El Bronx, NY - Ex-Yankees manager Joe Torre once called the 5-game ALDS a crap shoot. That would compare the series more like a game of chance, something random, something thought not to involve skill – something that cannot be the case with a team that makes the postseason, it is just that in that scenario sometimes that best team can go down in defeat. Who is the best team or who is really the underdog is yet to be determined. Only that the series is now at 1-1 with the Yankees loss on a Sunday afternoon.
After a long 162 game season to get there, it is all suddenly lost in the brevity of the contest. But really, the weather conditions seemed to want to get into the act in this regard as well. The afternoon started with a show of blue sky interspersed with thick cloud formations, but lo and behold, that all changed with a shower in the bottom of the seventh. Luckily it did not last long and totally dark clouds covering the sky above the Stadium moved towards the North Bronx.
With the Yankees Game 1 victory it appeared that it would be up to the Tigers to salvage something on Sunday afternoon in New York, lest they travel home in a precarious spot? Well, not really. Not the case 5 years ago.
On the other hand a Yankees loss resulting in a 1-1 series tie, with the next two games at Comerica Park in Detroit – with Justin Verlander, who threw just 25 pitches before Game 1 was suspended, scheduled to start Game 3. It is made to appear by some as having the chilling effect of a dangerous creature waiting in the dark to get you – albeit being just early October and with C.C. Sabathia to oppose him.
RHP Max Scherzer no hits Yanks through 5
But coming back to the present: RHP Max Scherzer, described to possess biting pitches but also proven hittable (ERA of 4.43) gave up a few hard hit balls that were caught, but had a no-hitter through 5 innings. Robinson Cano got a bloop single to left for the Yankees’ first hit in the bottom of the sixth.
In the seventh a walk and a grounder up the middle had Tiger Skipper remove Scherzer. His pitching line: 6 2/3, no runs and no hits with 4 walks and 5 strikeouts.
Would the Yankee offense be happy to see him go? Not when RHP Joaquin Bonoit got the final two outs striking out pinch hitter Eric Chavez (for Gardner) and Derek Jeter looking.
Alex Rodriguez booed
After Curtis Granderson got the Yankees on the scoreboard with his first postseason homerun (fifth career) off Bonoit, Alex Rodriguez popped up to the second baseman Ramon Santiago and the boos of yesteryear returned to the Stadium much as the rain had minutes ago.
Bottom of ninth excitement with Tiger closer José Valverde as rain closes game.
In the bottom of the ninth Nick Swisher greeted Tiger closer Valverde with a first pitch homerun to right. Now, it is known that Jose Valverde established a Detroit single-season record with 49 saves during 2011 – converting all his save opportunities. Jorge Posada tripled to left center, his first career postseason 3-bagger. He scored the Yankees third run on a sacrifice fly by Andruw Jones (who replaced pinch-hit for Brett Gardner at left field).
Derek Jeter followed by striking out for the second out. Curtis Granderson walked, after popping up a ball the catcher, Alex Avila, could have caught: he slipped going after it near the Tiger dugout. And then the dark clouds and rain came back over the Stadium again.
And then Robinson Cano came to bat underneath a steady shower. Valverde got 2 strikes on Cano before he bounced out to the second baseman for the final out. No save for Valverde, but just getting finally out of the inning may have had the feeling of that one-batter out by Mariano Rivera on Saturday.
While the Yankees have made it past the last two years’ ALDS, it remains to be seen if that crap shoot scenario Joe Torre had to suffer through in his latter Yankee years will return in 2011.
First published at www.latinosports.com
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