Yankees earn split behind Wang

Yankees earn split behind Wang

Starter allows one run over seven; Cabrera, Posada homer

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Chien-Ming Wang pitched seven strong innings and Hideki Matsui drove in four runs as the Yankees rolled to an 8-1 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday, securing a split of a day-night doubleheader at U.S. Cellular Field.

Having dropped the first game of the rain-necessitated twin bill behind a troubled effort from Mike Mussina, the Yankees sorely needed a solid starting performance.

They got one from Wang, who limited the White Sox to one earned run and six hits in picking up his second victory of the season, leaving with a three-run lead before the Yankees blew the game open with four runs -- including homers from Melky Cabrera and Jorge Posada -- in the ninth inning.

"It's all about Wang today," said Yankees manager Joe Torre. "Considering the fact that it was a close game, he was terrific. He got some good hitters out with men on base."

The Yankees staked Wang (2-3) to a lead in the third inning, scoring two unearned runs off Chicago starter Jose Contreras.

Derek Jeter reached on a one-out error and moved to second when Jason Giambi worked his second walk of the game. After Alex Rodriguez lined out, Matsui drilled a shot over the head of center fielder Darin Erstad, rolling to the wall and driving in both runners.

The play served as a great test for Giambi, who had returned to Los Angeles on the Yankees' off-day Monday to secure some custom-made orthotic inserts, hoping to cushion the slugger's ailing left foot.

As Giambi chugged on a 270-foot dash from first base to home plate, he didn't appear graceful, but Giambi rarely does. The most important thing, said Giambi -- who'd later single to end an 0-for-20 skid -- was that he felt little discomfort.

"That's the biggest thing, just getting some of the comfort back," Giambi said.

Meanwhile, Wang appeared plenty comfortable as he showed few ill effects from the issues that plagued his last start, an effort against Texas on May 10 that ended up as a 14-2 blowout loss.

Wang said he'd spent time in the bullpen working on his "smoothness" and it showed, as the right-hander had good control over a 91-pitch effort. Wang walked one and struck out three, keeping his fielders busy with the usual array of ground balls and a few more fly balls than normal.

"When you have Wang pitching like he was," Jeter said, "it makes you feel good."

Chicago finally broke through against Wang in the sixth, as Rob Mackowiak bounced a single up the middle, bringing home Erstad from second base.

But the Yankees escaped further damage in the inning as center fielder Cabrera fired to third base on the play, with Alex Rodriguez tagging out Pablo Ozuna in the basepath.

"Melky gives you a little shot of energy," Torre said of the 22-year-old Cabrera, who played both games of the doubleheader.

Limited to just three hits through the first six innings, the Yankees finally chased Contreras (3-4) in the seventh.

Bobby Abreu -- who had two hits, including a home run, in the first game of the doubleheader -- atoned for three strikeouts by stroking a two-out single to right, bringing in Cabrera.

Jeter followed with an RBI triple to right-center, staking New York to a three-run lead and eventually setting the stage for the Yankees' second victory in five games so far on this trip.

"We needed one of those games," Jeter said. "We need it to continue."

Contreras, who pitched for the Yankees in 2003 and 2004, was charged with two earned runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out four. Cabrera and Posada added solo ninth-inning home runs off Andy Sisco.

Kyle Farnsworth retired the White Sox around two walks in the eighth inning and Mariano Rivera set down Chicago in the ninth.

The game, the second half of a doubleheader, was preceded by a rain delay of one hour and 15 minutes.

Torre said that even after the Yankees' 5-3 loss in the first game, their spirits remained loose and high -- infield coach Larry Bowa was said to have donned a batting helmet and volunteered to bat leadoff, an action the players found amusing -- and expressed optimism that the nightcap win could be the start of a roll for the Yankees, who improved to 18-20.

"We know we're better than this," Torre said. "We were probably a little tight [in the first game], but I felt pretty good."

Because Wang was efficient in his seven innings of work, Torre wouldn't rule out the thought that the right-hander could return on three days' rest to pitch against the Mets at Shea Stadium on Sunday.

Wang said he "maybe" could do it and said he'd accept the assignment if asked, but Torre said that would be a discussion to take place with pitching coach Ron Guidry in the morning hours.

"We'll do what we feel is best for him," Torre said.

Notes: Posada carrying offensive load

Notes: Posada carrying offensive load

Minor League callup to pitch Sunday in Subway Series

By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The American League's leading hitter is tough to nail down before a game, always seemingly two steps away from grabbing his bat and heading into a cage for extra batting practice.

But it's what has worked so far this season for Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who had posted an AL-best .375 batting average through his first 35 games of the season, a new high for his career.

"I feel good at the plate, and that's what it's all about," Posada said. "It's early and I'm not looking into it. I'm happy with it."

Always considered a valuable offensive force, Posada has contributed a great deal to the Yankees' attack this month in particular.

While teammates Bobby Abreu, Robinson Cano, Jason Giambi and Alex Rodriguez have battled to escape their respective skids, Posada has helped in an effort to pick up some of the slack.

The 35-year-old backstop entered play Thursday batting .478 (22-for-46) this month, tops in the Major Leagues, while riding a career-high 11-game hit streak.

With that sort of production, it has been a difficult proposition for the Yankees to remove Posada from the lineup, particularly given the offensive struggles of understudy Wil Nieves, who has just one hit in 27 at-bats this year.

On Wednesday, Posada was rested for the second game of New York's doubleheader against the White Sox, but his time of respite was brief.

With the Yankees threatening for more runs in the seventh inning against Chicago starter Jose Contreras, manager Joe Torre turned to Posada to try and knock a run in from second base, and he remained in the game to catch the final three innings.

"He jumped right up," Torre said. "He's a real good team player. Certainly, he's very valuable for us. We have to try to take as good care of him as we can."

A heavy workload figures to await Posada as the Yankees play out an important stretch of their schedule, with six games in six days against the Mets and Red Sox after they leave Chicago early Thursday evening.

Posada said that retaining freshness is not a concern.

"I go one day at a time and just get as much [rest] as I can," Posada said. "Joe's been very good at trying to give me a day here and there."

Kyle criticizes: Kyle Farnsworth spoke his mind regarding Roger Clemens' unique contract perks in a Chicago-area radio interview Thursday morning.

Farnsworth was a guest on Chicago's 670 AM The Score, where he suggested that the so-called "family plan" Clemens has access to could cause "friction" in the clubhouse.

Clemens may be permitted to leave the team to attend to personal matters from time to time when he joins the Yankees later this month or in early June.

"As far as being a team player, I think everybody should be here, whether they're pitching or not," Farnsworth said. "I just think that if you're part of the team, you should be part of the team."

Farnsworth said he did not blame Clemens for having the plan incorporated into his pro-rated one-year, $28 million contract. He didn't back off the comments, saying that he'd been asked his opinion and spoken his mind.

"[Clemens] is going to be here to help the team win," Farnsworth said. "As far as everything that everybody is worried about, and if it's going to cause a problem, we'll see. I don't think it will. We're all professionals here."

Two no gos: Based upon how Jason Giambi handled the bone spur in his left foot as a designated hitter in Wednesday's nightcap, Torre said he was not inclined to believe that the slugger will be available to play first base this weekend as the Yankees take on the Mets.

Because of the lack of a designated hitter in National League parks, Giambi will be relegated to a pinch-hitter for most of the weekend, though the disabled list is still not considered a possibility.

Torre said a best-case scenario could be for Giambi to be available to pinch-hit late in games -- perhaps on Sunday -- and offer a few innings in the field.

"It feels 100 times better than it did before," Giambi said after Thursday's loss. "At least when I wake up in the morning, I can walk on it."

Torre also gave Johnny Damon -- who said he is still feeling slight effects from a strained right calf -- the afternoon off on Thursday.

"They're still not loose as a goose, as you'd like to have them," Torre said.

Melky Cabrera took over in center field. Torre said he noticed in the late innings of Wednesday's second game that Cabrera still had a bit of a spring in his step, despite playing in both halves of the twin bill.

Clippard in for Sunday? The Yankees plan to call up a Minor League pitcher for Sunday's start, Torre said, and the primary candidate appears to be right-hander Tyler Clippard.

Clippard, 22, was lifted from his start Thursday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre at Norfolk after just one inning, in which he struck out three and walked one. Clippard is 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A.

The rotation fell into a state of flux with Tuesday's rainout at Chicago, forcing Mike Mussina and Chien-Ming Wang to both pitch on Wednesday. The Yankees did not want to bring back Mussina on three days' rest and, after brief consideration, decided against doing the same with Wang, who threw 91 pitches in a victory Wednesday evening.

Asked about Clippard's early exit following Thursday's game, Torre did not commit to Clippard as the candidate to be called up but said that he is "certainly one of the considerations."

Off the shelf: Scott Proctor returned to duty in the Yankees bullpen, his four-game suspension complete. Proctor -- who was fined $1,500 for throwing at the Mariners' Yuniesky Betancourt -- announced in Seattle that he would drop his appeal so that he could be available for the series against the Mets and Red Sox.

Coming up: The Subway Series is here again, as the Yankees return home to New York and open a three-game weekend set with the Mets at Shea Stadium.

Left-hander Andy Pettitte (2-2, 2.68 ERA) gets the call in the first game Friday, with left-hander Oliver Perez (4-3, 3.00 ERA) squaring off for the Mets. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET on the YES Network.