Yankees Wait Out the Rain, Beat Orioles 5-3

After a four hour and three minute rain delay, the Yankees and Orioles were able to squeeze this make-up game into an inclement night.

Phil Hughes started for the Yanks and gave them a good outing.  He kept the Orioles scoreless until the sixth inning.  He ended his night scattering five hits over six innings giving up two runs not factoring in this decision. As good as he was tonight; it still might not be good enough to save his spot in the Yankees rotation.

The Yankees jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead after a Jorge Posada solo shot in the third.  It wasn’t until the bottom of the fifth that we would see another run cross the plate.  Posada hit a hard grounder down the first baseline with two outs in the fifth. Mark Reynolds attempted to field it, but the slick ball slipped out of his glove allowing Posada to reach safely.

Francisco Cervelli came up next and was able to drive a pitch to deep left field.  The fielder, Matt Angle, couldn’t get a good read on the ball and let it fall to the grass. Posada beat the cut-off throw home scoring on an error, after reaching on one as well.

In the top of the sixth, the Orioles had an answer. With two outs and a man on, catcher Matt Wieters took a high fastball deep into the right field seats to tie the game 2-2. Hughes was able to get out of the inning without giving up another run, but that would be the end of his night.

The Yankees were able add another run, playing A-B-C ball in the bottom half of the sixth.  Jeter singled to lead off the inning.  Granderson drew a walk in the next at bat which brought up Mark Teixeira.  Tex took a liner far enough into right to drive in Jeter and move Granderson to third.  After three quick outs, the Yankees ended the sixth up 3-2.

Hector Noesi started the seventh inning.  He got two outs before Joe Girardi brought in Boon Logan to face the lefty, Nick Markakis. Logan gave up a game-tying RBI double and was taken out immediately for Corey Wade who finished the top of the seventh with the game tied 3-3.

The bottom half of the seventh added more peculiarity to an already very peculiar game.  Posada lead off the inning dribbling a grounder to the pitcher.  Hunter botched the throw and Posada reached first base. First baseman Reynolds got the ball back and tagged Posada before he got back to the base and he was called out.  The first base umpire called Posada out because he felt Posada made a move towards second base, even though he never left foul territory.  Posada argued to no avail, with the call being upheld.

Francisco Cervelli sent a pitch to deep left field during his next at bat.  It was ruled a homerun even though it appeared that a fan reached over the fence trying to catch the ball.  That call was upheld as well, despite Buck Showalter’s pleading to the umpires.  The very next at bat, still one out in the seventh, Brett Gardner sent a ball deep down the right field line and off the foul pole. That gave the Yankees a 5-3 lead when Tommy Hunter was taken out of the game. He ended his night after 6.2 innings, letting up five runs (four earned) on five hits, ultimately being charged with the loss.

That would be the final score after they managed to fit nine innings of baseball into this rainstorm.  Mariano Rivera earned his 39^th save of the year, and the 598^th of his career putting him only four saves behind the all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. This win put the Yankees up 2.5 games on the Red Sox in the AL East. The Yankees next game is set for Wednesday September 7^th at 1:05pm, 12:30pm pre-game. You can catch all your New York Yankees action on 104.5 “The Team” ESPN Radio.