Interleague: Subway Series 05, Game 1

1:05PM HST

A matchup between two pitchers that have struggled, and two high payroll teams that float around the .500 mark ... and of course, the duelling Matsuis

It begins with the Yankee UPN broadcasters not knowing they have the mic on ... good Jeebus, why do such embarrassing things happen, like all the time LOL

TOP 1: Victor Zambrano going for the Mets today -- Jeter grounds to second, one away -- Womack bloops a single to right -- Sheffield hits a hard comebacker at the pitcher, he gloves, no chance at the DP, puts Sheffield out at first, two away -- Two down, runner at second for Hideki Matsui, he goes down swinging to retire the side

BOT 1: Brown going for the Yankees today -- Reyes grounds softly to second, one down -- Cameron grounds a single through the left side and into rightfield -- One down, runner at first for Beltran, he hits a slow roller to first, the runner moves up to second, two down

Two down, runner at second for Floyd, Brown falls behind in the count then works it back full, the payoff ... low and in the dirt, ball four on a wild pitch -- runners at the corners, two down for Piazza ... he pops one up, Tino giving chase, the wind takes it towards the stands, Tino snowcones it ... it falls foul ... the next pitch, Piazza crunches one, hit far, down the right field line, blows foul, lots of foul ball drama here in Piazza's AB -- Floyd steals on the 2-2, didn't seem like the Yankees were paying attention

Full count to Piazza, the payoff pitch ... ball four -- Bases loaded now, two down for "Mr. Putout" Doug Mientkiewicz , he goes down swinging uno dos adios, and the rally is extinguished with no damage

1:36PM HST

TOP 2: ARod draws a leadoff walk -- Tino grounds into a 463 DP, two down -- full count to Posada, the payoff ... he flies out to right, shot down by the wind, for the final out

BOT 2: Wright lines the 2-2 offering into center for a leadoff single -- full count to Kaz Matsui, the payoff ... is crunched to the left of deep center, the wind holds it up, one down -- Zambrano lays a sac bunt down the first baseline, fielded by Brown, throws to first ... on time, two away -- Two down, runner in scoring position for Reyes, he grounds to short, gunned down by Jeter to end the inning

Kevin Brown doesn't seem to have it so far, but nothing scratched across yet

TOP 3: Cano flied out to center, one out -- the NL rule in effect in NL parks, so no DH for the first time this season -- Brown takes two healthy swings for strikes, then goes down looking, two down -- Jeter hits a hard shot to second, Kaz slips a bit, but still gets Jeter by a step to retire the side

BOT 3: Cameron draws a leadoff walk, Brown is really doing a tightrope now -- Beltran crushes it, but Sheffield is there in right, one down -- Runner at first, one down for Floyd, he goes down swinging at the high cheese, two outs -- Cameron steals second on the first pitch to Piazza, ball dropped by Posada, no throw -- Runner now at second, two down for Piazza, he also goes down swinging to retire the side

Brown already 50+ pitches, he may run into the same issues with Muss last game, having to leave early

2:10PM HST

TOP 4: Zambrano falls behind 3-0 to Womack, works it back to full, the payoff ... is ball 4, good patience by Womack and he gets a leadoff walk -- Womack goes on the first pitch to Sheffield, low pitch, the throw is late, safe at second

Runner now at second for Sheffield, he flies to right center, Womack tags and goes, Beltran has a gun ... this time it doesn't shoot straight, Womack in at third, one away

Runner now at third, one out for Hideki, he rips a laser down the right field line, a run scoring double for Matsui, the Yankees lead 1-0

Runner now at second, one down -- ARod draws a walk, runners now first and second for Tino, he walks on four pitches and Zambrano is WAAAY off

Bell warms for the Mets -- Bases loaded for Posada, he hits a check swing blooper, will it find the outfield grass? no, great catch at short, two away, the runners hold

Two down, bases loaded for Cano, he is quickly down looking, and the Yankees leave the pond full of ducks

BOT 4: Doug M. grounds to second, one away -- full count to Wright, the payoff ... he grounds one to the hole at short, ball off the heel of his glove, no play at first ... error on Jeter

One down, runner at first for Kaz Matsui, he doubled off the wall in center, the relay to Jeter ... his throw to the plate, well offline ... one run will score ... and Matsui will get to third on the throwing error, the game is knotted 1-1 ... and that is back to back errors by Jeter, wow

First pitch swinging, Zambrano pops out to short, two down -- runner at third for Reyes ... on the 1-1, Posada makes a great block to save a run ... Reyes down on strikes to end the inning

TOP 5: The pitcher will lead off the inning, Brown knocks one over Beltran's head for a double to center -- Jeter down swinging, one out -- Womack flies to center, two out -- Sheffield pops to short to end the inning

BOT 5: Cameron fouled out to the second baseman in foul territory, one down -- full count to Beltran, the payoff ... ball 4 on a checkswing, ump at first says he didn't go ... he draws a walk (I think the ump missed that one)

First pitch swinging, Floyd grounds to second, the force play is made at second, two away -- Two down, runner at first for Piazza, he goes down swinging, foul tip into Posada's glove to end the inning

TOP 6: Hideki Matsui lines a single to right ... he steals second on the 2-1 pitch, no throw, easy steal off a big jump -- full count to ARod, the payoff ... he draws another walk (3 walks today)

Runners at first and second, none out for Tino ... Torre sends the runners on a hit and run, he hits a slow roller to first, and is just put out, the runners move up to second and third, one away

Zambrano gets ahead on Posada, Jorge works it full and draws a walk to load the bases -- One down for Cano, he grounds to second ... Kaz Matsui boots it, everyone is safe, one run scores -- the Yankees edge back into the lead, 2-1

Bases still loaded, one down for Sierra in his first game back from the DL, he is in to PH for Brown, that will mean the end of his night -- Sturtze warming in the pen for the Yankees, Bell warming for the Mets

Sierra hits a grounder to first ... and Doug M. also BOOTS it, whoa ... one run scores, the bases remain loaded with one out -- the NY lead is now 3-1

Zambrano gets the hook, Bell will come in to face Jeter -- bases loaded, one out for Jeter, he goes down quickly swinging, two out ... just a brutal game for Jeter so far both with the glove and with the bat -- Womack waves weakly at the heat to end the two run rally for Yankees

BOT 6: Sturtze now pitching for the Yankees, he didn't have that great of an outing against the M's on Wed. -- full count to Doug M., he ends up flying to left after a quality AB, one down -- Wright dribbles one up the first baseline, Tino fields and tags, two away -- Kaz goes down swinging to end the inning

3:30PM HST

TOP 7: Sheffield grounds to second, one away -- Hideki Matsui hits a broken bat grounder to Kaz Matsui, and Matsui puts out Matsui for the second out -- ARod goes down swinging at the high cheese to retire the side

Seventh Inning Stretch, Yankees lead 3-1

BOT 7: Marlon Anderson in to PH for Bell the pitcher, Sturtze in his second inning of work -- Anderson lines a laser but Sheffield gloves it in right, one down -- Reyes rips one past the diving Tino down the right field line, a one out double

Stanton and Quantrill warming for Yankees -- runner at second, one down for Cameron, he flies to center, the runner at second holds, two down -- Two down for Beltran, runner in scoring position, he singles up the middle under the diving Cano's glove, one run scores, the NY lead is cut to 3-2

It's the two out hit, killing the Yankees this season, unbelievable

Torre hooks Sturtze and will mix and match by bringing in Stanton to face Cliff Floyd L-L -- Runner at first, two out for Floyd, he hits a line out at Tino to end the Mets rally

TOP 8: Mike Dejean in for Mets -- Gordon warming for Yankees -- Tino flies out to center, one down -- full count, quality AB for Posada, he draws a walk -- One down, runner at first for Cano, he grounds one up the middle for a single, runner to second on the play

Runners first and second, one down for Giambi PH for Stanton, he grounds to first, the runners both move into scoring position

Two down, runners at second and third for Jeter, he falls behind 0-2, patience and good eyes get him to full, he checkswings and goes to retire the side

The Yankees are a brutal 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position today

BOT 8: Gordon in for the Yankees -- Piazza grounds to third, one away -- Doug M. bloops one to left, Jeter going out, Womack coming in ... Womack misplays it, it falls in, two base error on Womack -- Mo warms for the Yankees -- runner on second, Wright walks on four pitches

Runners now first and second, one down -- Stottlemyre out to confer, obviously a stall tactic to get Mo some throws -- Kaz Matsui down swinging, two down

Now two down, runners at first and second -- Eric Valent PH for the pitcher, he goes down uno dos adios swinging ... Gordon works out of the jam

TOP 9: Roberto Hernandez in to pitch for the Mets -- full count to Womack, the payoff ... ball 4, leadoff walk -- Womack goes, Sheffield swings and grounds to short, infield single, and good baserunning by Womack puts him on third --

Runners at the corners for Hideki Matsui, he grounds to short, the force play is made at second, Matsui safe at first, one run scores, the Yankees now lead 4-2

Runner at first, one down for ARod, he grounds one down the left field line for a single, runner to third on the play -- Runners at the corners, one down for Tino, he hits a sac fly to left center, another run scores ... the challenge throw to double off ARod, the throw is there, Doug M. just misses the tag, the Yankee lead is now 5-2

Two down, runner at first -- Posada lines a single to right, runners now first and second -- Randolph gets the hook for Roberto Hernandez

The new pitcher is Aaron Heilman and he will face Cano, two down, runners at first and second -- Cano hits a slow chopper to second to end the rally

BOT 9: Mo will pitch the ninth for the Yankees, trying once again to shut the door -- Reyes pops out to Jeter in shallow left, one away -- Cameron grounds to the left of the mound, Mo fields, bobbles, recovers and guns to first to retire Cameron, two down -- Beltran flies to right to end the game

UGLY, LONG GAME

Not a crisp game, lots of deep counts, FIVE combined errors, no timely hitting ... a game that the Mets goofed away, by giving the Yankees extra outs, it certainly was not a victory earned by awesome offense by the Yankees -- and another terrible defensive game by the Yankees ... however ...

FINAL: Yankees win, 5-2

Tomorrow Kris Benson for the Mets, and Randy Johnson for the Yankees

It's kind of junk that there's no live baseball tomorrow due to the FOX national broadcast regionally of interleague games ... and well, since I live WAYYY out west, no Yankees - Mets, well I guess I can catch up tomorrow afternoon

22 UP 20 DOWN ... back in the W column (and for the glass is half full peeps, 11 of the last 12)