Liveblog 24: ALDS Game 3

I'm surprised this is the first Yankees game I've done started by Andy Pettitte. I'm not surprised it's the first to be started by Carl Pavano. Anyway, we're in the middle of the playoffs. The Red Sox and Cardinals got swept out of the first round by the Angels and Dodgers respectively, partially thanks to both teams blowing a lead in the ninth inning with their closer on the mound at some point. If the Yankees do their job tonight, the Rockies and Phillies are our only shot left at a really interesting series in the first round. The Yankees won the first two at home against the Twins, thanks in part to a rally of their own off closer Joe Nathan on Friday, and now stand in a good position to close things out in Minneapolis, possibly the final game ever in the Metrodome. I'd love to see that tonight, especially against Pavano, but even if they don't they have two more chances, a position they haven't seen in the postseason in years. So no more screwing around, let's watch a baseball game. Also, this will be posted two days later WHAT omgsghsfgbfnkjbnlfgj

Top 1 - Derek Jeter leads off with a ground ball out to shortstop Orland Cabrera. Jeter's had a good ALDS, helping set the tone for his team. Johnny Damon is next, and takes the first pitch for a strike. He really hasn't been much of a presence this series, and swings at a ball that bounces in the dirt for strike three. Mark Teixeira got his first walk-off hit as a Yankee in game 2, a home run to left field. This time though he pops out to second base, to end a very quick first shot at their old teammate.

Bottom 1 - Denard Span grounds out to Robinson Cano at second on two pitches. Cabrera watches five pitches go by before flying out to short right as Nick Swisher makes a nice running catch. After a conspicuous ball 1, Joe Mauer hits another grounder to second, and we move quickly to the second.

Top 2 - Alex Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui struck out, then Jorge Posada grounded out. What, I was eating dinner.

Bottom 2 - Michael Cuddyer pops out to first. Jason Kubel, who has done precisely Jack and Shit this series, strikes out yet again. Delmon Young pops up to Jeter in short left, and this game is cruising.

Top 3 - Cano breaks his bat and grounds out to third. Both pitchers look pretty good so far. Swisher works the second longish at bat of the game against Carl, and tosses his bat after ball three, not realizing it wasn't a full count already. He then strikes out on an inviting changeup that would have been a real ball four. Melky Cabrera hits a ball that Nick Punto dives for and snags, but he's unable to get nearly enough on the throw to make the out. First hit for the Yankees. Jeter swings at the first pitch because he's kinda dumb sometimes and bounces it to Cabrera at short who makes the play.

Bottom 3 - Strike one to Brendan Harris, who nearly killed the Yankees in game 2. He works a full count, but strikes out on a fastball well above the strike zone. Jose Morales strikes out as well. Punto hits a chopper to Jeter, who makes the play at first. You know, I've noticed announcer and all-around dipshit Chip Caray complement Pavano's pitching a lot more than Andy's tonight, despite slightly worse overall results. He... he just sucks, man.

Top 4 - Damon swings through another third strike. That's five for Pavano in 11 batters. Come on, guys. Teixeira watches a slightly high strike for yet another K. A-Rod up. He's finally a monster again this postseason. All it took was seeing the Twins again. He grounds out to short here, though. Game is just blazing by.

Bottom 4 - Second time through the order for Pettitte. Span strikes out. Yay. Cabrera hits a liner up the middle on the sixth pitch, but Cano catches it. Mauer takes two breaking balls for called strikes before swinging at one out of the zone. Both pitchers looking real good.

Top 5 - Matsui starts off with a bloopy single up the middle. Delmon Young makes a sliding catch on a liner by Posada that he almost has to trap. Cano rockets one to Cuddyer who's closer to second than Matsui, which freezes him. He tags him out and steps on second for the irritating double play. This is about the quickest I've seen the Yankees play.

Bottom 5 - Cuddyer singles sharply to left to break up the perfect game. Kubel scoots one under Cano's glove, but Cuddyer held up and Swisher is able to quickly get the force at second anyway. Delmon hits another first pitch pop up, this time it's a tough play for Cano who gets it. Another sharp grounder in the vicinity of third base, but this time it goes in A-Rod's glove and he gets the out at second.

Top 6 - Swisher swings at a third strike changeup in the dirt as Mauer throws to first to complete the out. Cabrera hits a grounder to Cabrera who throws out Cabrera at first. Jeter will hopefully take a pitch in his third at bat. I'll set up this by say that in game 2, Mauer should have gotten a double on a ball down the left field line that would have been fair by a foot if it didn't hit Cabrera's glove, but the umpire called it foul. Just now, Jeter hit one down the right field line that literally hit the foul line, and a different umpire got the call right, and Jeter got his double. Twins fans didn't react well. Unfortunately, Damon watches an obvious third strike for his third K on the night. He really hasn't looked very good lately.

Bottom 6 - Morales hits a fairly simple ground ball to Jeter for out number one. Punto does basically the same thing. Span hits a hopper through the middle of the quick infield for the Twins' second hit. Cabrera walks on five pitches with quite a bit of help from the home plate ump. Mauer singles the other way and Span scores the game's first run as Caray screams like the Twins just cured cancer. Cuddyer strikes out in a foolish looking at bat. He needed just 75 pitches to go six but Pavano needed one less, and has the lead.

Top 7 - Teixeira grounds out to short, one out. A-rod works a long at bat, reaching a full count and fouling off several pitches, before hitting a bomb of a home run over the stupid baggy in right. Awesome. Matsui swings at yet another strike three change in the dirt. Cut it out, guys. Posada makes up for it with another home run, this one just over the left field wall. Yankees take the 2-1 lead. Cano works a nice little at bat, but fouls out to the catcher. Nice start by Carl, but he couldn't keep it up.

Bottom 7 - Pettitte's still in. He might be on a short leash with Joba Chamberlain getting ready. Kubel strikes out for what must be the millionth time, and Andy's night is done. Each Yankee starter this series so far went at least six innings and only gave up one earned run. Joba is in against Young, who fouls a ball off his junk. You hate to see that. He stays in the game and rips a double to right field, still favoring his crotch a bit. Harris grounds to A-Rod, who fumbles the ball a bit but still has time to throw him out. Game's slowed down in this later third. After a long at bat, Morales strikes out on a slider buried in the dirt. Here we go to the eighth.

Top 8 - Matt Guerrier pitches against the Yankees. Swisher grounds out harmlessly. Cabrera does the same. Some insurance would be nice, but I'm fairly confident in Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera. As does Jeter. Whee.

Bottom 8 - Nick Punto against Hughes, who vexed him in game 2. He unfortunately does it again, with a dobule off the sixth heater from Phil. Wow, weird play. Span grounds one up the middle that Jeter gets to easily, but Punto thought it was through and goes way too far around third. Jeter throws it to Posada, who throws to A-Rod who nails Punto at third. Cabrera up. He flies out to Cabrera. And now it's time for Mariano Rivera to get four outs. And this time he can get away with a single before shutting the door. He instead breaks Mauer's bat, who grounds out to Teixeira. On to the ninth.

Top 9 - Ron Mahay pitching. Damon earns his golden sombrero with a fourth strikeout. Meh. Full count for Tex, who draws a walk. Let's see if A-Rod can rub it in their faces against heavily neck-tattooed Jon Rauch. He settles for another full count walk. Jose Mijares in to face a lefty who mashes lefties. Matsui walks on a full count. This is getting funny. Joe Nathan is in. The game has slowed to a crawl. Posada lines a single to right, one run scores. I can live with that. Cano bloops another one run single just in front of Kubel. Swisher strikes out, two down finally. Cabrera does the same, and we're on to the Twins' last gasp in the Metrodome.

Bottom 9 - Man, Cuddyer looks down. A little happier after a bloop single to right field. Twins are still alive! Kubel strikes out for the final time. I hope. Crazy fan runs on the field. Good job, crazy fan! He almost made it over the outfield wall before they nabbed him. Young's getting some good swings here. He goes down swinging in the end, though. Brendan Harris is the Twins' last chance. He grounds out to Jeter. Yankees sweep the Twins, end the Metrodome's use for baseball-like activities, and wil fly back to New York to face the Angels in the ALCS on Friday. Feels nice to finally be back there after five years.

Wrap-Up - I think this is the first full game I've done all year. In any case: Yay.