Jump below for a few details on Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit. The Captain had an incredible day for the Yanks and deserves a tip of the hat. He went 5-5 with a double, a home run (#3,000) and was credited 2 runs and 2 RBI's. Derek Jeter won this game.
David Price will go into the record books as the second pitcher to give up a 3,000th hit home run. Worse than that, the Tampa Bay ace had only had three strikeouts and allowed ten base runners in five innings. If you own David Price in your fantasy league, today was not your day.
Following Jeter's 420 foot memorable blast to left, Russell Martin had an RBI for the Yanks before B.J. Upton belted a two-run homerun to give the Rays a 3-2 lead. Price got through the fourth with ease but the fifth was his downfall. He gave up a double to Jeter, an RBI single to Granderson, a single to Teixeira, then a sac-fly to Cano and New York a 4-3 lead. The game fell relatively silent from there, so let's fast forward:
The Eighth
A key moment in today's game was in the top of the eighth. Johnny Damon tripled and was batted in by Ben Zobrist to start the inning and tie the game 4-4. Longoria then flew out before Casey Kotchman was intentionally walked by pitcher David Robinson. Game tied, two men on, one out.
B.J. Upton was back up to the plate, and things were looking up for the Rays, but Upton got off his rhythm as Robinson tried to pick off Zobrist at least five times at second. Upton stuck out swinging. Matt Joyce then flew out to left (surprise!) and the inning ended.
Joel Peralta returned after getting the last out in the seventh and gave up a double to third baseman Nunez, who was bunted over to third. Derek Jeter then came to plate and got yet another base hit, scoring the winning run on his fifth hit of the day. That's right, the too-injured-to-play-the-all-star-game Derek Jeter went 5-for-5 today.
Luckily, the inning ended on a strike-out-throw-him-out double play as Jeter tried to take second on a would be hit-and-run, the damage was limited to one run and I got to use a lot of hyphens today.
The Ninth
Unfortunately Mariano Rivera has been feeling better and came in to close the ninth. Mo is also too injured to join the All Stars, but had little problem with his cutter today. He pitched inside to strike out Sean Rodriguez (0-4) with ease.
Kelly Shoppach then drove a towering fly ball to the center field wall that Curtis Granderson banged himself up catching for the second out, and Justin Ruggiano grounded out to third to end the game. In 21 appearances, Mariano Rivera hasn't given up a single run at home.
The series is tied at 1-1 and James Shields will take the mound against C.C. Sabathia at 1:05 PM tomorrow. After that, the All Star Break!