MLB Recaps: Panic In New York Part Deux

10 Rangers, 3 Yankees

This series should be over by now to be honest, if not for a huge blunder by Ron Washington in game 1, there wouldn't need to be a game 5. The Rangers have to have a lot of pressure off of them knowing if they lose the next 2, they have the fail safe option in Cliff Lee for game 7.

Bengie Molina hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off A.J. Burnett in the sixth inning, Josh Hamilton added a pair of solo drives to give him four in four games and the Rangers battered the Yankees 10-3 Tuesday night for a 3-1 ALCS lead.

Burnett was the big question coming into the game and did alright until the 6th. He went 6 innings, let up 5 and struck out 4. He just hasn't had it this year. But for the Rangers and Bob's sake, Derek Holland bailed out Tommy Hunter and pitch 3.2 innings and only allowed 1 hit.

Game 5 will be CC vs CJ Wilson.

3 Giants, 0 Phillies
Matt Cain pitched a hell of a game as he went 7 innings, let up 2 hits and struck out 5.

Cody Ross is amazing and the Phillies worst nightmare.

Red Sox 5, Phillies 2 (13 Inn)

The Sox are looking insanely good these days. Jon Lester and Josh Beckett have been unstoppable. Ortiz is hitting. Drew is hitting. And the bullpen is deeper than Salvador Dali preaching on acid.

Lester struck out 11 in 7 innings of work. He was robbed of his 6th win, but I don't think he minds much. In his last three starts, he's tossed 22 innings, and allowed only 3 earned (1.23 ERA).

Razor Ramon Ramirez did allow that atomic shot off Ryan Howard's bat. But Howard's victimized 18 other pitchers this season, so nothing to be ashamed of there. Ramirez did settle down and keep it a 2-2 game.

Then the depth of the Sox pen became apparent. Remember, this was a night off for Papelbon, and the Sox pen still came through. Masterson for 7 outs, Saito for 2, then Bard for the last 3. Bard struck out the side in the 13th for his first Major League save.

This is the 4th straight series the Sox have had against a division leading team (at the start of the series). So far in that stretch, Boston is 8-2. Very impressive stuff.

Saturday night Daisuke faces my favorite player in the universe: Antonio BASTARDO! But seriously, Bastardo is 2-0 with a 2.95 ERA.



-The Commodore