The Yankees did something today only most organizations can dream of. They trotted out legend after legend for their 50th annual Old Timers’ Day.
Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto – to name a few – were all in attendance. The only name missing was Mickey Mantle, who passed away last summer. The Yankees announced today that they will add a fourth monument to Monument Park to honor Mantle later this season on Aug. 25. The monument will join Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Miller Huggins.
In the actual game between the Yankees and the Royals, Kenny Rogers put his team in an early hole. In the first inning, he allowed a bases loaded double, followed by a single which gave KC a 3-0 lead. Rogers was booed off the mound following the third out. “I don’t have to hear the crowd boo to know I’m pitching poorly. You hear it when you deserve it. I’ve been on myself as much as anyone.” (via NY Times)
Manager Joe Torre believes Rogers needs to be more aggressive, and that he was too tentative in the first inning. “He has to be more aggressive,” Torre said. “That first inning, he was sort of feeling his way through. We need to get him two or three outings in a row where he doesn’t have to think.” (Via NY Times)
Rogers went on to retire the next 12 batters in a row. He tossed six innings while giving up six hits and just those three runs – not bad considering how his day started. The Yankees were able to generate some offense by batting around in the third inning, marking the second time in three games they had done so.
Derek Jeter singled, and was doubled home by Wade Boggs to get the Yankees on the board. After a walk to Paul O’Neill and a single by Bernie Williams to load the bases, Tino Martinez came through with a two-run single to tie the game at three. Darryl Strawberry gave the Yankees the lead for good when he drove in Williams with an RBI single.
The Yankees added some insurance in the eighth when Mariano Duncan drove in Martinez. Like we’ve seen many times this season, Mariano Rivera came in for two innings and John Wetteland came in for the ninth and made things interesting. He gave up a run and left the tying run on second to notch his 36th save of the season. Rogers won his first game since June 27, a stretch that included six starts.
Dwight Gooden gets the start tomorrow against Kevin Apier in the series finale.
Notes:
- Pat Kelly was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He left last night’s game after what he thought was a cramp in his leg. After a few tests, it was determined Kelly has a strained hamstring. Matt Howard was called up to take his spot on the roster.
- In the Old Timers’ Day game, Reggie Jackson hit a home run into the right field seat off pitcher Pedro Ramos.
Box score and current stats
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Royals 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 9 1
Yankees 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 X 5 10 0
Batting AB R H RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG
Boggs 3B 5 1 2 1 0 0 .322 .396 .409
Girardi C 4 0 1 0 0 0 .310 .368 .383
ONeill RF 2 1 0 0 2 0 .307 .431 .454
B.Williams CF 4 1 1 0 0 1 .314 .398 .547
Martinez 1B 2 1 1 2 2 0 .297 .355 .463
Strawberry DH 4 0 1 1 0 1 .224 .366 .397
Sierra LF 3 0 0 0 0 1 .258 .328 .404
G.Williams LF 1 0 0 0 0 0 .295 .348 .476
Duncan 2B 4 0 2 1 0 0 .323 .340 .456
Fox PR-2B 0 0 0 0 0 0 .204 .297 .277
Jeter SS 4 1 2 0 0 1 .296 .364 .405
2B:Boggs 2 (20, 2 off Belcher).
RBI:Martinez 2 (78);Strawberry (10)
Boggs (28);Duncan (33).
Pitching IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Rogers W (7-5) 6 6 3 3 2 4 4.59
Rivera H (20) 2 1 0 0 3 2 1.49
Wetteland S (36) 1 2 1 1 1 2 3.28
