera up in bullpen. Cabrera at bat, one down one on. Roenicke now pitching. Hairston pinch runner for Hinske. Cabrera singles to left, run scores 6-4 Yankees. Jeter pitch outside and Cabrera takes second. Jeter strikes out, great pitch from Roenicke. Two down for Damon. 2-4 tonight. Singles to right, run scores but Damon hung up between first and second for third out. 7-4 Yankees and Jays have uphill battle this inning.

Top 9th: Ruiz leading off. Lines it to Cano at second for first out. Encarnacion, Oh boy Edwin, really gets hold of this one, home run to dead centre, 408 ft mark, no doubt at all. 7-5 New York. Take that one Yankees. Barajas, singles into left and tie run comes to the plate in Joe Inglett. Pinch runner for Barajas, Johnny Mc. Strikes out looking on three pitches. Gotta swing Joe. Scutaro last chance for Jays here. Johnny Mc takes second, defensive indifference. Bring him in Marco. 2-2 count. Count full. Strikes out.

Jays lose this one but lots of positives tonight to give Yankees a fight for much of the game after being down three early.