The Girl Who Loved Andy Pettitte

The Yankees have posted 9 walk-off victories so far this year:

1. April 22nd vs Oakland (won on a Melky Cabrera homerun)
2. May 1st vs Anaheim (Brian Fuentes explosion, Posada hit a single with the bases loaded)
3. May 15th vs Minnesota (Joe Nathan was called on for the fourth day in a row, exploded)
4. May 16th vs Minnesota (Alex Rodriguez homerun off Craig Breslow in the 11th)
5. May 17th vs Minnesota (Johnny Damon homerun off Jesse Crain in the 10th)
6. May 23rd vs Philadelphia (Brad Lidge Explosion, homerun to tie it followed by two singles to win)
7. June 12nd vs Fake New York (Luis Castillo drops the ball)
8. July 4th vs Toronto (The day Robinson Cano could do nothing right and Brett Tomko pitched a scoreless inning)
9. July 20th vs Baltimore (Hideki Matsui homerun off Jim Johnson in the bottom of the 9th)

That’s a lot of walkoffs over the course of a full season, nevermind 3/4 of one. Last year, I think the Yankees had four all year. I was at two of them, both against the Orioles and both ended by Robinson Cano doing something right. This year, I’ve been at four. That’s a lot.

There are a few kinds of walkoff victories:

1. A game that is tied for a very long time. Usually the result of pitchers duels, but also sometimes caused by offensive ineptitude.
2. The bullpen blows the lead (or the starting pitcher hits a bad skid).
3. The come back. You finally get to the bullpen and the offense wakes up!

I prefer the comeback style victory, though it’s also very painful when the team comes up just short of making it. Still, sometimes by hanging around the Stadium or keeping on the TV when everyone else has left or flipped the channel you get to see things you never believed could happen like this:

Bottom 8th: NY Yankees
- H. Matsui grounded out to pitcher
- R. Cano doubled to deep left center
- J. Posada walked
- J. Arredondo relieved R. Rodriguez
- B. Gardner singled to left, R. Cano to third, J. Posada to second
- M. Cabrera singled to left, R. Cano scored, J. Posada to third, B. Gardner to second
- R. Pena singled to right center, J. Posada and B. Gardner scored, M. Cabrera to third
- D. Jeter grounded out to shortstop, M. Cabrera scored, R. Pena to second
- J. Damon struck out looking

4 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors
LA Angels 9, NY Yankees 8

Bottom 9th: NY Yankees
- B. Fuentes relieved J. Arredondo
- M. Teixeira walked
- H. Matsui singled to left, M. Teixeira to second
- R. Cano singled to center, M. Teixeira to third, H. Matsui to second
- A. Berroa ran for H. Matsui
- J. Posada singled to left center, A. Berroa and M. Teixeira scored, R. Cano to second

2 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
LA Angels 9, NY Yankees 10

It was pretty awesome, it will never happen again. I saved my ticket stub so I can remember this game forever. It’s my favorite game that I’ve been to this season. It was nice to be sent home by a Hideki homerun, for example, but it doesn’t top a game where the Yankees did all of the following:

• Scored 5 runs in two innings;
• Beat the Angels;
• Had beaten the Angels the night before.

Two wins in a row against the Angels! Another reason to hold onto that ticket stub of mine.