ALDS Game 4: Yankees at Tigers
Game 4. Win or go home. Do or die. (Alternate title: “A.J., Save Our Season”)
American League Division Series: Game Four
October 4, 2011 – Comerica Park – 8:37 p.m. ET (TBS, WCBS 880 AM)
YANKEES (97-65, 1-2 in ALDS)
Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Nick Swisher RF
Jorge Posada DH
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner LF
Pitching: A.J. Burnett RHP (11-11, 5.15 ERA in regular season)
TIGERS (95-67, 2-1 in ALDS)
Austin Jackson CF
Ramon Santiago 2B
Delmon Young LF
Miguel Cabrera 1B
Victor Martinez DH
Don Kelly RF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Alex Avila C
Wilson Betemit 3B
Pitching: Rick Porcello RHP (14-9, 4.75 ERA in regular season)
UMPIRES: Dan Iassogna HP, Ted Barrett 1B, Bill Welke 2B, Tony Randazzo 3B, Eric Cooper LF, Gerry Davis RF.
ON THE BRINK: The Yankees are 1-4 in ALDS series when falling behind 2-games-to-1, with the lone win coming in 2001 vs. Oakland…are 7-6 in ALDS games when facing elimination.
CLOSE CALLS: With last night’s 5-4 loss, the Yankees have now had nine of their last 14 road games (dating back to 9/8) decided by one run…have gone 3-6 in those contests.
FIRST TIMERS: The Yankees are 7-5 in their last 12 games against opponents whose staring pitcher is making his first career postseason start…had won three straight such games prior to Max Scherzer’s win in Game 2 of this ALDS.
Bryan Hoch
Let’s go YANKEES!
The good news is the Rays are playing golf tomorrow, the bad news is the Yankees may be also!
Hey Bob. Everyone in Yankee land is nervous tonight with the season and the world series in the hands of AJ, who has been so inconsistent all year. Will he blow up again in the 4th or 6th is he gets there, or will he have a strong game like he did his last one. You never know with AJ. I would think Girardi would be nervous too and would keep AJ on a short leash. I guess he could bring Hughes in for a few innings but again who knows how Hughes will fare? A lot of questions here tonight. And will the Yankee bats wake up from their slumber? We need the big name guys who are paid a lot and who were rested prior to this series to step up and start hitting the ball. Tex and ARod have looked very average at best. Well, this game should draw a lot of bloggers and a lot of comments tonight. Hopefully they will be positive because the Yankees are winning. winning the division means nothing if you could get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs.
Hello Bob!
Let’s go AJ!
Leave him there!
Phew!
we’ve got him through one, just!
sheesh…that could of been 3 runs, great catch by grandy on a tough play…whoa!
hello bob and bob and all the other bobs if any…hehehe
It’s started like we all thought it would. TG for Granderson’s catch. SAved AJ’s bacon and the team. Is this a foretaste of what’s to come tonight? if so, we’re in deep do-do. Will Girardi send him out for the 2nd inning? Sometimes AJ can settle down and turn it around but other times it just keeps getting worse. Can Girardi afford to see which AJ will come out in the 2nd? If Grandy hadn’t made the catch we would be down 2 or 3 runs right now and the inning wouldn’t be over. Our starting pitching other than Nova has put up poor performances so far in this series. We need to get on Porcello in this inning and score a few runs. Where’s the power?
what a difference! Porcellos first two innings, and AJ’s first. What are we going to see from AJ this inning?
Hey Allan & Bill!
that away yanks…don’t let this bum throw too many pitches after our pitcher struggled through 1 inning (4 or 5 pitches that inning)….is anybody managing the yankees tonight? or are the players on their own?….let porcello get into a nice groove and not too many pitches….sheesh…I may just go to fox news and watch current events…I don’t know if I can watch this stupid baseball…I’ve enjoyed all the playoff games except this yankee series…ashame
Has he found a groove?
Gut it out Bill!!!
Jete!!!
That was an awesome catch by Granderson – should be keeping goal for the US soccer team!
Are my eyes deceiving me? AJ looks sharp now!
Shhhh – don’t say anything, i’m half afraid to watch!
OK. Zip——————————————————.
maybe I will watch, just saw 4 pitches to you 4 were on the box line and one was called a strike….but aj looks real good, rothschild talked to him after the first inning they went back in the clubhouse and since then…money!!!
Thank you jeter, I love ya brother, just get frustrated cause I know you are one of the best yankees who ever played and I want to see you get another ring because you are class!!!…Love it, big hit, now lets add on here…Porcello is going to blow!!!
Obviously Rothchild got to AJ after the 1st inning and straightened him out. Different AJ in 2nd and 3rd. Let’s hope it continues. Now instead of aiming his pitches he’s playing catch with the catcher and it’s as different as night and day. Is there hope? Could we get back to Yankee stadium for the 5th? Keep on believing.
Wow Robert we almost posted the same thing at the same time…great minds think a like…lol
Someone spoke too soon!
uh oh – not a good start to the fourth!
i’m not sure what worries me more, AJ on the mound or Hughes, either way it goes it’s getting harder to keep the faith & optimistic outlook!
If Phil can hit 94 he’s OK.
I wasn’t expecting a shut out from AJ…just a well pitched game and we are getting that….lets talk about our offense…we have 3 or 4 guys in this line-up that have done nothing so far, 1 in particular doesn’t even have a hit yet!!!
Martin 2 hits and a great slide into home for the 2nd run
Gardner getting business sorted again, perhaps he should have a word with his colleague down the left field line! Terrible bunt from Jeter there though – need Granderson to find some outfield grass here.
warning track will do i guess
if arod is ever going to get a hit, this would be the time….we can break this open right here
That’ll do Alex!
arod got the job done….gardner and grandy did the heavy lifting and tex was the easy out that inning, he never gets a hit with guys on in the playoffs…ok 3 run lead, not safe by any means yet but 2 big runs there and we needed them..
Nice turn!
Bonus double play ball – always helpfull!
Swish was robbed!
So are you a gambler? Leave AJ in for the sixth? The big part of their lineup is coming up. Joe G. needs to make the right decisions tonight.
I think I would leave him in but, your right he needs to make the right decisions tonite….I’m actually suprised we don’t have more runs off porcello, he can let up a bunch…but I will take the 4 runs in 6 innings, we need to add a few at the end here.
Cheer for AJ!!!
good job AJ….biggest game of the year and you put us in position to win…come on logan now get an out here!!!
WOW!!!
What a play from Granderson, heart was in my mouth for a second when i heard the loud crack off the bat, but jeeeeeez what a catch!
GRANDY GAME SAVER!!!
Cabrera hit that ball so hard at Derek Jeter it almost tore his glove off. This night may go down as the night Curtis Granderson becomes a legendary centerfielder.
Wrong batter!
Coke throwing 96!
Granderson’s catches could be the turning point in this series. What a phenomenal player defensively and offensively. And except for the 1st inning AJ has pitched well into the 6th. He’s done a great job tonight. Hats off to him and to the pitching coach for getting him straightened out. Can we pull this one out and go back to Yankee Stadium? I hope so.
Coke is dealin’!
there is a day off tomorrow if the yanks win?…didn’t know that? travel day I guess?
Good post RGM, I agree I think he is the MVP, he does everything good or great…not a lot of players like him.
Soriano gets 4 huge outs….please drob and mo now….getting a good feeling here and would a run or two this next inning be huge or what?
holy smokes – an Arod hit!!
Atta boy A-Rod!
Now Tex!
Your turn Swish!
Hip, hip, Jorge!
bases full o yankees – time for Montero to make a name for himself, although the way Posada’s swinging the bat right now i could even have been tempted to leave him in the game.
I’ll take a cheap run to be honest, i’ll take another couple on a base hit!
JESUS!
Gardner again coming through, keep the line going!
Stay with Ro & Mo!
Send Soriano out for another inning!
yeah it’s in danger of becoming a laugher now to be honest
They both need inning of work—-no question!!!! Any other move by Joe is poor!
Pouring it on. The rally really started with Grandy’s spectacular catch and AJ’s strong 5 innings. Yankees playing relaxed and with confidence right now. Burning up the Tiger’s bull pen. Won’t have much left for the 5th game. Everyone gets day off tomorrow. Nova and Fister again in game 5? Or will the Tigers pull a fast one and try to start Verlander for game 5? This is a big momentum change tonight that hopefully carries into the final game.
wasn’t Robertson in during last night’s game? (shocking considering i watched it just this afternoon CET that i can’t remember) But probably not a bad idea to give both an inning just to keep them loose.
I guess Ro & Mo don’t need the work! And Phil is hitting 94-95!
Doubt any chance on Verlander on two days rest and 120 pitches!
Montero 2-2 tonight
That’s all folks! See ya Allan, Bill, Bob, & MY!
Grandy is so articulate!
Can’t say that BUSTnett’s outing was one to remember for the ages, more like a lucky one. He should take Grandy out for a 4-course steak dinner for saving his neck.