GAME RECAP: ALCS GAME 4

Sabathia and A-Rod combine to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead in the ALCS

FINAL SCORE: YANKEES 10 ANGELS 1 (F9th)

SCORING PLAYS

• Top of the 4th: Robinson Cano reaches on a fielder’s choice, Alex Rodriguez beats Howard Kendrick’s throw to home and scores. Jorge Posada to 3rd (NYY 1, LAA 0)
• Top of the 4th: Melky Cabrera singles on a ground ball to left field (breaking an 0-26 slump by the Yankees with RISP) Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano scores (NYY 3, LAA 0)
• Top of the 5th: After a Mark Teixeira single, Alex Rodriguez homers to left field (NYY 5, LAA 0)
• Bottom of the 5th: Kendry Morales homers to left center field (NYY 5, LAA 1)
• Top of the 8th: Johnny Damon homers to right field. Melky Cabrera who had walked earlier in the inning scores (NYY 7, LAA 1)
• Top of the 9th: Alex Rodriguez doubles to begin the inning. Jorge Posada flies out to right field. Alex Rodriguez scores. Throwing error by right fielder Bobby Abreu (NYY 8, LAA 1)
• Top of the 9th: Robinson Cano walks. Brett Gardner singles to center field. Melky Cabrera doubles to right field. Robinson Cano and Brett Gardner scores (NYY 10, LAA 1)
  

STARTING PITCHING (from Yahoo Sports)

• CC Sabathia: 8 innings, 5 hits allowed, 1 earned run, 2 BB, 5 SO, 1 HR, 1.13 ERA
• Scott Kazmir: 4 innings, 6 hits allowed, 4 earned runs, 4 BB, 3 SO, 9.00 ERA
  

KEY PERFORMERS: CC Sabathia gives the Yankees an 8-inning stellar performance on three days’ rest. Alex Rodriguez goes 3-for-4 with 2 RBI, 1 HR, 3 RUNS.

COMMENTARY: Before the start of game 4 of the ALCS, the Fox telecast played a video montage of the first 3 games of the series. As the short piece draws to an end Joe Buck, who’s narrating, poses the following question: “so, has momentum shifted to the Angels, or will CC ease the mind of Yankee Nation” as they pan to an image of Joe Girardi in the dugout. The question, to put it more plainly was whether Sabathia could bail out Girardi after his questionable pitching change in the bottom of the 11th inning of game 3. CC not only bailed out his skipper but put the Yankees in a great position for the rest of the series and perhaps the rest of the playoffs.

Sabathia was dominant throughout the game, his demeanor and approach was that of a man who has supreme confidence in his stuff and cherishes the challenge of pitching with less than optimum rest. His 8 innings gave the bullpen a needed rest which means that everyone in the bullpen ready to close out this series. In CCs two starts in the ALCS Girardi has only used 2 pitchers in relief, compare that with a total of 14 pitchers during the prior 2 games.

The Yankees were also able to liven up their bats. From the onset it was clear that they intended to be aggressive on the bases and press the issue against the Angels. A two-out single by Melky Cabrera got the Yankees off of a 0-for-26 slump with runners in scoring position. Everyone but Swisher and Matsui had at least one hit, including Gardner’s pinch hit in the top of the 9th. But the offensive story of the night was Alex Rodriguez. I hesitate to say anything about what he has done this postseason so I won’t , I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves 3-for-4, with 2 RBI, 1 HR (he has now hit 1 HR in the last 3 games), and 3 Runs Scored.