The Texas Rangers clinched playoff spots for themselves, the Yankees and the Orioles with a victory over the Angels tonight.

The AL East Division is still up for grabs and thanks to the addition of the second wild card, things could get interesting (read: scary) next weekend.

If the Yankees and Orioles end the season tied atop the Division, they play the tiebreaker game in Baltimore on October 4th because the Orioles had the better intradivision record. (All of those losses against crappy teams like the Blue Jays and Red Sox add up)

Then, the loser of the NYY/BAL matchup gets to play the Oakland Athletics on October 5th and the winner would play Detroit in the ALDS beginning October 6th.

The winner of the NYY/BAL vs A’s matchup would go on to face the Texas Rangers and the loser would go home.

Yeah, I am not ready for this, at all.

STOP DOING THIS TO ME

I think the Yankees may be trying to kill me or at least make me age at least 3-5 years every game they play this week.

This easily could have been one of those games, you know, the kind that makes you want to punch holes in your walls. And it actually was heading in that direction when the Jays took a 5-1 lead in the fifth inning. Phil Hughes was taken out of the game after surrendering all five runs on eight hits. He walked two batters, struck out four and gave up a home run. Yes, I know, shocker.

Derek Lowe came into the game to stop the bleeding and actually did what he was supposed to do. He pitched 1.2 innings of no-hit, no-run ball. Boone Logan also did his job by getting a left handed batter out and then even got a right handed batter out!

Amazing!

The Yankees scored one run in the sixth inning thanks to a Henderson Alvarez wild pitch which scored Nick Swisher from third. That pulled the Yankees to within three.

When the seventh inning started, two moves were made. Toronto replaced Alvarez with Brett Cecil and Joe Girardi pinch hit Eduardo Nunez in place of Eric Chavez.

The Yankees won that move when Nunez singled to start the inning.

Next, Toronto brought in Steve Delabar who promptly gave up a ground rule double to Derek Jeter to put runners on second and third with no outs. Ichiro Suzuki hit a sac fly to cut the lead to 5-3.

In one of the biggest at bats of the year, Alex Rodriguez, worked a walk against Delabar to put runners on first and second with one out.

Robinson Cano stepped in and hit his 46th double of the year which scored Jeter and pulled the Yankees to within one run, 5-4.

Toronto, once again made a pitching change, this time bringing in Aaron Loup who added his own wild pitch which scored Rodriguez from third to tie the game at 5-5.

Just as things were getting good for the Yankees, Nick Swisher lined into a bad luck double play to end the inning.

Still, the Yankees came all the way back to tie the game. Momentum seemed to be on their side.

After Lowe and Logan combined to pitch a scoreless bottom of the seventh the Yankees made things happen in the eighth. They scored two more runs thanks to a walk, a single, a sac bunt, a sac fly and a single. The run scoring sac fly was hit by Nunez and the single by Jeter.

David Robertson pitched a scoreless eighth and the Yankees came up big again in the top of the ninth.

Rodriguez singled, Cano singled and Swisher walked to load the bases against Jason Frasor. Then Curtis Granderson hit a rocket down the right field line for a double which scored both Rodriguez and Cano. The Yankees went up 9-5.

Now, you didn’t think things would end all nice and tidy with a 1-2-3 inning by Rafael Soriano, did you? Come on, kids. You know better than that.

Soriano had to make it so scary that most Yankee fans were looking for brown paper bags to breathe into. He gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases with no outs.

Then by the grace of God or some other force of nature, Soriano got Yunel Escobar to ground into a double play. Yes, a run was given up but hey, I’d give up one run for two outs any day of the week. Especially with a four-run lead.

Thankfully, he got Adam Lind to ground out to second to end the game.

Untuck, Yankees win, all that jazz, breathe in, breathe out…

So the Yankees are still tied for a share of first place in the American League East because there was no way Baltimore was losing to Boston because Boston is absolutely horrible.

Anyway, hold onto your butts Yankee fans, these final three games are going to be frightening.

Well, that was terrible.

It’s not even worthy of a full recap.

Jeter 0
Ichiro 7
Rodriguez 5
Cano 4
Swisher 3
Granderson 8
Jones 9
Nunez 6
Stewart 2

Pettitte 1

Per Meredith Marakovits of YES: Jayson Nix was sent back to NYC to have an MRI on hip which makes Eduardo Nunez the only back up infielder.

Do you see what I see?

Yep, the magic number to clinch the Division is five. If Baltimore had lost it could have gone down to four.

Since the Red Sox are good for nothing, the Yankees will have to be like Pedro Cerrano from Major League and say, “Eff you Jobu, we do this ourselves.”

And they did do it themselves tonight with an 11-4 victory over the Blue Jays.

Things got started when Nick Swisher hit a two-run double that gave the Yanks an early 2-0 lead. They added another run in the third inning when Derek Jeter grounded into a double play with the bases loaded – it Raul Ibanez scored from third to but the Yankees up 3-0.

After the Blue Jays scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Yankees lead to 3-1 – thanks to a solo shot by Colby Rasmus, Russell Martin hit his 20th home run of the season, a three-run shot that gave the Yanks a 6-1 in the sixth.

A scary thing happened in the sixth when Robinson Cano was hit by a pitch from Brett Cecil. Cano remained in the game but he was seen leaving the clubhouse with ice on his hand and according to multiple reports, will be getting x-rays. The last thing the Yankees need is Robinson Cano being seriously injured right now. Let’s start forming the prayer circle now, shall we?

The Yankees continued to tack on runs, with the final blow coming off the bat of Eric Chavez who hit a two-run, opposite field home run in the ninth. It was Chavez’s 15th home run of the year.

He’s the ninth Yankee player to reach the 15 home run plateau this season. That ties the major league record with the 2005 Indians and Rangers.

Hiroki Kuroda, wasn’t sharp tonight. He was lucky to have only given up two runs because he allowed 10 hits through 5.1 innings. He got himself into and out of a whole mess of trouble. If he were pitching against a better team, the outcome could have been a lot different. Still, tonight’s outing was Kuroda’s shortest start since all the way back on May 21.

Despite the so-so outing, Kuroda was aided by his offense – for once – and earned his 15th win of the year.

Old Man Derek Jeter hit his major league leading 209th hit tonight and every Yankee starter had at least one hit – the Yankees had 13 in total. Ichiro Suzuki, Swisher and Martin all had two hits apiece.

Look, I know the Yankees pretty much got their asses handed to them tonight but when the ump’s strike zone is this inconsistent it can cause problems for pitchers like, oh I don’t know, Ivan Nova maybe?

Ugh.

Oh and in even better news, Laz Diaz is on the crew and will be behind the plate on Sunday. Blerg.

Well, I set myself up for disappointment tonight. I made dinner/drinks plans centered around watching the game, and all I got out of it was a lost appetite and 3 martinis. Oh, and the indigestion that followed.

Brandon Morrow shut the Yanks’ offense down over 7 innings of solid work, Edwin Encarnacion was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI, and Brett Lawrie got all Aggro with a 2-run HR off Ivan Nova. Overall, tonight was a pretty poor showing from the Yanks – pitching and offense – especially since there was an opportunity to increase the AL East lead to 2 games over the resting O’s and reduce the magic number (for the division) to 5.

Whenever the Yanks lose to the Jays, I think of the moment pictured below. This is my pooch (and best friend) Prince about to utterly destroy a Las Vegas 51s souvenir ball. The 51s are the current AAA affiliate of the Blue Jays. Good boy, Prince.

I hope that was as cathartic for you as it was for me.

From the Department of OPTIMISM (YEAH!): Robinson Cano continued to show that he is getting back on track, posting a 3-for-4 on the night, including his 44th 2B of the season. He is back at .300 after a pretty rough slump. Russell Martin was 2-for-4, and provided a 2B as well. Those were really the only bright spots on a night where the offense looked totally flat. Ivan Nova essentially pitched his way out of a postseason roster spot, failing to complete 5 innings for the second straight start. With the game out of reach in the Bottom of the 8th, we got our first glimpse of David Aardsma. While the velocity looked okay, the results were less than stellar, as David allowed a HR to J.P. Arencibia in an inning of work.

I’ll be looking for a bounce back tomorrow night as the Yanks send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound against rookie Chad Jenkins. While the Yanks don’t always seem to fare very well when facing a pitcher for the first time, I’m hoping that Hiroki can silence the Blue Jays’ bats for long enough that the offense will be able to wear down the young’n and get to the Jays’ mediocre pen.

My apologies for the abbreviated game recap and analysis, but I’m sure you understand that it’s rational for me to be reticent after such a loss. If you don’t, just look at the picture of Prince again. You’ll feel better. Promise. Enjoy, folks.

Derek Jeter 6
Ichiro Suzuki 9
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 3
Nick Swisher 3
Curtis Granderson 8
Russell Martin 2
Raul Ibanez 7
Jayson Nix 5
Ivan Nova 1

In an ideal world I would have liked to put together a full series preview, but the nebulous nature of the Blue Jays’ rotation these days made that a tedious task. Several reliable sources are reporting several different combinations of probable starters, but what I’ll post is what seems to be the consensus. Don’t shoot the messenger if Aaron Laffey makes a start at some point this weekend, though.

Tonight – Game 156: Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.94 ERA) vs. Brandon Morrow (8-7, 3.28 ERA)
7:07pm EST on YES 

Friday – Game 157: Hiroki Kuroda (14-11, 3.34 ERA) vs. Chad Jenkins (0-2, 4.24 ERA)
7:07pm EST on YES

Saturday – Game 158: Andy Pettitte (5-3, 2.71 ERA) vs. TBA according to MLB.com (I’m guessing Ricky Romero)
1:07pm EST on YES

Sunday – Game 159: Phil Hughes (16-13, 4.10 ERA) vs. Henderson Alvarez (9-14, 4.91 ERA)
1:07pm EST on YES

Even though this has been one of the more exciting Yankees’ Septembers in recent memory (for better or for worse), I still feel a tinge of sadness as I type things like “Game 159″ and it’s only a few days away. I’m just not ready for baseball to be over yet. The Yanks will close out the month of September in The Queen City, and if all goes well they’ll lump up the Jays in the same manner that the O’s did last night.

For me, the most important game of this series is the one we will watch tonight. Even though Ivan Nova is scheduled to make another start on the second to last day of the season, this game against the Jays may truly be his last chance to prove to Joe Girardi and the FO that he can cut it in October. Anything less than solid and we’re probably looking at a playoff rotation of CC, Hiroki, Andy, and Phil, with long man duty presumably going to Garcia, given his experience and relative success in that role this year. Ivan Nova said earlier this year that he was the best pitcher in baseball. I want to believe him. Or at least be able to humor him for a few starts.

The Orioles are enjoying an off day prior to their series with the Red Sox this weekend, making tonight even more important. A win would give the Yankees a 2 game lead with 6 to play for each team. After the last 25 days, a 2 game lead would feel cushy and result in a better night’s sleep than I’ve had in a while.

Finally, from the Always Root for Good Guys Department: R.A. Dickey will be going for his 20th win for the Mets this afternoon against the Pirates at CitiField, 1:10pm. I will usually catch a Mets’ game if their start time is significantly earlier or later than the Yanks’, but I’m not going to miss a minute of this one. I know wins aren’t necessarily a significant statistic, but it’s still an impressive milestone for a guy his age and his career arc pitching for a sub-.500 team. Furthermore, he seems like a genuinely goodhearted person, and I wish him the best. Many have described Dickey’s season as “magical”, but I prefer to credit his perseverance and admirable attitude in the face of life long adversity for his success.

Flickr Image c/o chris.ptacek

Inspiration for the title of this post comes from the always interactive and humorous former Yankees’ beat writer Marc Carig, who loved categorizing vitriol (“He’s not a real ace!”) of CC as “Boarding the Number 52 Hate Train.”  I think it is safe to assume that the platform for the hate train was pretty empty this afternoon, as CC turned in one of his best performances of the season. Sure, the Twins’ lineup isn’t exactly Murderer’s Row, and the offense staked CC to an early lead with a big 3rd inning, but it isn’t always easy to pitch ahead and/or come back sharp after a long inning on offense (see: Phil Hughes against the Blue Jays 9/20). The Yankees couldn’t afford to drop 2 in a row against the middling Twins, and they had the right guy for the job on the mound. Coming into this game, CC was 6-1 with a 2.71 ERA in 9 starts after a Yankees’ loss.

Let’s dive in.

I thought he was still hurt. I thought wrong.

If anyone was still wondering if Sabathia had fully recovered from the elbow soreness that warranted a trip to the DL in August (::looks around nervously::) I think that we got our answer this afternoon. The Big Guy turned in his second consecutive dominant performance, throwing 8 innings and churning out 118 pitches in the process. I was a little concerned that the game time temperature of 61 was a little chilly for CC, but it didn’t seem to bother him at all. In fact, he looked rejuvenated. The command was superb, the slider was tight, and the fastball velocity sat at 91-93 even north of 100 pitches. If you were able to catch the matinee this afternoon, you were in for a treat.

It was immediately apparent that CC was feeling it today, even after a somewhat rocky Bottom of the 2nd. Ryan Doumit got things started with a 1B, and advanced to second on a fielder’s choice by Chris Parmalee. With one out Matt Carson – playing for the banged up Josh Willingham – hit a single back through the box to score Doumit and give the Twins a 1-0 lead. Nothing all that hard hit, but we’ve seen CC get dinked and dunked to death before. Right then and there, the Big Guy locked it down and dominated the rest of the way.

After the RBI single to Carson, CC retired 9 straight, including striking out the side in the Bottom of the 4th. The only other rough patch he endured was in the Bottom of the 7th when Jamey Carroll, Alexi Casilla, and Pedro Florimon strung together consecutive 2-out singles to plate the Twins’s second run of the afternoon. CC, however, bounced back to retire Denard Span on a pop up to Eric Chavez for the final out of the inning, and then pitched a 1-2-3 8th to cap an impressive outing. All told, CC looked like an ace to me: 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 118 pitches. It was his second consecutive start of 10 or more strikeouts, the first time he’s put together 2 such games in a row since 6/30 and 7/5 2011 (thanks to Sweeny Murti from WFAN for that tidbit).

Game Plan: Knock the Starter Out Early

Mission Accomplished! Well, sort of. Twins’ starter Samuel Deduno was removed after only 1.2 IP for what was later described as “left eye irritation.” It seemed odd at the time, but I did notice that on a ball thrown back by the umpire early in the 2nd inning, Deduno flinched before catching it as though he didn’t see it. On another throw back by catcher Ryan Doumit, the ball hit the outside of Deduno’s glove and dropped to the ground. The sun was behind him, so clearly something was up. He begged to stay in the game, but Gardenhire lifted him for Brian Duensing after only 30 pitches. Always nice to get to a team’s long/middle relief corps early on, but I hope that Deduno’s injury isn’t something more serious than just some dirt in the eye on a windy day.

With 6 lefties in the lineup poised to jump all over the righty Deduno, it would seem that the Yankees would be at a disadvantage upon Duensing’s entry, even though he has not fared well against the Bombers in the past (0-2, 6.75 ERA in 21.1 IP over 2 starts and 6 relief appearances). Duensing retired the lefty Ibanez to end the 2nd, but that was as good as things were going to get for him.

I will now recount the Yankees’ wild 3rd inning in a rapid fire manner, following Chris Stewart’s ground out to begin the frame. With 1 out: Chris Dickerson singled, Ichiro singled, Jeter walked, Cano hit a 2B over Ben Revere’s head in RF (Dickerson and Ichiro scored), Swisher singled (Jeter scored), Granderson tripled (Cano and Swisher scored), Duensing threw a wild pitch (Granderson scored). Duensing then issued a free pass to Eric Chavez before getting Ibanez to ground out for the 2nd out of the inning. Take a breath everybody. When it was all said and done, the Yanks tagged Duensing for 6 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, and a wild pitch. 6-1 Yanks. The only  Yankee who came to the plate in the  Top of the 3rd who did not reach base was (a presumably very sad) Raul Ibanez. Poor Raul.

Dickerson would tack on to the Yankees lead with a long 2-run HR to RF in the Top of the 7th, to make it 8-1. After a big year at AAA, where lack of a home field made it a tough year for all Empire State Yanks, Dickerson is making a strong case for a spot on the potential playoff roster. He plays strong defense in both LF and RF, can mash righties, has patience at the plate, a bit of pop, and steals a base from time to time. If Brett Gardner isn’t deemed to be healthy enough for October baseball for whatever reason, the Yankees would be remiss not to bring Dickerson along for the ride.

Robbie Cano followed up last night’s 3-for-3 with a strong 2-for-5 showing today, including a ripped 2B off of a left hander. He’s struggled mightily against lefties this year, and has slumped badly in September, so it is a promising sign to see him put together a couple of good games here in the final days of the season. Maybe a day at DH was really all he needed.

Housekeeping

• Derek Jeter finished 0-for-4 with a walk, halting his hitting streak at 19 games. He is still at .320 for the season, good for 4th in the AL.
• According to YES Network Research Manager Jeff Quagliata, CC Sabathia now occupies 52nd place on the all-time strikeouts list, finishing the day at 2,207. He passed both David Wells (2,202) and Grover Cleveland Alexander (2,205).
• I can’t tout Nick Swisher enough for his defense at 1B in the absence of Tex. On Ben Revere’s squibber up the 1B line in the Bottom of the 1st, Swisher charged, scooped the ball up before it went foul, and wheeled to blindly make a throw to Robbie Cano covering 1B for the out. Outstanding play by Swish (and Robbie for getting there).
• Speaking of Tex, he did some amped up running before the game today, and Joe Girardi expects him to play in a sim game this week. It’s unlikely that the Yanks will take a chance with his calf on the turf of the Rogers Centre, so a return against Boston would be more likely.
• David Aardsma warmed up alongside Cody Eppley prior to the 9th inning, but it was Eppley who got the call. Still looking forward to seeing him in game action.

The Orioles take on the Blue Jays tonight in the final game of their set, and will send Miguel Gonzalez (7-4, 3.53 ERA) to the mound against Carlos Villanueva (7-6, 3.88 ERA). I’ll have my eye on that one for sure.

The Yankees will head north for the last time to take on the Blue Jays in a 4 game set, starting tomorrow at 7:07pm. Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.94 ERA) will look to right the ship, again, against Brandon Morrow (8-7, 3.28 ERA). I’ll have the full pitching matchups for you tomorrow, along with some other tidbits. Until then, enjoy, folks.