Abreu's five RBIs lift Yanks past Rays

Abreu's five RBIs lift Yanks past Rays
Right fielder belts go-ahead homer; Wang notches 10th win
By Dawn Klemish / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Yankees did a lot of things right on Friday. Everything but win, that is, after a big inning doomed them. On Saturday, New York made sure to redeem itself.

It was much the same scenario on Saturday as it was one night prior, with New York down three early after its starter battled through a rocky frame. The Yankees weren't about to go down without a fight two nights in a row.

Thanks to Bobby Abreu, they didn't have to.

"Last year, when we got him, he was such a perfect fit for what we do," manager Joe Torre said of Abreu, who had five RBIs in the Yankees' 6-4 win over the Rays on Saturday at Tropicana Field. "And tonight was another example. It was a great game for him."

Abreu had bases-loaded RBI groundouts in the third and seventh innings to push across runs, and added a go-ahead two-run shot to left field in the fifth to lead New York's charge. The icing on the cake was his ninth-inning run-scoring double.

"It was such a good day," Abreu said. "I felt very good out there and helped the team win, I think that's what really mattered."

But it's kind of been like that for the right fielder, who's hit 5-for-11 since the All-Star break with a pair of home runs and seven RBIs. Already enjoying a productive second half, he has proven himself a big key to the Yankees' success this season. Consider this: Abreu's hitting .377 (66-for-175) with six homers and 40 RBIs when New York wins, and just .158 (25-for-158) with one home run and nine RBIs over their 44 losses.

"Of course [the lineup's] stronger," said Abreu's teammate Derek Jeter, who went 2-for-5 on the night. "He's as good as it comes."

It's the biggest difference in averages between victories and defeats in the Majors among those who qualify, and don't think this fact has escaped Torre.

"He's so important for us," Torre said Friday. "He knows he's important. He's really important."

Also crucial in Saturday night's victory was Chien-Ming Wang, who gathered his composure nicely after an ugly first frame. The righty yielded three runs on four hits (two doubles) in the first inning, and things looked dismal for a while.

It didn't take him long to correct his problem, though. Wang plowed through the Rays' lineup after the first. He retired 16 of the next 17 hitters he faced, including a string of 11 consecutive outs that ended when Delmon Young singled to left with two outs in the sixth inning.

"We held Wang to get the lead," Abreu said. "And we all know that when he has the lead, he feels more comfortable and dominates the game more."

Yet things nearly fell apart for Wang after Young's hit in the sixth. He allowed another single and then hit Ty Wigginton with a pitch to load the bases and get the bullpen hopping, but froze Jonny Gomes on a 2-2 sinker to end the inning, and his outing.

He left unscathed and jogged off of the field to a round of raucous applause from the largely pro-Yankees sellout crowd of 36,048.

"That was all [Wang] right there," said Torre, when asked of his decision to leave the righty to work through the sixth. "If he would've walked Gomes, where it showed he didn't have command, we probably would've gone to [Ron] Villone."

With the 1-2 combo of Wang and Abreu, the Yankees were able to take a 5-3 lead into the eighth. Reliever Kyle Farnsworth left a full-count fastball hanging that Carlos Pena was able to lift into the right-field seats to pull Tampa Bay within one. Farnsworth then walked B.J. Upton and worked Wigginton to a 1-2 count before catcher Jorge Posada cut short Upton's steal attempt for the final out of the eighth.

"That was huge, anything in a close game like that," Torre said. "[The Rays] can run. They can do some things ... Jorge came out of it really well."

There was a bit less nailbiting in the ninth, as veteran closer Mariano Rivera accepted the ball and took 19 pitches to dispose of the Rays en route to his 425th career save. He's now in third place all alone, and just 54 shy of tying Lee Smith for second-most in history.

"I'll save the ball," Rivera said with a smile. "It will be in a good place in my house.

"It's hard to believe [it's been 10 years]. Thank God for this."

Notes: Ailing Cabrera a late scratch

Notes: Ailing Cabrera a late scratch
Outfielder battling flu symptoms; Damon starts in center
By Dawn Klemish / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG -- Melky Cabrera spent most of the day laying on a table inside the training room at Tropicana Field and trying to deal with a nasty set of flu-like symptoms on Saturday afternoon.

The Yankees' center fielder was a late scratch from the lineup and replaced in the field by Johnny Damon, who was slated to hit leadoff.

"I haven't really seen him, and from what I hear, I don't want to," Yankees manager Joe Torre chuckled before the game. "He may be [available] ... We'll see how he recovers from all the stuff the trainer's given him."

On Friday, he went 1-for-5 to extend his career-high hitting streak to 10 games. The switch-hitter's .275 average (75-for-273) was fifth-best on the team heading into Saturday's matchup against the Rays. He had 10 hits in his last 28 at-bats (.357), and 17 in his last 44 (.386).

Cabrera's absence shrunk New York's available bench to two -- Wil Nieves and Miguel Cairo.

"Thank goodness we're in our league," Torre quipped. "It's easier to play with three guys on the bench in the National League. But again, we don't have guys we really would pinch-hit for, so the only time [the short bench] is a concern is if somebody gets hurt."

Myers' mishap: Reliever Mike Myers continues to work with his breaking ball and has made progress, but perhaps not quite as much as he'd like. The left-hander lasted 1/3 of an inning on Friday, and punched out Tampa Bay's Akinori Iwamura, then allowed Carl Crawford's double before getting the hook. Myers threw nine pitches in the outing and was charged with an earned run.

Torre had empathy for the 38-year-old's struggle, and was optimistic things would fall back into place soon.

"He's been fiddling out there, trying to get comfortable and trying to get a good angle on his breaking ball," Torre said. "He's tinkering, and just trying to get comfortable, and I know it's frustrating for him."

Come again? Torre mentioned at the beginning of the four-game series that the Yankees would probably, in the next day or two, whittle down its 13 pitchers. He added that general manager Brian Cashman had been in contact with organizations, but had no further updates on Friday night.

"Cashman's been talking to a lot of teams," Torre said. "We're probably going to stay like this, at least for a little bit until we see if we're going to do something."

Comeback trail: Phil Hughes worked three shutout innings and fanned six along the way for Double-A Trenton on Friday night. The 21-year-old righty was "very pleased" with his second rehab start, and noted that he felt much better command of his fastball than during his first start, at Class A Tampa.

Torre was encouraged with the update he received from Cashman, who was in attendance at Trenton on Friday night, but said he didn't want to rush the youngster.

"[Cashman] could tell it was still really early," Torre said. "Not to say he wasn't good, but from the standing that we're not wondering if we can bring him up now. It's a progression thing."

Quick hits: Darrell Rasner played long toss before Saturday's contest. ... Catcher Jorge Posada will have a scheduled day off on Sunday. meaning Nieves will fill in behind the plate. ... Thursday's homer by Alex Rodriguez marked the third baseman's 150th with the Yankees, achieved in just 557 games. The only players to hit the mark in fewer games were Babe Ruth (411) and Roger Maris (508). ... A-Rod is also the first player since Mickey Mantle (1956) to lead the Majors in runs (79), homers (30) and RBIs (86) at the All-Star break.

Down on the farm: Shelley Duncan and Justin Christian combined to drive in three runs in the 10th inning of Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's 5-2 win over Louisville on Saturday. ... Double-A Trenton's 11-game win streak came to a halt in a 10-inning, 6-5 loss to New Hampshire on Friday, despite a four-RBI night from Juan Miranda. ... Class A Charleston suffered a 3-1 loss to Columbus that snapped the RiverDogs' five-game win streak.

Up next: The Yankees conclude the four-game set at Tampa Bay with a Sunday matinee. Righty Mike Mussina (4-6, 4.62 ERA) will get the ball for New York, and he'll face off against Edwin Jackson (1-9, 7.23). First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m. ET.

Notes: Wang warmly welcomed back

Notes: Wang warmly welcomed back

Another catcher injured; Mussina set for final tune-up

By Dawn Klemish / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- One chair away, Mike Myers cracked jokes. Alex Rodriguez walked across the clubhouse, broke through the crowd, and offered a bear hug and an "I love you, man." One thing was clear on Monday: The Yankees were glad Chien-Ming Wang was back.

The right-hander completed his return on Tuesday when he was officially activated from the disabled list prior to his start against Tampa Bay.

Wang had been mending a strained right hamstring, an injury sustained while running on March 23 and one that doctors guessed would sideline him anywhere from three to six weeks. Seeing Wang on the mound on Tuesday, then, was a best-case scenario for manager Joe Torre.

"We feel physically he's fine, and they say his stuff has been really good," Torre said. "You'll know in the first couple of innings, just by pitch count alone, how he's doing. Normally, he's probably the best on our ballclub in economics, throwing the fewest number of pitches.

"We feel good about it, and I know he's anxious to get back out there."

Wang won 19 games last season for the Yankees and posted a 3.63 ERA. He has made two rehab starts in the Minor Leagues this year but hasn't seen action with New York.

To make room for Wang on the roster, Kevin Thompson was sent to Triple-A Scranton. The right fielder hit .250 with New York. Both hits were doubles, and he also drove in two runs.

"It probably wouldn't hurt [Thompson] to get at-bats," Torre said. "He was filling a gap for us, and he did a good job. He had a lot of tools. Again, he just needs to go play. He's a phone call away if we [need him]."

You're kidding, right? Yet another injury presented itself to the already-afflicted catching corps on Tuesday. Bullpen backstop Mike Borzello suffered what is believed to be a broken middle finger on his catching hand while working a session with injured starter Mike Mussina.

X-rays were taken, but the results were not available before the game.

This is the third injury to Yankees catchers. On Friday, starter Jorge Posada bruised his left thumb while catching Andy Pettitte. The injury forced him to miss two starts. On Sunday, backup catcher Wil Nieves dislocated the same thumb, but trainers were able to put it back into place, allowing him to catch through the eighth inning.

"There's a certain test we have to go through for this," Torre said. "Chances are, if it's broken, we'll just have to use more tape."

In other news: Mussina threw a bullpen session on Monday and will pitch for Double-A Trenton on Friday as a final tune-up prior to rejoining the Yankees in Texas. "I think I'll be fine," Mussina said. "It feels fine, considering it was only [13] days ago." ... Relievers Scott Proctor and Jose Vizcaino were given a day off in the bullpen.

Up next: New York returns to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, where the Yankees play host to Toronto for two games. Pettitte (1-0. 1.78 ERA) will make his fourth start (sixth appearance) for New York. The Blue Jays will counter with righty A.J. Burnett (1-1, 5.57). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.