Game 36 - Yanks High Priced Stars Come Through

Is it coincidence that since Arod's return, Mark Teixeira is starting to look like the hitter the Yanks thought they were buying for $180M in the offseason?  Tex went 4-4 today, with a HR and 4 RBIs, single-handedly keeping the Yankees in the game against tight-fisted Carl Pohlad's Minnesota Twins.  Arod would follow a Tex walk and win the game with a 2-run, walk-off HR in the bottom of the 11th to give the Yanks a 6-4 win.  This was the Bombers 2nd walk-off win in 2 days.  

Joba Chamberlain and Nick Blackburn engaged in a pitcher's duel, with Joba leaving the game leading 3-2 after 6 solid innings, thanks to a 3-run bomb from Tex in the 3rd inning.  The Yanks bullpen, better of late, could not hold on to the lead for Joba, as Phil Coke gave up 2 runs in the top of the 8th on a HR to Joe Mauer and Brian Buscher's RBI double.  Tex came up big again in the bottom of the inning, knocking in Ramiro Pena, pinch-running  for Hideki Matsui, who led off the inning with a double.  Tex's hit came with 2 outs after Johnny Damon failed miserably by grounding out  to the pitcher with Pena on 3rd.  

Mariano pitched 2 scoreless innings, escaping a 2-on, no-out jam in the top of the 10th.  Both hits were the typical nubber and bloop jobs that Mo gives up when he's busting hitters inside.  Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless 11th, assisted by the Captain who turned a routine grounder into a highlight play by "ranging far to his left", setting up the game's final theatrics in the bottom of the inning. 

When Tex led off the inning, was Twins manager Ron Gardenhire thinking back to a game 8 years ago, when then newly-signed and struggling 1B, Jason Giambi, hit an extra inning grand slam to earn the Yankee fans favor?  Twins pitcher Craig Breslow carefully pitched around Tex.  No matter, things are going the Yankees way these days, and Arod deposited an 0-1 pitch deep into the leftfield seats.  Their winning streak is now at 4 games and everyone seems to be contributing and players are coming up with the big hit when the games are on the line.

Yankees Record:  19-17