What a way to start the pennant drive!!!! Better than a sweep was a double sweep - 6 in a row on the home stand. Three against the Athletics over the weekend, then the pesky Twins came in. Gardenhire is now 3/19 at the Cathedral - talk about frustration. His expressions were priceless as the Twins made mental mistakes. Yesterday started off with a pitchers' duel as we saw the rejuvenated Mike Mussina pitch 8 scoreless innings of domination - only 5 hits allowed, zero walks and 9 Ks. He has been fun to watch since pitching backwards-with a good chance at winning 18 or 19 before the season ends, he's at 13.

Enroute to a 5-1 victory, Robbie Cano and Melky Cabrera both had multi-hit games. But I think Justin Christian with 2 hits including a double, 2 rbis and a stolen base was the offensive hero. Justin got the start in left over Brett Gardener who has struggled with the bat, but he does that at each level.

When the Yankees picked up SIdney Ponson for the second time, I for one was WHY? Sidney may not be throwing perfect games, not even quiet games-he sets the nerves a jitter but finds a way to get the job done and stay in through the 5th. Last night was no exception-Alex got SId an early 2-0 lead with #539 but he quickly gave up 2 to the Twins. Not surprising Minnesota has been a pesky team-playing little ball, advancing runners, stealing (good thing with have Jose behind the plate to sheriff the would be thiefs). Then Ponson settled down leaving the game with runners on the corners, 2 outs after 5.2 innings.

The Yankees had a 6-3 lead when Edwar Ramierz gave to the rescue recording a huge strikeout to end the 6th inning threat for the Twins. Robertson and Hawkins wrapped up the win for Ponson's 6 against 1 loss-not bad.

Of course he got help with long balls from Cano, Jeter, as well as Alex. Every member of the starting lineup had at least one hit except Jason Giambi who whiffed 3 times but did work a walk. To his credit Jason had two monster blasts that unfortunately curved foul. When the final out was recorded, the Yankees celebrated on the field with a 12-4 win.

Talk about a great start to the stretch drive-three games against tOakland - three wins but three completely different styles. Friday night MOOSE was solid and took home a 7=1 win. Yesterday Joba pitched six solid turning a 2-1 lead over to the pen, which has been pretty good this year. But Veras gave up the tying run, Mo seems to have difficulty pitching in non-save situations this year giving up the lead in the 9th-3 innings later we win on a hbp to Molina with the bases loaded. Today was the classic pitching duel between Andy Pettitte and ERA leading Justin Duscherer, Andy came out throwing first pitch strikes and in the grueling heat 114 pitches later handed the ball to MO with the slim 2-1 lead. In the save situation Mariano continued his perfection 24/24 as Jose Molina threw out Davis for the final out. In 8 innings Andy gave up 4 hits with no walks and 9 Ks. After a combined 35 runners left on yesterday today was a pitcher's dream.

Before many head home for a few days R'n'R, AJ Burnett decided to take the Yankee bats to task. Always tough on the Bombers, he showed he just might be more effective on 3 days rest-throwback to the days of 4-man rotations and no pitch counts. For 8 innings he totally dominated, staying ahead of the batters and scattering 4 hits, 2 to Bobby Abreu on 86 pitches. After whiffing Alex to start the 9th Jason Giambi salvaged us from another shutout by taking AJ's offering deep to left. Jorge followed with a single and that sent AJ to the bench as BJ Ryan came in to save the day-making quick work of Robbie Cano with a game-ending DP.

Andy Pettitte struggled in the first two innings - the 2nd being the downfall. All starting when Abreu turned the wrong way and Mench doubled to right before the inning was over Andy gave up a 3-run shot to Scutaro after he failed to bunt the runners over. Four runs proved to much to over come this day at Rogers Centre even with the roof open. Later in the game with runners on the corners and 0 outs, Bobby made a perfect throw to Jorge who applied the tag on a sliding Mench.

Words cannot adequately convey the sadness I feel today - Bobby was a peer of my generation so it was like growing up together when he came to the Yankees. My prayers and condolences go out to Kay, the children, grandchildren and the entire Yankee family. by togababe

Former Yanks great Murcer dies at 62
By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

Bobby Murcer worked as a Yankees broadcaster for most of the past two decades. (Julie Jacobson/AP)

Bobby Murcer, a personable, popular five-time All-Star who went on to a successful broadcasting career with the New York Yankees, died Saturday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 62.
After experiencing a general lack of energy, Murcer was diagnosed with a tumor on Christmas Eve 2006, undergoing surgery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Pathology reports later revealed the tumor to be malignant.

It started out sunny with the roof opened at Rogers Centre when Jesse Litch and Darrell Rasner faced off in Game 2. Litch gave up a leadooff home run to the Captain , his career #200 into the Jays pen, so he got the souvenir.

Ras took the mound with the slim lead and promptly gave up a lead-off triple which mushroomed into 4 runs for the Jays but that would be all the Jays runs today. In the 2nd, his teammates rallied and quickly scored 4 to give Ras a 5-4 lead which he protected as the Yankees continued to build a 9-4 lead after 5. Ras gutted out 5 complete 7 hits, 1 walk, 6 Ks on 108 pitches - not his best effort of the year but today he got run support and left after 5 with a lead. The Yankee bull pen pieced the last 4-Ramierz, Veras, Farnsworth, Hawkins without allowing a run, no hits and 1 walk.

Operating on his home turf against the impotent Yankee lineup was a no-brainer for All-Star pitcher Roy Halliday. With six complete games under his belt already in 2008, he collected #7 on a 2 hitter (Jeter & Rodriguez), cutting the inside too close hit two batters (Gardner & Abreu) and walked only one while whiffing 8. No sugar-coated pills, though he might have received a few hometown/veteran called strikes, you have to admit Doc is one of the best in the majors and with our bats not connecting he had no problems in completing his task.

His counterpart was rookie Joba Chamberlain

Last night it was a privilege to watch solid baseball 7.1 innings. Both Andy Pettitte and Scott Kazmir gave solid starts-the difference Kaz busy K-ing batters which drove up his pitch count causing an exit after 5 innings. Andy was amazing throwing 8 shutout innings, allowing a mere 4 hits and corraling the Rays base speed. With the pitc count in the 113 neighborhood, Joe Girardi decided to bring in Edwar Ramierz to wrap up the 9th inning and protect the 5-0 lead.

Hooked in a pitching duel, Kaz had his one bad inning in the 3rd. Robbie led off with a single followed by a Molina double-runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. How often have we witnessed the Yankees fail in this situation leaving risp????

Wrapping up, splitting the 4 game weekend series with the Sux was a mixed up of excitement, nailbiting and maybe a little hair pulling. Joba Chamberlain got his first start against the arch rivals and for the first four innings stood up to the challenge; in the 5th there was a hiccup with his control allowing a 1-0 lead to slip to a 1-3 deficit. Laz Diaz was the hp ump and not consistent with his strike zone- frustration got the better part of Joe Girardi in the 6th when he argued balls & strikes and was ejected for the second time this year-WTG Joe might have lit a spark as the Yankees rallied.

Leading off the 2nd Alex became the first player in pinstripes to tie The Mick with 536 career home runs-also the youngest to reach that mark. The jack staked Joba to an early until the 5th. Singles by Youkilis and Casey followed by a wp walk to Crisp tied the score. IMO 3rd base ump Kerwin Daley missed a strike three swing by Ellsbury calling it a check which loaded the bases for the hottest hitter in the AL, Pedroia who connected for 2 rbis. Dave Robertson gave up 2 hits and a run increasing the deficit to 2-4 in the 7th. Kyle Farnsworth came through with another perfect 8th . In the the 6th Brett Gardner, filling in for Johnny Damon now on the DL for the first time in his career, singled to center then stole second scoring the 2nd Yankee run on the Captain's rbi single following the ejection of Girardi. In the 7th Alex and Posada singled and with two on Robbie connected with a 2-run tying triple.