WELCOME BACK GARDNER

C.C. Sabathia battled Matt Garza this afternoon in a 4-1 victory that Yankees fans ought to find very reassuring as the playoffs near.  A classic pitchers’ battle, both starters went 7 strong innings giving up 1 run each (the run Garza gave up was unearned).  But after some strong defense by the Yanks – a nice contrast with yesterday’s debacle in Toronto – the boys in blue finally broke through with 3 runs in the 8^th to take Game One in this Labor Day doubleheader.  And, to top it all off, I had a GREAT nap toward the end of the game, which, combined with this Yankees victory, has made this a truly first-rate afternoon. 

The defensive highlight of the game for my money (in part because I slept through the 8^th inning gunning down of Crawford by Posada, which I had to watch on the post-game highlights) came from Brett Gardner, who was recently reactivated from the DL.  With the score tied 1-1 in the 5^th inning and a man on, Gardner made a GREAT running catch on the warning track in No Man’s Land in deep right field.  The catch was particularly impressive in light of the real estate Gardner had to cover to make it, darting across the television screen from left-to-right like a bat out of hell to cut off what would have been extra bases and knocked in the go-ahead run.  As baseball is a game both of momentum as well as of inches, it is not unreasonable to say that Gardner saved the game because, if he doesn’t make that catch, the Rays get at least one run that inning instead of getting shut down, and it is a whole different ballgame.  Although Gardner did not get a hit, his speed, hustle, and enthusiasm – both in the outfield as well as on the base paths (Gardner darn near legged out at least one routine groundout today) – was refreshing to see after yesterday’s defensive comedy.  (For a more comprehensive rundown of Gardner’s finer points, check out our March 2, 2009 post written by my younger brother: “The Case for Brett Gardner.”)  Welcome back, Brett.

Although he did not get the win, this marks yet another quality start for Sabathia, who has been dominant since the All-Star Break.  Hughes and Rivera came on to shut down Tampa in the 8^th and 9^th, respectively, in what continues to look like a championship-bound bull pen combination. 

In other news, Mark Buerhle and the White Sox topped Josh Beckett and the hated Red Sox 5-1, which means the Yanks are now 8.5 games up in the AL East, and 11.5 up on the next wild card team. 

The Yankees have another game against the Rays tonite: A.J. Burnett vs. Andy Sonnanstine.  Hopefully Burnett, who has been inconsistent as hell, will find surer footing against this sinking Rays team, and develop a badly-needed groove of consistency which the Yanks need him to be on if they are going to go all the way this year.

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