Pettitte, home runs power Yankees over Rays 5-3

By RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer Jun 8, 11:15 pm EDT

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NEW YORK (AP)—Mark Teixeira(notes), Nick Swisher(notes), Johnny Damon(notes) and Derek Jeter(notes) all know the secret to success at the new Yankee Stadium: Hit the ball in the air to right field.

Four more home runs by the Yankees at baseball’s $1.5 billion bandbox—all to right field—backed Andy Pettitte(notes) in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night , the start of what figures to be a challenging week for New York.

“I just think we didn’t hit enough balls to right-center. There’s a conveyor-belt effect out there,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said. “It’s kind of like a jet stream.”

Teixeira’s solo homer in the first and Swisher’s two-run drive in the second built a 3-0 lead, but the Rays tied the score in the fourth after Alex Rodriguez(notes) bobbled Ben Zobrist’s(notes) leadoff grounder to third for an error. Michel Hernandez(notes) had an RBI single and Gabe Kapler(notes) followed with a two-run homer to left, Kapler’s first home run since Sept. 7 for Milwaukee off San Diego’s Chris Young.

Solo homers by Damon in the sixth and Jeter in the eighth finished Andy Sonnanstine(notes) (4-6), who gave up four homers for the first time in his big league career and dropped to 1-6 on the road.

There have been 105 homers in 29 games at the new ballpark, a sharp increase from the 160 last season at the original Yankee Stadium, and 63 have been hit to right and right-center. New York won despite finishing with just six hits—and no plate appearances with runners in scoring position for the first time since May 14, 2006.

“This team hasn’t been textbook all year,” Damon said. “As long as we get the hits and they fly out of the ballpark, it’s a good thing.”

It was the 10th game of five or more homers at Yankee Stadium.

“I made a few mistakes up in the zone and they really made me pay for them,” said Sonnanstine, who gave up five runs and six hits in seven-plus innings.

New York improved the AL’s best record to 34-23, opened a one-game AL East lead over second-place Boston and improved to 21-0 when allowing three runs or fewer. The Yankees headed to Boston after the game for a three-game series against the Red Sox, who are 5-0 against New York this year. The Yankees return home for a weekend Subway Series against the Mets.

“Obviously we would like to get payback and say all that good stuff, but we have to go out and play well,” Damon said.

Damon wasn’t sure his homer would make it. Nine of Damon’s 12 home runs this season and six of Jeter’s eight have come at home.

“I just have to remember that I am strong and my will could will the ball out,” Damon said humorously.

Pettitte (6-2) allowed three runs—two earned—and five hits in six innings, striking out a season-high seven. After walking 11 in his previous two starts, he cut his bases on balls to three.

Phil Hughes(notes), bumped to the bullpen so Chien-Ming Wang(notes) could rejoin the rotation, followed with a 1-2-3 seventh in his first major league regular-season relief outing after 28 starts.

“Whatever it is, I’m ready to go,” Hughes said.

Phil Coke(notes) followed with a hitless eighth and Mariano Rivera(notes) finished with a perfect ninth for save No. 496, his 14th save in 15 chances this year. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Rivera, who had a pair of 1-2-3 outings after Saturday’s loss to the Rays, might not be available Tuesday after pitching three days in a row, but the closer said he’d pitch if needed.

“Oh, definitely, we need to win a game there,” he said.

All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria(notes) returned to the Rays’ starting lineup after missing nearly a week with an injured left hamstring and went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk. Since injuring the leg while running out a grounder last Tuesday, Longoria had been limited to a pair of pinch-hitting appearances against the Yankees.

“He came in. He was adamant. He felt ready to go today, so we threw him out there,” Maddon said.

Notes

The Yankees have made at least one error in six straight games since the end of their record 18-game errorless streak. … Tampa Bay 2B Willy Aybar(notes) was scratched about 40 minutes before the first pitch because of a migraine. Ben Zobrist moved from shortstop to second, and Reid Brignac(notes) took over at shortstop. … Hideki Matsui(notes) is hitless in 16 at-bats, matching the worst stretch of his big league career.

Updated Jun 8, 11:15 pm EDT
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80 Comments

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  1. Todd G
    80. Posted by Todd G Tue Jun 9 5:33pm EDT

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    It's ALL history. The Phillies are champs - period (ugh, a philly team - at least it's not the Eagles . . . ) and history-wise nobody touches the Yankees. You can qualify it with 'since 2000, or since the birth of dirt - whatever - the Yankees are the finest and most successful franchise in team sports, period.
  2. boston garden
    79. Posted by boston garden Tue Jun 9 5:18pm EDT

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    sox have won two WS this century. yankees have won one and been in three. (i know it depends on what your source is whether 2000 is this century or not) so, your point is......?
    the yanks have been in more world series this century? or the sox have won one more than them?
  3. Tickle Monster
    78. Posted by Tickle Monster Tue Jun 9 4:35pm EDT

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    to post #63 - For your info the Yankees won most of their titles "before" free agency. I wonder if people wondered or explained away all the Yankees successes back then as well, or have all the whining, piss ants of the world just come to the forfront since George started using his money on his great investment. Every time the Yankees do well the talk turns to payroll. So go buy some players yourself (oh that's right, you did try to buy Tex and he turned you down). Do you think he made the decision based on a few million dollars or do you think he had the Yankees in mind all along. Face it, the Yankees team and tradition (along with the money) are the draw. There is not one player out there (if they were honest) would love to have a long career with the Yankees and be able to tell their grandkids that they played on the greatest sports francise in the world and played on the same team as Dimagio, Gerhig, Ruth, Whitey, Mickey, Yogi, Jeter, Rivera, Munson, and on and on. Oh, and I forgot - Bucky Dent and Aaron Boone. I love it!
  4. HL
    77. Posted by HL Tue Jun 9 4:22pm EDT

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    I'm a huge Yankee fan and I bet the park was tailor-made for Derek Jeter's swing. I love it! The engineers calculated the trajectory of his swing and used NASA technology to create a hyperbolic jet stream. Johnny Damon's slap swing as well.

    If you look at Jeter's stats he had 200 hrs averaging 11.5 the last 2 full seasons and he already has 8. He could finish his career with 300+ and easily be the greatest Shortstop of all-time not to mention the added bonus to his already clutch playoff performance.

    Mr. November with the jetstream will give the Yanks a playoff edge - We don't need Jeffrey Maier anymore - Yanks are looking to get every current and future Yank into the Hall of Fame and a hitters park will help the home team for Championships to come.
  5. John S
    76. Posted by John S Tue Jun 9 4:02pm EDT

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    #75. i never thought the hitters were not capable. cause they are. i just didnt subscribe to the wind talk a while back. and yeah, the other teams are doing well also. so the wind factor is a non issue to me as a negative factor. now lets hope the damn rain stops so we can play ball tonight. good luck !
  6. <i>djsammypolo</i>
    75. Posted by djsammypolo Tue Jun 9 3:40pm EDT

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    people keep saying the balls are leaving the park much more now in the new house - but if you check, Yankee players are hitting the most homeruns there than the visiting teams. Ever stop to think that the Yankee hitters are just that good?
  7. Todd G
    74. Posted by Todd G Tue Jun 9 3:40pm EDT

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    Yeah - not much gets mentioned about Fenway's Little-League distance right field line. And what about the Green Monster?? Is that not a pretty big advantage for the left fielder who might be aware of the different bounces and characterstics of the wall? And isn't all of that what playng at home is all about? - AKA 'Home Field Advantage'.
  8. <i>djsammypolo</i>
    73. Posted by djsammypolo Tue Jun 9 3:39pm EDT

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    people keep saying the balls are leaving the park much more now in the new house - but if you check, Yankee players are hitting the most homeruns there than the visiting teams. Ever stop to think that the Yankee hitters are just that good?
  9. john m
    72. Posted by john m Tue Jun 9 3:27pm EDT

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    correct me if im wrong cuz im not too sure but wasn't fenway park's right field shortened so that ted williams can hit more home runs back in the day. i am a huge yankee fan but i do have a head on my shoulders unlike some of the bandwagoners im so used to shaking my head at
  10. Chuck Knoblauch
    71. Posted by Chuck Knoblauch Tue Jun 9 3:03pm EDT

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    18-1
  11. Todd G
    70. Posted by Todd G Tue Jun 9 2:18pm EDT

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    Yankees conspire to build a ballpark to offset the steriod testing??? Wow - that is imaginative. Yes, they get 81 games in the new stadium, but don't they play an opposing team in all 81 of those games?, and each inning, each at bat, each pitch for each team the stadium is giong to be in the same place and a lazy fly-ball might clear the fence. Yanks are 18-11 at home - not like they have been incredibly dominant!! It's June but this week is still meaningful for the Yanks. Time to make a statement against the Sox - if Boston sweeps (again) it won't bode well come play-off time as far as confidence goes - could be scary. And the Mets . . . . lets get four of the next six!!
  12. John C
    69. Posted by John C Tue Jun 9 1:20pm EDT

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    You are all morons. Why do you have the time to write the essay long posts. Do you have any lives?
  13. cashman bashman
    68. Posted by cashman bashman Tue Jun 9 12:50pm EDT

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    67 posts and 50 of them from miserable crybabies,if your life reflects how you act on here I feel sorry for you.You know if you get off your ass instead of @#$%ing things might turn around.So what if the yanks have and spend money thats what good business men do,not whine and blame everything on the evil corrupt,your ticked because most of you have nothing and look close because whether you like it or not the problem is you.Winners win 26 titles losers win occasionally then brag about it the rest of there adaquete life.The sun shines on a rays ,sox I mean dogs ass even once in a while.Do you really think a franchise with 26 titles will never win another or better yet your team is going to catch them in your lifetime.Thats why you are at the bottom of the heap,its the way you think?
  14. cashman bashman
    67. Posted by cashman bashman Tue Jun 9 12:39pm EDT

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    do you people ever stop crying about anything,yankees do this or that,I bet most of you are piss broke because your attitude sucks.
  15. kenno
    66. Posted by kenno Tue Jun 9 12:26pm EDT

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    Brandon. First let me say that I am not a die-hard Yankees fan but I do respect their tradition of winning.
    No other team regularly sells out AWAY games like the Yanks.
    The reason you and so many other condescending Red Sox fans are so bitter is because you have Yankee-envy. You hate the fact that they are immensely more popular, have won more games than you and have a larger following. You cloak this envy with your fictitious statements, your constant whining and the ridiculous theory about the new ballpark.
    Red Sox fans act like they invented the game. They're obnoxious.
    Go Yanks.
  16. ebby12ny
    65. Posted by ebby12ny Tue Jun 9 12:02pm EDT

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    Re: Post 51 Qbass. You really think that the Yankee organization intentionally designed the new stadium to create a wind pattern that would carry pop-ups into the seats and that they did it because steroids are banned? Wow. I thought I was a conspiracy theorist. Now that the ban is in effect and big poopy can't hit 200 and Manny is sitting out 50 games for use of a banned substance if I was you I would shut my pie hole. Funny that the Mitchell report was conducted by a sox employee, that's what I call a conspiracy. We Yankee fans don't blast the design of Fenway park we admire it's uniqueness and it's ability to allow a power deficient short stop named Bucky Dent to crush the hopes and dreams of a nation with a single swing of the bat. As a Yankee fan I admire the sox organization, their history, their park and a number of their current players and GM. I hate them because that's what a rivalry is all about but I don't get ugly about it. Some boston fans get it, most of you whine like sissies when you lose, and overdo it when you win. St. Louis fans congratulated you and bought you drinks after the 04 victory. If they had been in your town there probably would have been several violent incidents. Grow up, have fun, be a decent person, it's baseball. GO YANKS !
  17. <i>cole2rocks</i>
    64. Posted by cole2rocks Tue Jun 9 11:52am EDT

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    Despite your horrible grammar I was reading your post intently. At first you really seemed insightful and sincere. Then you mentioned money and I got suspicious. Lo and behold it came out. You're a Cubs fan!!!!!!!! Bwaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaa!!!!!!! Provenly, the stupidest fans EVER!!!! They actually reach out to thwart their own team!!!!! BTW, it's not like you had to prove how ignorant you are but using Jeter as anything but the poster-boy of fairness and integrity does just that. Just as Yankee fans begrudgingly admit that Varitek is great for the game, Sox fans say the same of Jeter. Cubs. LMAO! Good luck with that! Peace.
  18. Brandon
    63. Posted by Brandon Tue Jun 9 11:43am EDT

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    I love how all you Yaks, excuse me, Yanks fans can say how much the Yankees have done compared to the Sox, the Red Sox have won a more recent title than you're team, and are within spitting reach of the Yanks record with Papi being Flopi and Manny as far away as the East is from the West. With a great ballpark to hit homeruns in and the best slammers in the East, I'm not surprised the Yanks have the better record, in fact, they're 18-11 at home. Another thing, it's easy to jump on a banwagon with the most series wins in history, the only way to justify that is if you live close to New York or if you have a Grandpa Pete who is the biggest Yanks fan in the world and is going to be cremated and have his ashes put in a Yanks urn. Yanks spend and have the most cha-ching, so that's how they get in the mix every year, although last year without their new souvenire conveyer belt they didn't even make the playoffs with that monster of a payroll, that's saying something, isn't it. Special shout-out to Robert and cole2rocks. GO CUBS

    Just so you all know, my Jeter head is on there because my team's name is Jeters are Cheaters, has a good rhym to it doesn't it.
  19. Mork23
    62. Posted by Mork23 Tue Jun 9 11:24am EDT

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    This is going to be an awesome 3 game series, can't wait! Hopefully the Yanks can get a couple of wins to stay on top of the division, but its going to be tough against a hard throwing Sox pitching lineup, the Yanks need to bring their A game in Fenway tonight! Let's go Yankees! Payback time!
  20. <i>cole2rocks</i>
    61. Posted by cole2rocks Tue Jun 9 11:17am EDT

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    Holy Cow! I, and four friends, started a site back in '95. I don't run it anymore but it's still there. www.anabolex.com My "name" back then was Testy. LOL!! Anyway, it's sad to see all these "sheep" talk about steroids from the perspective of the government. If only I could speak openly about Farmacia Veterenaria and Payless in Libertad and Tijuana repectively. I would never go out like Anderson and Conti. Pros depended on us for keeping their privacy and to me that was written in stone. Of course, with all the Trenbolone, Sustenon, Anavar, Equipoise and GH I was doing it would have made me a hypocrite!! Any questions, feel free to E me at this address at Yahoo. Peace.
  21. Daniel
    60. Posted by Daniel Tue Jun 9 11:13am EDT

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    Hmmm...let's see.. Did BostonGarden really read what I had written? I think not. Did I mention 1970 ?? No I did not. I stated that the Red Sox had won 2 WS this century i.e. , the years 2001-2008. I believe if BostonGarden would look he is still reliving his youth. The year 1970 goes back 39 years and into the previous century. I also like j king baby speaking of comments made by other posters.For a supposed Yankee fan, he sure knows or seems to know a lot about the Red Sox...lol Are you a closet Bosox fan j king baby? Also I wasn't aware of Aaron Boone still played with the Stankees.
  22. John S
    59. Posted by John S Tue Jun 9 10:51am EDT

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    HEY BIG AL, HOWS IT GOING BUDDY, YEAH YOU GOT THAT RIGHT, THIS COULD BE THE NEW LAUNCHING PAD OF m l b. :0) i dont know where this wind stuff came from but they seem to leaving the park on a steady basis :0) ready for this series AL? its raining like hell here in CT. wonder if they will get rained out tonight. well another day of rest means they will all be full of piss and vinegar right?with the yankees fighting to maintain 1 st place w/ a score to settle. and the sox fighting to get back on top, this can only be a great series. the ywo best teams in baseball sharing one goal. hey have a great day BIG AL. talk soon buddy, go yanks go sox !!!!!!!!!!
  23. Holy Cow!!
    58. Posted by Holy Cow!! Tue Jun 9 10:43am EDT

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    #58- Great post and I am going to use this in future debates. You will never be able to clean up any sport. I am all for steroid use, makes the game much better.
  24. <i>cole2rocks</i>
    57. Posted by cole2rocks Tue Jun 9 10:32am EDT

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    Does HGH show up in testing?
    For this question I will defer to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) which is also the same procedure for NCAA athletes:
    Applicable detection techniques are based on immunoanalysis which may involve a relative lack of antibody specificity and therefore extensive cross reactivities with other compounds. In some cases there do not exist suitable internationally acceptable reference materials in order to fully homogenise results obtained by different techniques in different laboratories. As a consequence, quantitative concentrations found in a given laboratory are difficult to compare with those found in other settings. It is always difficult to establish clear criteria to distinguish an exogenous administration (banned) from a normal endogenous concentration (Segura J., 1991). Ideally, the structure of the peptide detected should be confirmed by mass spectrometry. This is difficult nowadays although new ionisation techniques, new interfaces with chromatographic or electrophoretic systems and evolution of ion analysers will make a contribution to this end in the future.
    So to sum it up, they still have no reliable testing procedures in place. Because clearance times can be as little as minutes on some peptides, chances are they will not have a reliable test for years to come......So can you now say that YOUR favorite player on YOUR favorite team is clean???? Peace.
  25. Holy Cow!!
    56. Posted by Holy Cow!! Tue Jun 9 10:08am EDT

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    To all the steroid quotes. ALL PLAYERS are still using HGH considering there is no test for it.

    As for the Yankee "bandbox". It is a new stadium that moved a bit to the north in the wind gap of harlem river. I can tell you that it takes 2 years of studies before they even begin to correct the problem. I don't think this is any different then the short porch in RF Babe Ruth had customly made for him. Both teams get a chance to swing the bats so it is not like there is an unfair advantage.
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