Bombers pound Santana, KO Mets
BRONX, NY – They do not have mercy rules in Major League Baseball. But if they did, it would have been in effect sometime after the fifth inning.
The Yankees had already extended their lead to 13-0, sent Johan Santana to an early exit and the game turned into an exhibition outing in March.
Taking the final game in Act I of Subway Series 2009, the team from the Bronx won the first set of this play tennis style, 15-0 over their borough friends from Queens.
A whirlwind weekend that saw the Yankees win a game on a gift by Luis Castillo on Friday and an inability to hit call-up pitcher Fernando Nieve on a gloomy Saturday. Sunday’s sunny skies brought about a complete turnaround not only in the weather, but also in the team.
It also did not help that AJ Burnett finally pitched up to his ability for the first time since April and Santana appeared as less than elite best.
Being slightly less than elite proved fatal for Santana and the Yankees offense pounced, erupting for four runs in the first inning when it appeared as if they were going to continue their problems over the past week with runners in scoring position.
Robinson Cano had led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Nick Swisher’s fly out. After Hideki Matsui walked, Melky Cabrera struck out on a filthy changeup for the second out. After falling behind 0-2, Cervelli lifted a shallow fly into short right field that in back of Luis Castillo and Ryan Church for a run scoring base hit to put the Yankees on the board.
Derek Jeter then worked the count full before lining a single to left, scoring Matsui from third, and advancing to second on the throw, making it 2-0. It would then become 4-0 when Johnny Damon singled to left center, scoring Cervelli and Jeter.
That stoked Burnett to a lead that he was nearly going to give back in top of the next inning.
Once again, Burnett would run into his usual “bad inning”. To begin the third, he walked Daniel Murphy and gave up a single to Brian Schneider. He then walked Castillo to load the bases, fell behind 2-0 on Alex Cora, and was on the verge of having Yankee Stadium serenade him with boos.
He was in trouble and needed to some help, fast. His 2-1 pitch was a borderline curveball called a strike to even the count and angered the Mets bench. Burnett was able to strikeout Cora for the first out and rookie Fernando Martinez for the second. His final hitter, Carlos Beltran, would line out to Jeter to end the threat as Burnett pumped his fist leaving the mound in celebration.
It would be the Mets best and only chance they would get.
Burnett settled down after that inning and pitched seven innings of shutout ball in 111 pitches, allowing only four hits and striking out eight. Unlike his last start in Boston, he has complete control of both his fastball and breaking stuff, making him nearly unhittable. His only blemish coming where he continue to add to his Major League leading walk total by allowing four free passes.
Santana was beginning to labor with his pitch count rising and in the fourth, they administered the knockout.
A two-run homer by Matsui, followed a leadoff walk to Swisher to make it 6-0. Cabrera then doubled and Cervelli (3 for 5, RBI) used his speed to reach on an infield single.
Jeter (4 for 4, 2 RBI) would reach when David Wright was unable to handle the chopper to third, scoring Cabrera. Damon then doubled down the left field line to score Cervelli and move Jeter to third.
The now 8-0 lead meant Santana’s day was over. His three inning, 82-pitch outing was the worst of his career amid reports of possible injury he would deny afterwards.
Brian Stokes came into the game and fared no better, though he almost got out the inning when Alex Cora nearly turned a triple play off the bat of Alex Rodriguez (0 for 4) with the bases loaded (Jeter scored on the play) and no one out.
However, on this day, it was no harm, no foul. The bullying nature of the offense would continue to bomb away.
Cano (3 for 4, 3 RBI) made up for the near gaffe by hammering a 1-2 pitch deep into the right field seats to run up the score to 11-0. It would reach 13-0 when Cabrera (up for the second time) double into the gap in right center to score Swisher (walked) and Matsui (walked) before being thrown out advancing to third.
The numbers were ugly. Nine runs, 8 hits and 12 men coming to the plate. The nine runs charged to Santana (8-4) were the most in his career. In addition, the outing increased his ERA by nearly a full run (3.29). He started the day among the league at 2.39.
With the lead comfortably in hand, Alex Rodriguez was given the remainder of the game off when the fifth inning started. Other Yankees got a half-day as Burnett continued to be in control and the Mets elected to waive the white flag in surrender.
Two additional runs in the seventh inning ran up the score to 15. David Robertson and Phil Hughes pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to end the game and a weekend that saw the team go from what could have been a disaster and turning it into something far less terrible.
Act 2 of the Subway Series takes place at Citi Field on June 26.
BRONX, NY – They do not have mercy rules in Major League Baseball. But if they did, it would have been in effect sometime after the fifth inning.
The Yankees had already extended their lead to 13-0, sent Johan Santana to an early exit and the game turned into an exhibition outing in March.
Taking the final game in Act I of Subway Series 2009, the team from the Bronx won the first set of this play tennis style, 15-0 over their borough friends from Queens.
A whirlwind weekend that saw the Yankees win a game on a gift by Luis Castillo on Friday and an inability to hit call-up pitcher Fernando Nieve on a gloomy Saturday. Sunday’s sunny skies brought about a complete turnaround not only in the weather, but also in the team.
It also did not help that AJ Burnett finally pitched up to his ability for the first time since April and Santana appeared as less than elite best.
Being slightly less than elite proved fatal for Santana and the Yankees offense pounced, erupting for four runs in the first inning when it appeared as if they were going to continue their problems over the past week with runners in scoring position.
Robinson Cano had led off the inning with a double and moved to third on Nick Swisher’s fly out. After Hideki Matsui walked, Melky Cabrera struck out on a filthy changeup for the second out. After falling behind 0-2, Cervelli lifted a shallow fly into short right field that in back of Luis Castillo and Ryan Church for a run scoring base hit to put the Yankees on the board.
Derek Jeter then worked the count full before lining a single to left, scoring Matsui from third, and advancing to second on the throw, making it 2-0. It would then become 4-0 when Johnny Damon singled to left center, scoring Cervelli and Jeter.
That stoked Burnett to a lead that he was nearly going to give back in top of the next inning.
Once again, Burnett would run into his usual “bad inning”. To begin the third, he walked Daniel Murphy and gave up a single to Brian Schneider. He then walked Castillo to load the bases, fell behind 2-0 on Alex Cora, and was on the verge of having Yankee Stadium serenade him with boos.
He was in trouble and needed to some help, fast. His 2-1 pitch was a borderline curveball called a strike to even the count and angered the Mets bench. Burnett was able to strikeout Cora for the first out and rookie Fernando Martinez for the second. His final hitter, Carlos Beltran, would line out to Jeter to end the threat as Burnett pumped his fist leaving the mound in celebration.
It would be the Mets best and only chance they would get.
Burnett settled down after that inning and pitched seven innings of shutout ball in 111 pitches, allowing only four hits and striking out eight. Unlike his last start in Boston, he has complete control of both his fastball and breaking stuff, making him nearly unhittable. His only blemish coming where he continue to add to his Major League leading walk total by allowing four free passes.
Santana was beginning to labor with his pitch count rising and in the fourth, they administered the knockout.
A two-run homer by Matsui, followed a leadoff walk to Swisher to make it 6-0. Cabrera then doubled and Cervelli (3 for 5, RBI) used his speed to reach on an infield single.
Jeter (4 for 4, 2 RBI) would reach when David Wright was unable to handle the chopper to third, scoring Cabrera. Damon then doubled down the left field line to score Cervelli and move Jeter to third.
The now 8-0 lead meant Santana’s day was over. His three inning, 82-pitch outing was the worst of his career amid reports of possible injury he would deny afterwards.
Brian Stokes came into the game and fared no better, though he almost got out the inning when Alex Cora nearly turned a triple play off the bat of Alex Rodriguez (0 for 4) with the bases loaded (Jeter scored on the play) and no one out.
However, on this day, it was no harm, no foul. The bullying nature of the offense would continue to bomb away.
Cano (3 for 4, 3 RBI) made up for the near gaffe by hammering a 1-2 pitch deep into the right field seats to run up the score to 11-0. It would reach 13-0 when Cabrera (up for the second time) double into the gap in right center to score Swisher (walked) and Matsui (walked) before being thrown out advancing to third.
The numbers were ugly. Nine runs, 8 hits and 12 men coming to the plate. The nine runs charged to Santana (8-4) were the most in his career. In addition, the outing increased his ERA by nearly a full run (3.29). He started the day among the league at 2.39.
With the lead comfortably in hand, Alex Rodriguez was given the remainder of the game off when the fifth inning started. Other Yankees got a half-day as Burnett continued to be in control and the Mets elected to waive the white flag in surrender.
Two additional runs in the seventh inning ran up the score to 15. David Robertson and Phil Hughes pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to end the game and a weekend that saw the team go from what could have been a disaster and turning it into something far less terrible.
Act 2 of the Subway Series takes place at Citi Field on June 26.
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