Homestand, Game 9

A bit delayed in watching this one -- a long plane trip to the ninth island will do that

TOP 1: Pavano will go for Yankees -- Crawford grounds a leadoff single up the middle -- On the first pitch to Lugo, Crawford steals second fairly easily ... and the Rays are off and running -- Lugo goes down swinging, one down --
Cantu also goes down swinging on a caught foultip, two away -- Lee goes down swinging as well ... as Pavano strikes out the side

BOT 1: Kazmir going for Rays -- Jeter grounds to short, one down -- Bernie grounds a single into left -- Sheffield lasers a slider to left ... and he is absolutely on a tear, a two run blast -- Yankees lead 2-0

ARod in disbelief, is down looking at a inside fastball, two down -- Matsui hits a broken bat grounder to second to end the rally

TOP 2: Gomes goes down swinging, one down ... four straight Ks by Pavano --
Huff grounds to second, two away -- Hollins grounds to third to retire the side

BOT 2: Sierra hits a broken bat grounder to short, one down -- Russ Johnson goes down swinging, two away -- Flaherty hits it sharply but flies to left to end the inning

TOP 3: Hall grounds to third ... off ARod's glove, the error counter clicks on, psshh just lazy on that one ... safe at first on the error -- Green flies to right, one away -- Crawford grounds to second into an inning ending 463 double play

BOT 3: Cano goes down swinging, one away -- Jeter grounds to second, two down -- Bernie pops to first in shallow right to end the inning

TOP 4: Lugo goes down looking, one down -- Cantu flies to center, two away --
Lee hits a two out single into center, great piece of hitting -- Gomes blasts one out to deep left center, a two run shot, the game is tied 2-2 ... and the two out crap after being much in control continues for Yankee pitching

Huff hits a sharp single into right past Cano -- On the first pitch to Hollins, Huff is running ... and is gunned down by Posada to end the two out rally

BOT 4: Sheffield gets alot of another one, but flies to the warning track in left, one down -- ARod grounds to third, two away -- Matsui grounds to second to end the inning

TOP 5: Hollins goes down swinging, one away -- Hall is MINIMALLY NICKED by the pitch, a dubious HBP -- full count to Green, the payoff ... is floated into center, runner to third on the play, runners now at the corners -- the trainer is in to see Pavano -- Crawford grounds to second into 463 double play to retire the side ... two straight double plays off Carl Crawford, IMPROBABLE!!!, great D

BOT 5: Taylor in CF, Hollins in RF -- Sierra hits a bomb to the gap in left center, off the wall, he is in with a leadoff double -- Russ Johnson is plunked trying to bunt, runners now first and second

Flaherty perfectly executes a sacbunt to third, runners advance to second and third, one down -- Cano grounds to second, runner to third on the play, one run scores -- Yankees edge back into the lead, 3-2

Runner on third, two down for Jeter, he ticks a ball in front of the plate, and is put out by the catcher to first and end the rally

TOP 6: Lugo grounds to third, one down -- Cantu grounds to short, two gone -- Lee flies to left to retire the side

BOT 6: Bernie draws a leadoff walk -- Sheffield lines a single to left, runners now first and second -- ARod flies to the track in right center ... a just miss jack, the runners tag and advance on the play

Runners now second and third for Matsui, he works it full, the payoff ... is tapped to first, one down ... no chance for Bernie to score

Sierra gets the free pass to first, IBB -- Russ Johnson flies to right to end the inning .... MISSED OPP to bust it open

TOP 7: Gomes draws a leadoff walk -- Sturtze and Stanton warm for NY -- Taylor goes down looking, one down -- Hollins hits the first pitch and flies to center, two away -- Hall is NICKED again ... WTF!!!, another HBP, runners now first and second

Green lines a two strike pitch to left ... GONE, a three run shot -- ONE BATTER TOO FAR ... ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -- Rays lead, 5-3

Stanton in to pitch for Yankees -- Crawford pops foul to the catcher to end the rally

Seventh Inning Stench, Rays leading 5-3

BOT 7: Kazmir continues for Rays -- Flaherty flies to center, one down -- Cano hits the first pitch to right .... long far but FOUL, he goes down swinging, two away -- Jeter lines out to short, great leaping catch by Lugo to end the inning

TOP 8: Sturtze pitching for NY -- Lugo hits the first pitch and flies to right, one away -- Carter warms for TB -- Cantu goes down swinging, ball is dropped, he is tagged at the plate, two gone -- full count to Lee, he grounds to first to retire the side

BOT 8: Carter in to pitch for Rays -- Bernie hits the first pitch, just misses it ... a deep fly to the warning track in right for the first out, one down -- Baez warms for Rays -- Sheffield pops up foul to catcher to the left of the plate, two away -- ARod hits the first pitch and grounds a two out single to center

The pitching coach is out to take the ball, Baez in to pitch for TB -- Mo warms for NY -- Matsui draws a walk, runners now first and second -- Womack to PR for Matsui -- The 0-1 pitch to Sierra gets away from the catcher, the runners advance to second and third on the passed ball -- full count to Sierra. the payoff ... he goes down swinging to retire the side

TOP 9: Sturtze continues for NY -- Gomes goes down on a checkswing, uno dos adios, one down -- Taylor grounds the first pitch to third, two away -- Hollins grounds a comebacker to the pitcher, he is put out at first to retire the side

BOT 9: Gonzalez at 3B -- Posada in to PH for Russ Johnson, full count, the payoff pitch ... he goes down swinging, one gone -- Giambi in to PH for Flaherty, he flies to left, two down -- Cano blasts the first pitch up against the base of the wall and away from the centerfielder ... he hustles in for a triple -- runner at third, two down and Jeter is the tying run, full count ... the payoff pitch, he goes down swinging to end the game

FINAL: Rays win, 5-3

Lots of scoring chances by the boards and .... surprise surprise, poor pitching
in the form of giving up critical two out offense in key situations that lost the game

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