It is inevitable. The Yankees will be in the playoff mix every year forever. Even in the years where it looks like they have no chance. It doesn’t matter because it’s the Yankees and Yankees equal playoffs.
Their sweep of the Yankees put them in first place for the Wild Card, al beit by a half game. Sweating it out are the Red Sox, who are now only a game and a half in front of the Yankees, and two games ahead of the White Sox and Twins for the Wild Card. Like last year, it should be a very interesting final two months of the season.
Monday’s game was all Yankees. Randy Johnson did his job and improved to 11-8. Melky Cabrera went three for four with two runs and Aaron Guiel homered. Johnson struck out seven in six innings, and the pen threw three shutout innings.
Tuesday’s game was a little closer. The Rangers took a 2-0 lead but the Yankees answered with three in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Mike Mussina improved to 12-3 and he gave up three runs on five hits through six innings of work. Rivera pitched the ninth and picked up his 24th save of the season. Guiel homered again and drove in three runs.
Yesterday’s game was crazy. The Yankees took the lead 2-0 and the Rangers tied in the second then took a two run lead in the fourth. In the eighth, the Yankees leapfrogged the Rangers and took a two run lead with four runs and the Rangers answered with three in the bottom half of the inning. Then Jason Giambi hit homerun number 29 to give the Yanks an 8-7 which held. Jaret Wright was acceptable and Shawn Chacon picked up the win with an inning of relief. Mariano Rivera picked up save number 25 and A-Rod homered for the 22nd time this season.
Just what the doctor ordered, the Yankees play at home against the Devil Rays. Time to bury those AL Central pretenders and leave them in our dust.
