Satan's Luau

TOP 1: Proctor going for NY (Kay sez the 14th starter for the team this year, that's amazing) -- Proctor gets in front 0-2, then into full count to Dellucci, the payoff ... he blasts a solo shot to center -- Rangers lead, 1-0

Young goes down swinging, one down -- Teixeira pops foul to third, two gone -- Blalock flies to center to end the rally

BOT 1: Wasdin going for TEX -- Jeter lashes one the opposite way into the stands in along the rightfield corner, a leadoff ground rule double -- runner at second for Cano, he flies to right, one down -- Jeter goes on the 1-2 to Sheffield ... he is called out on strikes, Barajas loses his grip on the ball ... Jeter steals third without a throw (replay on the K: could it be more outside?)

Runner at third, two down for ARod, he drew a four pitch walk ... looked like a big time pitcharound -- runners at the corners for Matsui, he pops to left to end the inning

Oh, where have the TIMELY hits gone?

TOP 2: Soriano grounds a leadoff single through to right -- Nevin grounds to short into a 643 double play, two gone -- full count to Matthews, Jr., the payoff ... he goes down swinging to retire the side

BOT 2: Giambi blasts one to the track in left center ... and Matthews, Jr. there to run it down, one down ... what the hell is up with that -- Posada flies to left center, two gone -- full count to Tino, the payoff ... low, he draws a two out walk

Womack hits a slow grounder to short, Young charges ... his throw is not in time, Womack on with an infield single -- runners at the corners for Jeter, he lines one to left ... right at Dellucci to end the inning

AARRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ... yep

TOP 3: Mench pops to left near the leftfield line, one down -- Barajas pops foul to first, two away -- Dellucci hits a shot to left ... Matsui back, it hits off the top of the wall and bounces over, another solo shot -- Rangers now lead, 2-0

Young grounds to first to end the two out rally

BOT 3: Stop the damn presses ... Cano draws a leadoff walk -- Sheffield just splatters a high pitch and grounds a single through to left, runners now first and second

OK NOW I'M FKN FRUSTRATED ... SWINGTHEGODDAMNBAT!!! ... ARod goes down looking, one down (AGAIN, at a perfectly hittable pitch, thanks Jim K.) -- runners first and second for Matsui, he grounds sharply to second ... off the glove of the diving Soriano ... and into center, one run scores -- the score is now TEX 2-1

Runners again first and second for Giambi, he goes down swinging, two away -- Posada grounds to second in shallow right to end the rally

TOP 4: Teixeira lines to first, one down -- Blalock lines to short, two away -- Soriano grounds to short to retire the side

BOT 4: Tino grounds to second ... Soriano having problems with it but gets it over to first, one down -- Womack lines a single to center -- runner at first for Jeter, he lines a double to the rightfield corner, runner to third on the hit

Runners now second and third, one down for Cano, he lines a shot into the gap in left center, that will score two -- the Yankees with their first lead, 3-2

Hershiser out to confer, Ramirez warms for the Rangers -- runner at second for Sheffield, he pops to center, two away -- ARod goes down weakly on a checkswing to end the inning ... methinks he's slumping

They just showed the ULTRAGAKK of the season so far on the highlights ... K-Rod lazily dropping a return toss from the pitcher, letting in what would be the winning run for the A's, wow

TOP 5: Nevin pops to short, one gone -- Matthews, Jr. grounds to second, two down -- Embree warms for NY -- full count to Mench, he pops foul to first

Where do the Yankees find these spot starters ... I personally am impressed, sometimes these guys look better than the cashish boys who regularly start

BOT 5: Matsui blasts a leadoff solo shot to the stands in right center -- Yankees double up to 4-2

Showalter to the mound, Wasdin turned in a decent performance, all in all -- Ramirez now pitching for TEX -- Giambi is plunked, on first via HBP -- Posada rips one to left center ... GONE!!, a two run shot -- the score is now NY 6-2

Now everything is going NY's way ... Tino flares one the opposite way on a clear checkswing, it's off Blalock's glove ... Tino in -- Womack lays down the bunt, fielded by Blalock who makes the play to first, runner advances to second on the play, one away

Runner at second for Jeter, he grounds to third ... Blalock's throw in the dirt, Teixeira picks it on the short hop, what a defensive stop, runner to third on the play, two down -- runner at third to Cano, he flies to right center to end the rally

TOP 6: Proctor continues for NY -- Barajas goes down swinging ... it gets away from Posada, who promptly throws it into right field -- Torre out to take the ball, really nice spot start for Proctor

Embree now pitching for NY -- Dellucci flares a single through to left -- Young lines a double into the corner in rightfield, one run scores -- the Yankee lead is cut to 6-3

Runner at second for Teixeira, he grounds to short, another run will come in, one down -- the score is now NY 6-4

Felix Rodriguez warms for NY -- Blalock goes down swinging , two away -- Torre out to take the ball, he is showered with boos again

Felix Rodriguez is the new pitcher -- Soriano lines to left to end the rally

BOT 6: Baldwin now in to pitch for the Rangers -- Sheffield blasts one to the wall in left ... Dellucci leaps, robs Sheffield ... TEMPORARILY ... the ball is loosened when he bumps the wall, Sheffield with a leadoff double -- ARod draws a walk after a full count

Runners now first and second for Matsui, he grounds to first, the throw is made to second for the force, the return to first is in the dirt and away from Baldwin, a run will score on the play -- Yankees now lead, 7-4

Giambi draws a walk, runners now first and second -- Hershiser in to confer -- runners now first and second for Posada, he draws a walk after a full count and the bases are now loaded

Tino flies to center, the runner from third will score on the sacfly -- the Yankees double up, 8-4

Runners now first and second for Womack, he grounds off the glove of the pitcher up the middle to short, the force is made at second to end the rally

TOP 7: F-Rod continues -- Nevin grounds back to the mound and is put out at first, one down -- Matthews, Jr. draws a walk on the full count payoff -- Stottlemyre out to confer, Sturtze warms for NY

Mench pops to second, two away -- On the first pitch to Barajas, Matthews, Jr. goes .... the throw is late, he steals second -- runner at second for Barajas, he lines a single to left, the run will score -- the score is now NY 8-5

Dellucci bombs one off the wall in right for a double, runner to third on the hit -- Torre out to get the ball, Sturtze out to pitch for NY -- runners now second and third for Young, he blasts the first pitch from Sturtze over the wall for a three run tying home run ... good GAKK, bullpen -- the game is tied, 8-8

Sturtze follows up his deer in the headlights wonderment at the three run blast by issuing a four pitch walk to Teixeira -- Stottlemyre out to confer -- runner at first for Blalock, he grounds to third to end the ridiculousness

Seventh Inning Stupid Bullpen, the game is tied, 8-8

BOT 7: Baldwin continues -- Gordon warms for NY -- Jeter blasts a leadoff solo shot to right ... where's the beer keg for the softball game at? -- Yankees back in front, 9-8

Cano grounds to short, one down -- Sheffield lines a single to center -- runner at first for ARod ... prior to the 1-0 to ARod, Baldwin is called for a balk on his spin move throw to first -- runner now on second for ARod, he goes down swinging ... OLE!!!, a silver sombrero, two away

Shouse in to pitch for TEX -- runner at second for Matsui, the first pitch makes Matsui dance out of the way ... it goes to the backstop, runner to third on the wild pitch -- runner on third for Matsui, he flies to right to end the rally

TOP 8: Gordon now pitching for NY -- Soriano hits a broken bat grounder to third, one down -- Nevin sharply grounds to second ... nice diving stop for Cano who makes the play to first, two away

Matthews, Jr. hits a bleeder up the first baseline ... Gordon fields, tosses from his knees while falling over and beans Matthews in the back, on first with a two out infield single -- Matthews goes on the 1-0 to Mench, he is in easily with another steal of second -- runner now at second for Mench, he draws a walk, runners now first and second

Stottlemyre out to confer -- Gordon can't throw a strike to save his life against Barajas 3-0 ... he loses him to a walk, the bases are now loaded -- Torre out to get the ball, and he will turn to Mo for a four out save ... AYFKM, the bullpen fsup a game that was well in hand

Mo in for NY -- the reset, two down, bases loaded for Dellucci, why not!!?!?? a full count, the payoff ... he pops foul to Posada to work out of the jam

Where would the Yankees be without MO?

BOT 8: Shouse continues for the Rangers -- Giambi grounds to second, one down -- Karsay warms for TEX -- Posada hits a slow roller to short ... Young in on it and makes the play to first, two away -- Tino draws a two out walk

Bernie in to PH for Womack -- Showalter will call for Karsay -- runner on first for Bernie, full count, he draws a walk -- Crosby will PR fo Bernie -- runners now first and second for Jeter, he grounds the first pitch to third to end the inning

TOP 9: Mo continues his four out save -- Franklin warms for NY -- Young goes down swinging, one down -- Teixeira shatters his bat but gets enough wood on it to slowly roll it through to left for a single -- Blalock pops the first pitch to right center, two gone -- runner at first, full count to Soriano, he goes down swinging to end the game

FINAL: Yankees win, 9-8

Near death by bullpen ... the slow agonizing swirl continues

61UP 52DOWN ... back in the win column