Yankees 6
Orioles 4
As Alex Rodriguez was asked if he felt ready for one of his vintage streaks, Joe Torre interrupted.
“Shhh,” said Torre, apparently scared the mere mention of A-Rod heating up might somehow do what pitchers can’t right now, which is stop him. “That’s what we’re hoping for.”
With 51,845 fans at a steamy Stadium yesterday, Rodriguez put on a show in the Yankees’ 6-4 triumph over the Orioles, as he blasted a solo homer, stole home on a double-steal and collected three hits.
Rodriguez pulled into a tie for the American League home run lead with 27. Since his fight in Boston eight days ago, he is 8-for-22 (.363).
Yesterday, the three-headed monster of Paul Quantrill, Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera laid zeroes across the scoreboard the final three innings, picking up a pedestrian performance by Javier Vazquez.
While most of the buzz in the Yankee clubhouse focused on the Jose Contreras and Nomar Garciaparra trades, there still must be some concern about Vazquez.
He improved to 12-6 with a 4.16 ERA, but it was an uneven performance. After allowing one run through five innings, he got wild in the sixth and was lifted after recording one out.
“I thought he was good for most of the time,” Torre said. “The first five innings, I thought he was great.”
But the Yankees’ offense, led by Rodriguez, turned Vazquez into a minor concern instead of a bad, bold headline.
Rodriguez’ steal of home wasn’t a straight steal, but the way he bounced up in excitement it might as well have been. In the fourth, with Hideki Matsui on first and Rodriguez on third, Ruben Sierra struck out on a 3-2 pitch. Matsui, stealing second, drew a throw from Javy Lopez as Rodriguez took off on the release. At second, Brian Roberts fielded the off-line throw going to his right.
Roberts immediately fired home, but the throw landed in the dirt and Lopez couldn’t handle it cleanly. It appeared Rodriguez would have beaten a tag anyway. It was the third time Rodriguez had stolen home in his career.
An inning later, in a three-run fifth, Rodriguez slammed a mammoth solo shot over the left-center field wall. Suddenly, largely because of No. 13, the Yankees were up 5-1.
In the sixth, with a four-run lead, Vazquez nearly gave up the advantage on one swing. After Vazquez sandwiched two soft singles around a walk, the combination of Miguel Tejada and Vazquez’ propensity to give up homers inspired Mel Stottlemyre to visit the mound.
Entering yesterday, Vazquez was tied with Contreras for fifth in the American League in homers allowed, having given up 22. In the third against Jerry Hairston – who entered yesterday with just one homer – Vazquez allowed No. 23.
Then Tejada – who came in with 20 homers and a league-best 94 RBIs – sent a drive to right that looked as if it might tie the game. Sheffield ranged to the warning track to make the catch. A walk later, Vazquez was done.
