The Twins are effectively the fifth best team in the American League. Which makes them the sixth best team in all of baseball. While they would make formidable opponents in the playoffs, the Yankees rolled over the Twins this weekend.
Alex Rodriguez is getting ready for a nice playoff run. He homered twice on Friday to bring his season total up to 29 and he drove in three runs in the 8-1 win. Bobby Abreu continued to rake and he had three hits, two RBIs and a run. Derek Jeter had three hits and he scored twice. Cory Lidle coasted to an easy win. He pitchted six shutout innings and he improved to 3-2 since coming to the Yankees.
It wasn’t a sweep because of Saturday. Scott Baker of all people held the Yankees to a single run on two hits through five innings of work. In the meantime, rookie Jeff Karstens was solid but Ron Villone was knocked around for four runs as the Yankees were on the receiving end of a beat down. The only run cameo on Derek Jeter’s RBI double in the third inning.
All good teams bounce back though, and that’s what the Yankees did today. They ran up the score on rookie Matt Garza and knocked him out in the fifth inning. The Twins pen didn’t do much better because the Yankees scored ten runs. A-Rod homered twice more and he’s now at 31. He drove in five runs for the Yankees and Derek Jeter scored twice more in the 10-1 win. Darrell Rasner made only his second career start and first as a Yankee. He gave up one run on four hits through six innings of work.
Doesn’t matter what they Red Sox did. They’re long buried. And we have a nice relaxing week. Three against the Twins then three against the Orioles. There’s even a day off in there.
