The New York Yankees won over the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 7-4. Joba started but couldn’t finish because he was hit by a hit ball to his right knee in the first inning. Alfredo Aceves pitched the next 3.1 innings giving up no runs for the win. Mariano Rivera got the save. Another great offensive showing and another great pitching performance by the Yankees. You would think with Joba hurt in the first inning that it would be trouble for the Yankee bull pen but that wasn’t the case. They came through tonight in a big way. Joba started the game throwing 4-Seam Fastballs and he didn’t have great velocity against the first batter. He was only hitting between 91-92 mph most of the time with one pitch being 93. He was throwing a wicked slider that had a 10″ break on it. Then Joba got hit in the leg after four batters and came out of the game for precautionary reasons. Alfredo Aceves stepped in and did great. Aceves is a control pitcher that features four quality pitches, the fastball, the cutter, the change up and curveball. He can get all of his pitches over the plate at anytime so he can throw anything on any count. He has a great demeanor on the the mound and you never know when he’s struggling or when he’s pitching great because he puts on a poker face. Tonight Aceves showed great poise with men on base and in scoring position. He was throwing his cut fastball against right handed batters and throwing a devastating change up on the inside part of the plate to left-handed batters. Both pitches were very effective. Aceves threw a lot of first pitch strikes and most of his first pitches were fastballs. He would then try to get them out with a change up. It worked because the result was 3.2 scoreless innings. Jonathan Albaladejo was throwing his 4-Seam Fastball for first pitch strikes and was effective until he threw a slider right out over the middle of the plate to Ty Wigginton who then drove in two runs. Albaladejo’s fastball was working but his breaking pitches weren’t. Markakis homered on a change up. Mariano came in and closed the door. Robinson Cano is so talented that he could hit anywhere in the line up. Anywhere, first, second, last, fifth, it doesn’t matter. It seems that when Cano goes, so do the Yankees. The Yankees now lead the league in home runs. I hope that doesn’t mislead fans thinking that they could smash their way to a division title because we have yet to play the Red Sox with the way we’ve been playing. We’ll definitely get tested against the Phillies. Player of the Game: Robinson Cano. He starts the Yankee engine. He came through big tonight with a home run, three hits and three RBI. My plan is to video tape every Cano at bat with the tv sound down and John Sterling on the radio so I could get the, Robinson Cano, don’t you know, home run call on youtube but I missed doing it again.
