Strong Finish For Yanks In Opening Road Trip

Last night the Yankees pulled off a very strong finish to their opening 9-game road trip for the 2009 season.  Despite starting the season 0-2, the Yanks rallied to win 5 of the last 7 games, including taking 2 out of 3 from the impressive defending AL champion Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  And they did all this despite two horrendous outings by Chien-Ming Wang, an awful opening day performance by C.C. Sabathia, overmanaging by Joe Girardi Sunday night which (we contend) blew what should have been a win against the Royals, and no A-Rod in the lineup. 

Moreover, taking 2 out of 3 from the Rays was impressive, considering both the humbling 15-5 loss to the Rays on Monday that started the series, and the fact that the Rays are playing solid baseball on all sides of the diamond. 

Last night’s victory was especially satisfying.  The Yanks came from behind twice and sealed the 4-3 victory with clutch 9^th inning hitting from Cody Ransom and Derek Jeter.  All followed by three sure outs from Mariano Rivera.  One of those sweet victories that reminds you why this is the greatest game on earth, and why you keep coming back even when everything goes to hell in a handbasket. 

So with Nick Swisher playing better than we hoped (check it: he’s got 4 homeruns already and is hitting .429), strong starts from Burnett and Pettitte, the bullpen looking good, and the winning ways of Jeter still shining through, Yankee fans have every reason to feel good about the Yankees’ performance so far – which can only get better as Wang, Sabathia, and A-Rod come back into form. 

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