The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – New York Yankees – INSIDE PITCH
Chris Stewart will never be confused with any of the big hitters in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup, but the journeyman catcher picked up his more celebrated teammates on Sunday afternoon in Seattle.
Stewart hit a game-winning single in the ninth inning of the Yankees’ 2-1 win over the Mariners at Safeco Field, giving New York three wins in the four-game weekend series.
“It’s really nice,” Stewart said. “Usually I don’t even get a chance to be in that spot, especially with a right-hander out there. Fortunately, Joe had confidence in me and I went out there trying to see a ball up and out over the plate, and fortunately he left one for me and I was able to sneak it through the hole.”
Stewart has always been a solid presence behind the plate, but since he’s stepped in for the injured Francisco Cervelli as the starter, he’s found a way to contribute with the bat, too. Stewart’s .276 average is second best on the team behind Brett Gardner’s .284.
“I’m seeing pitches, live pitches, and I’m able to make adjustments to my swing quicker,” Stewart said. “It’s not like I’m going four or five days between at-bats. The constant at-bats and just being back there every day and being in a groove, it’s helped out a lot.”
While the rest of the Yankees’ offense has struggled at times this season — the No. 2-6 hitters combined to go 0-for-17 on Sunday — it has been role players such as Stewart who have come through with one timely hit after another.
“Every day, it’s a different guy,” Mariano Rivera said. “That’s what we do. It’s not just one player here that we’re going to rely on. We rely on nine players in the field and the rest on the bench.”
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MLB Team Report – New York Yankees – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 37-26
STREAK: Won two
PAST 10 GAMES: 7-3
NEXT: Yankees (LHP CC Sabathia, 6-4, 3.74) at A’s (RHP Bartolo Colon, 7-2, 3.14), Tuesday
PLAYER NOTES:
–CF Brett Gardner led off two of the four games in the Seattle series with hits. He had a single off Mariners starter Felix Hernandez in Sunday’s game, extending his hitting streak to seven games. Gardner had hits on each of his first three at-bats against Hernandez on Sunday before striking out to end the top of the seventh. Gardner is now hitting .375 against the Mariners’ ace for his career.
–RF Ichiro Suzuki had his second error of the season when he dropped a pop fly in foul territory in the seventh inning of Sunday’s game. Suzuki let a fly ball off the bat of Raul Ibanez bounce in and out of his glove, then he failed in his attempt to make a diving catch to keep the at-bat alive. The former Mariner drew a huge round of heckles from the Seattle crowd, but Ibanez struck out a few pitches later to make the error irrelevant. Suzuki, who was making his first true return trip to Seattle — he played there as a Yankee last year, but that was after being traded mid-series — went 2-for-13 in the four-game series that ended Sunday.
–2B Robinson Cano went 0-for-3 Sunday and has now gone 2-for-13 during the road trip. He reached base in each of his final two appearances, by way of a hit-by-pitch and a walk.
–RHP David Phelps matched Mariners ace Felix Hernandez on Sunday, although neither pitcher factored into the decision. Phelps gave up just three hits and one run over six innings before leaving the game with the score tied 1-1. He threw 62 of his 99 pitches for strikes while striking out six.
–LHP CC Sabathia is pitching much better at home (5-2, 3.12 ERA) than the road (1-2, 4.88) this season, but that shouldn’t matter on Tuesday. The native of Vallejo, Calif., has pitched well in his native Northern California in recent years. Since May 14, 2008, he holds a 6-2 record and 2.51 ERA in games against the A’s. Sabathia is scheduled to start against Oakland on Tuesday night.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Usually I don’t get a chance to be in that spot, especially with a right-hander out there. Fortunately, Joe (Girardi) had confidence in me and I went up there trying to see a ball up and over the plate. Fortunately, he left one for me and I was able put I through the hole.” — C Chris Stewart, on his go-ahead single Sunday.
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MLB Team Report – New York Yankees – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Michael Pineda (right shoulder surgery in May 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 16. He pitched in extended spring training in late May. He began a minor-league rehab assignment on June 9, throwing 4 1/3 innings for Class A Tampa. He is expected to be ready in late June or early July.
–INF Eduardo Nunez (left ribcage tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 6. He fielded grounders May 20. He began taking batting practice before suffering another setback May 25, and he was shut down again. He suffered another setback in his rehab June 4 when he tried to swing a bat at the minor league facility in Tampa.
–OF Curtis Granderson (left hand fracture) went on the 15-day disabled list May 25. He underwent surgery May 29 and is expected to be out until late June or early July.
–C Francisco Cervelli (fractured right hand) went on the 15-day disabled list April 27 and was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 1. He had his cast taken off and the pins removed from his hand on May 24. He is expected to be ready to resume baseball activity in mid-June.
–3B Alex Rodriguez (left hip surgery in January 2013) went on the 60-day disabled list Feb. 13. He began baseball activities May 6, and the Yankees expect to have him back after the All-Star break.
–SS Derek Jeter (left ankle surgery in October 2012) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 27. He was shut down from his rehab program in late April after a CT scan revealed a small fracture in his left ankle area. He had his walking boot removed May 24 and resumed light throwing in late May, but he isn’t expected to return to action until after the All-Star break.
–LHP Cesar Cabral (stress fracture in left elbow) went on the 60-day disabled list March 26. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Tampa on May 14.
ROTATION:
LHP CC Sabathia
RHP Hiroki Kuroda
RHP Phil Hughes
LHP Andy Pettitte
BULLPEN:
RHP Mariano Rivera (closer)
RHP David Robertson
RHP Joba Chamberlain
LHP Boone Logan
RHP David Phelps
RHP Adam Warren
RHP Preston Claiborne
RHP Shawn Kelley
CATCHERS:
Chris Stewart
Austin Romine
INFIELDERS:
1B Mark Teixeira
2B Robinson Cano
SS Jayson Nix
3B Kevin Youkilis
DH Travis Hafner
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Vernon Wells
CF Brett Gardner
RF Ichiro Suzuki
INF David Adams
INF Reid Brignac
INF/OF Lyle Overbay
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