The A-Team (Yanks 13, Orioles 3)

Today's Yankee lineup looked like this:

Jeter
Damon

Tex

A-Rod

Matsui

Posada
Cano

Swisher

Cabrera

The "A" lineup. To compliment them Girardi sent out the Yankee ace, CC Sabathia, to do battle against the Orioles' ace. This was a game the Yankees almost had to win, not only to avoid the sweep, but also to get some pre-October confidence going again, after losing the first two dreadful games against Baltimore. If the A-Team couldn't win this one, the Yankees would have to look at themselves in the mirror and wonder whether they were really ready for the show.

And for the first few innings, nothing went as planned. It was 3-3 deep into the game. Baltimore was playing, and being managed as though it was a game 7. Yankee frustration mounted.

And then suddenly, the frustration vanished. Elation and a sort of calm that Yankee fans get when they know once again that all is right in Yankee land set in. The Yankees poured it on and flattened another bullpen. And by the 9th inning they had made their statement, salvaged the game, and regained some of that which had been lost in those two hideous defeats against the lowly O's.

Yankee baseball!

How did the frustration vanish, you ask? Today it was Mr. Matsui. God I hope he stays.

AL East magic number: 13
Home field magic number: 15
Games remaining: 19