What didn’t seem like a certainty to many back in July is now happening. The Yankees are headed to the playoffs for the eleventh straight time and the hope is that they win their fifth World Series in those 11 years. Our first round opponent is still in limbo though.
Bobby Abreu got it done on Tuesday. He drove in seven runs in a 12-4 blowout. He also hit his third homerun since joining the Yankees. Derek Jeter scored three times and drove in one without needing a single hit and Hideki Matsui made his return and only went four for four with two runs and an RBI. On the pitching side, Mike Mussina threw 6 1/3 shutout innings and the Devil Rays didn’t score their runs until the ninth off of Octavio Dotel.
The Yankees only doubled up the Devil Rays on Wednesday. Robinson Cano homered and drove in five runs and while Cory Lidle was roughed up in only four innings of work, the pen got the job done.
It was hardly close, but yesterday’s game was the closest of the three. Cano drove in three more runs and Matsui went yard for his first homerun since coming off the DL. Rookie Jeff Karstens didn’t get a decision but Darrell Rasner was awesome in four innings of relief. He improved to 2-0 on the season.
If the Yankees sweep the Red Sox, they lock up on the division Sunday. I like how ESPN was hyping it as the last “regular season” matchup in 2006. What a joke.
