Almost set here for the vaunted Chien-Ming Wang-Livan Hernandez matchup.
Lineup change: Tatis in left, Sheffield in right. Here we go.
Top One: Hernandez is off to a flying start as Jeter lines a leadoff double off the wall in left. Murphy tried to get Jeter at third on Swisher’s grounder, but Jeter was safe. First and third. Both runners scored on Teixeira’s double into the left field corner that Tatis had trouble picking up. 2-0 Yanks. Rodriguez walks on four pitches. Cano’s forceout puts men at the corners. Teixeira scores on Posada’s sacrifice fly. Cano was caught stealing for the third out. Yanks 3-0.
UPDATE: Wang hit Cora with a 3-1 pitch with one out in the first. No, smart-alecks, it wasn’t a message for Cora getting the only hit last night. Sheffield’s single up the middle moves Cora to third. Tatis flies to right to end the inning. Yanks 3-0.
UPDATE: Top second, Martinez makes a beautiful diving catch on Wang’s sinking liner to retire the side.
UPDATE: Hernandez has settled down, retiring the last two sides in order after the three-run first. Question is, is a 3-0 deficit too much for that Mets lineup to handle?
UPDATE: Top four, Rodriguez leads off with a single. Cano hits into a DP. Posada grounds out.
UPDATE: Sheffield walked, went to second on a groundourt, and scored on Martinez’ double off the left field wall that snapped an 0-for-16 slump. Martinez goes to third on a groundout. Castillo’s single scores Martinez. Steals second. Yanks 3-2.
UPDATE: Top fifth: Gardner walks and Wang bunts into a 1-6-4 DP as Hernandez smartly lets it fall.
UPDATE: Top Sixth, Jeter and Swisher walk. Runners move to second and third on Teixeira’s flyout to deep center. Hernandez intentionally walks A-Rod to load the bases for Cano. But Cano hits into a double play to end the inning.
UPDATE: Bottom sixth. Sheffield singled off Wang’s glove. Tatis sacrifices him to second. Wang’s out, Coke’s in. Martinez strikes out on high heat. Santos is pinch-hitting for Schneider. Girardi brings in Hughes and double-switches,Damon in left and Hughes hitting in Swisher’s No. 2 spot. Hughes throws one pitch and gets Santos to fly out to keep the score at 3-2 Yanks.
UPDATE: Bottom seven. Remember that post about bunting for a hit? Castillo just tried it three times while taking a walk. Argenis Reyes pinch-hits for Hernandez and bunts into a 5-6 forceout. Reyes to second on Murphy’s groundout. But Cora strikes out looking to end the inning.
UPDATE: Top eighth. Hernandez is out, Feliciano is in. Jeter walks and goes to second on pinch-hitter Matsui’s groundout. Teixeira intentional walk. Feliciano’s out, Green is in. A-Rod walks to load the bases with two out. Cano grounds out to Castillo to keep the score at 3-2 Yanks.
UPDATE: Bottom eighth. Bruney’s pitching and walks Wright on four pitches to lead off. Sheffield pops to Jeter. Tatis walks. Martinez fans for a second time on high heat. Bruney’s out, Rivera’s in as he tries to get his 500th career save. Wright steals third. Santos strikes out looking at a 3-2 pitch just abover the knees. Mets have left four on in the last three innings, three in scoring position.
UPDATE: Top ninth. Green’s out, Rodriguez is in. Reed is in right. Posada singles as Cora misjudges pop to short center. Looks like he thought Castillo was calling him off. Cabrera reaches on forceout. Steals second. Gardner walks. Damon lines to right. Jeter is intentionally walked to bring up the closer Rivera with the bases loaded. Rivera fouls off a pitch at 2-2 to stay alive, then works out an RBI walk for the first run since the first inning. No way he doesn’t get Save No. 500 now.
UPDATE: Bottom ninth. Castillo grounds out to second. Reed strikes out looking. Murphy bloops a single to left. Cora grounds out and Rivera notches his 500th save. 4-2 Yanks.
