Satan's Luau

TOP 1: Benoit going for TEX -- Jeter hits a lazy fly on the 0-1 pitch to left near the stands in right ... Hidalgo after it, BLASTS into the wall of the stands in the right field corner, doesn't get it ... and is shaken up -- trainers out to check on Hidalgo, he will stay in -- Jeter goes down swinging, one down

Cano goes down swinging, two away -- full count to Sheffield, the payoff ... he goes down looking to retire the side (pitch looked LOW) ... Benoit has struck out the side

BOT 1: Newcomer Aaron Small going for NY ... may the good lord save us -- Dellucci pops the short, one down -- Young pops to second in shallow right, two away -- Teixeira draws a two walk -- Blalock grounds a single through to left, runners at the corners -- Soriano goes down looking to end the inning

TOP 2: ARod goes down swinging, one down -- Matsui flies to center, two away -- Giambi flies to center ... Matthews, Jr. backing, backing, leaping ... it's GONE, an apparent wind aided two out HR, Yankees lead, 1-0

Posada gets ahold of one to right ... back-to-back two out, solo shots, the score is now NY 2-0

Full count to Tino, the payoff ... ball four, he draws a two out walk -- Crosby flies to right to end the rally

BOT 2: Mench goes the opposite way and flies to right, one away -- Hidalgo blasts a solo shot out to left, Yankees lead is cut to 2-1

Matthews, Jr. pops to short, two down -- Barajas flies to center to end the rally

TOP 3: Jeter grounds to short, one away -- Cano drives one to left ... Mench backs on it and makes a great reaching catch on the tailing ball, two down -- Sheffield hits a broken bat fly and pops to first to retire the side

BOT 3: Dellucci rips a liner to center, caught by Crosby, one down -- Young pops foul to first, two away -- Teixeira draws a two out walk -- on the 0-1 to Blalock, the pitch is up and away from Posada, runner to second on the wild pitch -- Blalock lines a one hopper to second to end the inning

TOP 4: ARod goes down looking, one down -- Matsui flies to center, two gone -- Giambi grounds to first to retire the side

BOT 4: Soriano grounds to third, one away -- Mench goes down looking, two down -- Hidalgo pops to short in shallow center to end the inning

TOP 5: Posada pops to short in shallow right along the third baseline, one down -- Tino hits a deep fly to right center ... the fielders converge, but it's over the wall, a solo shot, Yankees now lead, 3-1

Crosby lays down a surprise bunt towards the mound ... it rolls past the pitcher, the second baseman fields, no play possible at first, a bunt single -- Jeter lines a single to right, runners now first and second -- Cano hits a deep fly to right center ... the fielders converge again, again it is GONE!!! ... a three run shot, the score is now NY 6-1

Hershiser out to confer, Wilson warms for TEX -- Sheffield grounds to short, two away -- ARod goes down swinging to retire the side ... that's his third K of the night, OLE!!!, silver sombrero

BOT 5: Matthews, Jr. drops a bloop to left center ... Jeter backing on it, then runs after it ... it falls into the campfire defense, Matthews hustling to second ... in with a leadoff double -- Barajas lines a single to left, runner to third on the hit

Dellucci grounds to second, the force is made at second, no chance at the double play, one run scores, the Yankees lead is cut to 6-2

Young lines the first pitch the other way and singles to right, runners now first and second -- Stottlemyre out to confer -- Teixeira grounds to short into a 663 rally ending double play

TOP 6: Shouse in to pitch for TEX -- Matsui grounds the first pitch to short, one away -- Giambi blasts one to deep right center .... gone, and a fan falls into the bullpen, a solo shot -- Yankees now lead, 7-2

Posada lines a single to right -- Tino pops foul to the catcher to the left of home plate, two down -- Crosby also pops foul to the catcher to retire the side

BOT 6: Blalock draws a leadoff walk -- Stottlemyre out to confer, Sturtze warms for NY -- Soriano goes down swinging on a foultip, one down -- Mench draws a walk, runners now first and second

Torre out to get Small, Sturtze in pitching for NY -- Hidalgo lines a shot to gap in right center, one run scores, he is in with a double -- Yankees lead is cut to 7-3

Runners now second and third for Matthews, Jr., he draws a walk and now the bases are loaded -- Stottlemyre out to confer, Proctor and Groom warm for NY -- Barajas pops to the middle of the infield ... after the Chinese fire drill with three fielders near the mound, Jeter reaches back to make a great catch, two away

Full count to Dellucci, he battles and he ultimately grounds to first, Sturtze covers to end the rally.

TOP 7: Brocail pitching for TEX -- Jeter flies to the track in right, one down -- Cano grounds to short, two away -- Sheffield grounds to short to retire the side

Seventh Inning Stretch, Yankees lead, 7-3

BOT 7: Sturtze continues for NY -- Young grounds to short, one down -- Teixeira grounds to third, two away -- Blalock goes the other way for a two out single to left

Stottlemyre out, Gordon warms for NY -- Soriano draws a four pitch walk, runners now first and second -- Torre out, Gordon will pitch for NY -- Mench pops to second to end the inning

TOP 8: ARod flies to center, one down -- Matsui grounds to first, pitcher covering, two away -- Giambi draws a two out walk -- Posada grounds softly to the mound, the pitcher makes the play to retire the side

BOT 8: Gordon continues for NY -- Hidalgo goes down looking, one away -- Matthews, Jr. goes down looking, two down -- Barajas bloops a two out single just out of the reach of Cano -- Mo warms for NY -- full count to Dellucci, he grounds to first .... THROUGH THE LEGS OF TINO and into right (GAKK!!!), they wave Barajas around, he scores fairly easily ... as no one is there to cut off the throw from right, Dellucci to second on the throw to the plate -- Yankees lead is cut to 7-4

Young grounds up the middle, Jeter ranges to cover, gloves and guns to end another nonsensical two out rally

TOP 9: Ramirez in to pitch for TEX -- Tino blasts one out to right ... gone, a leadoff solo shot, the Yankees now lead, 8-4

Crosby hits the first pitch to first, the pitcher covers ... and makes the close play, one down -- Jeter grounds to short, two away -- Cano bloops a two out single to right -- Sheffield flies to right center to end the rally

BOT 9: Mo in for Yankees -- Teixeira goes down looking, one down -- Blalock goes down swinging, two away -- Soriano hits a broken bat grounder to second to end the game

FINAL: Yankees win, 8-4

When the Yankees swing the bat well like they did tonight, they are just scary -- Good outing for newcomer Aaron Small, even though Sturtze was a little shaky

The road trip continues tomorrow and starts a three game series against the always dangerous Halos of Los Angeles in Anaheim, something like that

51UP 42DOWN ... back in the win column, Yankees now a solid 5-2 on this tough road swing