SECTION 331

After about a good hour’s rain delay, the game finally started. After seeing the lineup, I had no illusions about a win tonight (Sweeney DHing, Griff in left, and of course no Beltre). At least I can take solace in the fact that New Yorkers far overpay for their tickets…

The Ms first inning against Joba Chamberlain was a lot slower than I thought it would be. Chamberlain’s history is similar to Morrow’s, in that they were relievers who were awkwardly handled to become starters. But Morrow’s starts have been a bit shaky, and I’m not familiar with Chamberlain’s, so my faith was low. Morrow struggled in the other half of the first, but managed to accomplish, despite a panicky overthrow to first to nab Teixeira. Replays left me somewhat dubious, but he was called out. I’ll take it. No score for either team in the first.

Sweeney swung to Jeter for the first out in the second, and Chamberlain took Franklin Gutierrez high in the count before Gutz swung and sent one to a spare spot in the field that Johnny Damon couldn’t quite get to. Chris Woodward hit to Jeter again, and Jeter spun around to try for the out at second, but failed, so both Gutz and Woody were safe. Kenji then grounded into a double play at third and first to end our chances. Bottom second, Robinson Cano smacked one up the middle, and it was at that point that I noticed that Morrow had been trying, somewhat actively, to field – he attempted a few other catches in the first as well, and Morrow had been going after them in somewhat more of an aggressive manner than a pitcher might normally. Another hit by Jorge Posada up the middle brought up Hideki Matsui. Morrow at this point in the game had been letting hitters get ahead of him, not a good sign (not that I was expecting anything, but it’s always nice to hope…right? Hello?) Morrow came back to counter with some strikes for a full count, but Matsui swung at it, and it went straight to Chris Woodward, who bobbled it before overthrowing it to Branyan at first, allowing Cano to score, and putting men on the corners with no outs and Nick Swisher up to bat. Swisher struck out, and Melky Cabrera hit a long one out to center, nearly past the warning track, but Gutz killed it – the tag was had, and so was another run. Derek Jeter stepped to the plate, and hit one towards Woodward, and the ball bounced off Woody’s glove and into Cedeno’s, and Cedeno threw to first for the out. Not having Beltre might hurt us a lot more than I thought it would.

Ronny Cedeno led the charge in the 3rd, smacking a good one over the right field wall. Unexpected positive. Ichiro followed him with a single up the middle. Chamberlain, faced with Branyan, stalled. Branyan took the full count and thought he had a walk, but the third base ump said he swung around on the last pitch. Jose Lopez also got ahead of Chamberlain in the count, and wound up walking. A handful of Yankees fans invaded LL gamechat, and I got distracted by the  internet. Meanwhile, Morrow made quick work of the Yanks in the third. The 4th featured no scoring from Seattle, and then a bases-loaded-no-outs situation for the Yankees, which Morrow and company managed to get out of, miraculously allowing only one run.

Branyan was able to drive in Ichiro in the top of the 5th, wound up getting out at second on a hop by Jose Lopez, who singled. Griffey took a walk, then Gutz swung a single that brought Lopez in to tie the game 3-3. The inning was done shortly thereafter. The 6th was scoreless for both teams, and Chris Jakubauskus came in to relieve Morrow, sporting an interesting new facial hair configuration that makes him look just a little bit like Chad Bradford in the Baltimore days…or maybe a pirate on our sinking ship.

Jak gave up a ground rule double over left field to Johnny Damon, and struck Mark Teixeira out. He made a few starts towards Damon to keep him from stealing third while pitching to Alex Rodriguez, who hit a dinger into the left field stands to get both runners home, score 5-3.  Jak looked unrattled and continued to deal to Robinson Cano. I became busy with fighting cats, but not so much so that I failed to see two stellar catches by Gutz in center, way back at the warning track – one of which caused him to run into the back wall.

Gutz started off the top 8th with a single, followed by Woodward, who hit another one. Kenji Johjima, in his second game back from the DL, hit a shallow outfield single, and Gutierrez ran like he meant it  for the Mariners’ 4th run, with no outs and two on. Ronny Cedeno sac bunted the two runners forward, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi made his reliever put Ichiro on to load the bases, with Branyan up next. Branyan mashed a foul, then hit a pop to Damon in left, while Woodward tagged and scored to tie the game again. Lopez grounded into an out at second for the final out.

Sean White pitched the 8th, and immediately gave up a double to Matsui; then Swisher bunted, completely confusing both Woodward and White, who yelled in Woodward’s general direction. Melky Cabrera hit another into the center field gap, driving in a run with no outs.  Jeter drove in two more runs, and it is at this point that I’m going to quit typing. Mariano Rivera is being brought in to shut us down, and there are some hesher fans that are going a little too nuts for a Metallica song that is over 10 years old. There is no way we’re going to survive this one. Yanks win, 8-5.

Tomorrow Washburn is on the hill, and I’m hoping that the lineup is different. I understand that Mr Longhands will be with us tomorrow, but that could just be a rumor. Whatever the case, anything has to be better than today. It wasn’t a terrible loss, so that’s something I guess, and it’s only game one, so there is still some time for my optimism to throw itself off a cliff…