Game 20: Apr 27, 1999 (L: 7-6)[ Previous Game | Next Game ]
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Game 20: Apr 27, 1999 (L: 7-6)
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Game Commentary
Game Recap
Game Photos
Box/Line Score
Game Log
Commentary (by me)
In the middle of the first inning, I was thinking - Where was this in
October? Then at the end of the game, I was thinking Nevermind,
had the same result as October.
I went to this game last night, and one the way to the game I mentioned to my wife that I was expecting a loss, but I thought it'd be a good game. I got both. The Rangers lost, but damn, this was a great game, if you're a fan of baseball. It had a bit of evertyhing. Big bang inning, several comebacks, a couple of long balls, some small ball, it was a great damn game. The place was packed - an attendance of 42,600. I've been to larger crowds, but never for a weekday night game. Those usually are in the low 30's. This was also Tuesday night which meant Tom Thumb half price ticket night, and I'm sure the Yankee fans were in attendance. It really seemed like there were a lot more Yankee fans out last night than there were at the playoff game last October (which I also went to - and sat through the whole 3.5 hr rain delay all the way to the end of the game).
Now, as a Ranger fan, this game both sucked and was great. Boy did Roger Clemens get booed when they announced his name in the lineup, and when he took the field. What was interesting is that the Yankee fans were also cheering him, of course. Was an interesting reaction, but the boos were bigger. The Rangers jumped all over the Rocket in the first inning. We batted around, scored 5 runs, and generally made Clemens seem like oh, I don't know Bobby Witt did last year. :) Clemens settled down in the second inning, but that was it for him. He came out after the second, which seemed like a surprise at the park - later on I found out it was a hamstring thing. He was replaced by Hidecki Irabu, who dominated the Rangers. Several of his innings were 1-2-3. In fact, the only thing we managed to break through against him with was a wild pitch that we scored on. That's it. :( The rest of the Yankee pitchers also closed us down, so the Rangers got a big first inning, one small gift, but it wasn't enough.
Ranger pitching was fair. I thought Aaron Sele was crusining along well, until the 5th when Sele gave up a couple. Still, he didn't look that bad, and then in the 6th, it fell apart. Jeff Zimmerman came in (to a big ovation from the crowd), and one run scored on him but that was charged to Sele. But he gave up his own first run, a solo shot to Paul O'Neill. Still, I thought Zimmerman pitched pretty great. Wetteland came in and blew his first save opportunity - he looked really weak from the first pitch. Never got it going, and gave up two runs.
Overall, even though we lost, I can say that I enjoyed the game. The Yankee fans were rather well behaved as Yankee fans go. This is now my fifth game at the Ballpark this season, and they added something new since the last game I attended. The large scoreboard over the left field wall, which used to show the current player's batting average now shows the pitcher's pitch count - total as well as balls/strikes. It's a great help for people who score at the park. The info that used to be here has been displaced to the large Coke scoreboard out in center field. This pitch count scoreboard is in addition to the new scoreboard they added at the start of this season that shows ball speed and type. These things are a great addition for scorers, and if anyone at the Rangers reads this (yeah, right) and has something to do with these changes - way to go! I like them!
Commentary (by Jim Meeks)
No wonder Roger Clemens chose the Yankees in the off-season over the Rangers.
Clemens was battered in the first inning Tuesday, pulled his hamstring and left the game
after just two innings, trailing 5-0 to the Rangers.
As I listened to the game, I had this odd feeling - even as the Rangers were up 5-0, that
they would somehow manage to lose the game. My feelings didn't lie.
The Almighty Yankees pecked their way back into the game. Aaron Sele, held the 5-run
cushion for 5.1 innings and Jeff Zimmerman pitched 2.2 and only surrendered a solo homer.
By the time the 9th inning came around it was 6-5.
The surest thing the Rangers have is John Wetteland. And as any manager would have done,
Manager Johnny Oates sent the dominating right hander to the mound to nail down the
victory for Sele in the 9th - and finally put Clemens' 18 game win streak - and the
Yankees - to rest.
It wasn't to be. Wetteland's ex-mates scored twice in the frame.
He began the inning ominously with a walk. Two batters and 2 singles later, the game was
tied 6 to 6. Two batters later, the Yankees went ahead, 7-6.
The Rangers went quietly in the bottom of the ninth and the Yankees gleefully recorded yet
another victory over the Rangers - who just can't seem to beat the Yankees.
Game Recap
ARLINGTON, TEXAS (TICKER) -- Roger Clemens must love his New York Yankees
teammates.
The Yankees erased a five-run deficit to get Clemens off the hook and keep alive his
American League record-tying 17-game winning streak with a 7-6 victory over the Texas
Rangers.
Clemens was slammed for five runs in the first inning and lasted only three more outs
before giving way to a stiff hamstring and much-maligned Hideki Irabu. While Irabu limited
the Rangers to a run and three hits in five innings with a walk and five strikeouts, the
Yankees chipped away and finally took the lead in the ninth.
"I tweaked my hamstring in me last start," Clemens said. "I thought I could
go today. I felt strong warming up and in the first inning I got some ground balls early
and then the rest went downhill. It was nice to see the guys come back like they did. That
streak doesn't matter as much as us just winning the game."
"It was good to come back and win on a night when Roger had a bad game," Yankees
interim manager Don Zimmer said. "I know he has that streak going. I'm not sure what
is wrong with Clemens. He's not pitching inside anymore. I don't know if he is just not
choosing to throw inside or if he can't. But I feel before long we'll all be seeing the
Clemens we know."
Chuck Knoblauch drew New York's first walk of the game to start the ninth against former
Yankee John Wetteland (0-1) and went to third on Derek Jeter's single. Paul O'Neill
bounced a single to right field that scored Knoblauch to tie it, 6-6.
With runners on the corners and the infield playing in, Bernie Williams was retired on a
groundout. Tino Martinez was intentionally walked but Chili Davis broke the tie with a
sacrifice fly to left.
"Obviously, you can't start off an inning like that," Wetteland said of the walk
to Knoblauch. "Regardless of who drove in who, that was the biggest at-bat of the
night and I failed to get it done.
"It was a strange night. In the pen, everything was down and I go out there and
everything was up. Obviously, I threw a ton of bad pitches."
Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth to earn his fifth save. Former Ranger Mike Stanton
(1-1), who struck out Lee Stevens on four pitches to end the eighth, was credited with the
win.
After a season-opening loss, New York reeled off seven straight wins before dropping four
in a row. But the Yankees have regained their championship form by winning their last six
contests.
The Rangers had a four-game winning streak halted.
O'Neill slugged his fourth homer leading off the seventh to slice the deficit to 6-5. In
the sixth, Martinez scored on shortstop Royce Clayton's error and Joe Girardi singled to
chase starter Aaron Sele for rookie Jeff Zimmerman. Knoblauch, who was 4-for-4, followed
with an RBI single to make it 6-4.
"I'm finally getting the hits to fall in," O'Neill said. "It was
frustrating out there the last couple of weeks."
Said Zimmer, "We had a few guys in the lineup that have not been hitting the ball and
were struggling a little. Tonight they got hits. Martinez got a few hits and Knoblauch was
hitting line drives all over the park."
Sele allowed four runs and 10 hits with five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
In the fifth, Chad Curtis led off with his third homer and Knoblauch started a two-out
rally with a double, scoring on Jeter's single to close the gap to 5-2.
Texas got its only run off Irabu in the bottom of the fifth when Rusty Greer scored on a
wild pitch.
"Irabu came in and shut us down," Texas manager Johnny Oates said. "They
kept pegging aweay and then got a couple of runs off John and that was it."
The Yankees have beaten the Rangers nine of the last 10 meetings, including a sweep in
last season's Division Series.
"We've got to find a way to get over the hump against these guys," Oates said.
"We had some positives, but you've got to play well against them for nine
innings."
Clemens, whose ERA is 5.47, walked Tom Goodwin leading off the game. Mark McLemore and
Greer singled for the first run and Juan Gonzalez walked. Rafael Palmeiro followed with an
RBI single and Ivan Rodriguez plated the third run with a fielder's choice. Todd Zeile
capped the outburst with a two-run double.
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| This guy rocketed out of the game real fast | The Rocket about to set sail to the showers | Hidecki "Fat Bastard" Irabu, who dominated the Rangers last night | Rafael Palmiero going into second base. Too bad his left leg wasn't a bit higher | Derek Jeter scoring the 7th Yankee run in the 9th |
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||
| Mariano Rivera(42) being congratulated by long time Twinkie Chuck Knoblauch |
Line Score
AL FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
NY YANKEES 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 2 7 14 0
TEXAS 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 6 7 1 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: NYY - ROGER CLEMENS, HIDEKI IRABU (3RD), JEFF NELSON
(8TH), MIKE STANTON (8TH), MARIANO RIVERA
(9TH) AND JOE GIRARDI, JORGE POSADA (8TH)
TEX - AARON SELE, JEFF ZIMMERMAN (6TH), JOHN
WETTELAND (9TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
WP - MIKE STANTON (1-1)
LP - JOHN WETTELAND (0-1)
SAVE - MARIANO RIVERA (5)
HOME RUNS: NYY - CHAD CURTIS (3) OFF SELE IN THE 5TH, 0 ON
PAUL ONEILL (4) OFF ZIMMERMAN IN THE 7TH, 0 ON
TEX - NONE
TIME: 3:05 ATT: 42,690
PROBABLES: NYY - ORLANDO HERNANDEZ (3-1, 4.39)
TEX - MARK CLARK (1-2, 8.14)
Box Score
NY YANKEES (7) AT TEXAS (6) - FINAL
NY YANKEES ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
Knoblauch 2b 4 2 4 1 1 0 0 .358
Jeter ss 5 1 2 1 0 1 4 .414
Oneill rf 5 1 3 2 0 1 2 .254
B Williams cf 5 0 0 0 0 2 4 .301
T Martinez 1b 4 1 1 0 1 0 0 .222
C Davis dh 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 .393
Curtis lf 5 1 1 1 0 1 5 .194
Sojo 3b 4 0 0 1 0 0 2 .280
Girardi c 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 .226
a-Posada ph-c 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .129
Totals 40 7 14 7 2 7 17
a-struck out for Girardi in the 8th.
BATTING: 2B - Knoblauch 2 (5, Sele 2); C Davis (5, Sele).
HR - Curtis (3, 5th inning off Sele 0 on, 0 out); Oneill (4, 7th
inning off Zimmerman 0 on, 0 out). SF - C Davis. RBI - Curtis (6),
Jeter (15), Sojo (1), Knoblauch (10), Oneill 2 (18), C Davis (20).
2-out RBI - Jeter. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out -
B Williams 2, Curtis 2. GIDP - Jeter. Team LOB - 9.
TEXAS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
T Goodwin cf 4 1 0 0 1 0 1 .200
Mclemore 2b 5 1 1 0 0 1 0 .303
Greer lf 3 2 1 1 1 0 0 .321
J Gonzalez rf 3 1 2 0 1 1 0 .282
R Palmeiro dh 4 0 1 1 0 2 2 .292
I Rodriguez c 4 1 0 1 0 1 5 .284
Zeile 3b 3 0 1 2 1 1 1 .246
L Stevens 1b 4 0 1 0 0 1 1 .333
Clayton ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .115
a-Alicea ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .194
Totals 34 6 7 5 4 7 12
a-grounded to pitcher for Clayton in the 9th.
BATTING: 2B - Zeile (6, Clemens); J Gonzalez (5, Irabu).
RBI - Greer (13), R Palmeiro (12), I Rodriguez (14), Zeile 2 (13).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - Clayton 1, I Rodriguez 1.
Team LOB - 5.
BASERUNNING: SB - I Rodriguez (3, 2nd base off Clemens/Girardi).
FIELDING: E - Clayton (2, bobble). DP: 1 (Zeile-L Stevens).
NY YANKEES ip h r er bb so hr era
Clemens 2 4 5 5 2 0 0 5.47
Irabu 5 3 1 1 1 5 0 5.79
Nelson 2/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 5.19
Stanton (W, 1-1) 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 7.20
M Rivera (S, 5) 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.89
TEXAS ip h r er bb so hr era
Sele 5 1/3 10 4 4 0 5 1 3.90
Zimmerman (H, 2) 2 2/3 2 1 1 0 2 1 0.66
Wetteland (L, 0-1; BS, 1) 1 2 2 2 2 0 0 4.32
WP - Irabu. IBB - T Martinez (by Wetteland). Pitches-strikes:
Sele 73-54; Zimmerman 32-21; Wetteland 24-10; Clemens 53-29;
Irabu 71-49; Nelson 16-8; Stanton 4-3; M Rivera 12-9. Ground
balls-fly balls: Sele 7-4; Zimmerman 5-1; Wetteland 1-2; Clemens 4-2;
Irabu 2-8; Nelson 0-1; Stanton 0-0; M Rivera 3-0. Batters faced:
Sele 27; Zimmerman 9; Wetteland 7; Clemens 12; Irabu 19; Nelson 3;
Stanton 1; M Rivera 3.
UMPIRES: HP--Chuck Meriwether. 1B--Dale Ford. 2B--Jim Evans.
3B--Larry Mccoy.
T--3:05. Att--42,690. Weather: 84 degrees, clear. Wind: 7 mph,
out to right.
AL NY YANKEES AT TEXAS
NOTE: NEW YORK STARTING PITCHER ROGER CLEMENS LEFT THE GAME
AFTER THE SECOND INNING WITH STIFFNESS IN HIS LEFT
HAMSTRING.
Game Log
Ny Yankees Starting Lineups -- Chuck Knoblauch 2B, Derek Jeter SS, Paul Oneill RF,
Bernie Williams CF, Tino Martinez 1B, Chili Davis DH, Chad Curtis LF, Luis Sojo 3B, Joe
Girardi C, Roger Clemens RHP.
Texas Starting Lineups -- Tom Goodwin CF, Mark Mclemore 2B, Rusty Greer LF, Juan Gonzalez
RF, Rafael Palmeiro DH, Ivan Rodriguez C, Todd Zeile 3B, Lee Stevens 1B, Royce Clayton SS,
Aaron Sele RHP.
Umpires -- C Meriwether (HP), Ford (1B), Evans (2B), L Mccoy (3B).
Gametime Weather: 84 degrees, Clear, wind out to right at 7 mph.
NY YANKEES 1ST: Knoblauch doubled to left. Jeter grounded out to second, Knoblauch to
third. Oneill grounded out to pitcher. B Williams struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0
Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 0.
TEXAS 1ST: T Goodwin walked. Mclemore singled to right, T Goodwin to third. Greer singled
to center, T Goodwin scored, Mclemore to third. J Gonzalez walked, Greer to second. R
Palmeiro singled to right, Mclemore scored, Greer to third, J Gonzalez to second. I
Rodriguez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Greer scored, J Gonzalez to third,
R Palmeiro out at second. I Rodriguez stole second. Zeile doubled to deep left center, J
Gonzalez and I Rodriguez scored. L Stevens grounded out to second, Zeile to third. Clayton
grounded out to shortstop. (5 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
NY YANKEES 2ND: T Martinez flied out to shallow center. C Davis singled to shallow left.
Curtis struck out swinging. Sojo popped out to shallow left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY
YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
TEXAS 2ND: T Goodwin flied out to deep center. Mclemore grounded out to first. Greer flied
out to shallow center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
NY YANKEES 3RD: Girardi struck out swinging. Knoblauch singled to right. Jeter struck out
looking. Oneill struck out looking. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
TEXAS 3RD: Hideki Irabu relieved Roger Clemens. J Gonzalez singled to shallow center. R
Palmeiro struck out looking. I Rodriguez flied out to right. Zeile struck out looking. (0
Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
NY YANKEES 4TH: B Williams grounded out to second. T Martinez grounded out to third. C
Davis flied out to shallow left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
TEXAS 4TH: L Stevens grounded out to first. Clayton flied out to deep center. T Goodwin
flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 0, TEXAS 5.
NY YANKEES 5TH: Curtis homered to right center. Sojo grounded out to third. Girardi
grounded out to shortstop. Knoblauch doubled to left. Jeter singled to center, Knoblauch
scored. Oneill singled to left, Jeter to second. B Williams grounded into fielder's choice
to shortstop, Oneill out at second. (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 2, TEXAS 5.
TEXAS 5TH: Mclemore grounded out to second. Greer walked. J Gonzalez doubled to right,
Greer to third. Greer scored, J Gonzalez to third on Irabu wild pitch. R Palmeiro struck
out swinging. I Rodriguez lined out to right. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 2, TEXAS
6.
NY YANKEES 6TH: T Martinez singled to right. C Davis doubled to right, T Martinez to
third. Curtis lined out to third. Sojo safe at first on shortstop Clayton's fielding
error, T Martinez scored. Girardi singled to right, C Davis to third, Sojo to second. Jeff
Zimmerman relieved Aaron Sele. Knoblauch singled to left, C Davis scored, Sojo to third,
Girardi to second. Jeter grounded into double play, third to first, Girardi out at third.
(2 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Error) NY YANKEES 4, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 6TH: Zeile flied out to right center. L Stevens singled to right. Clayton flied out
to right. T Goodwin lined out to left. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 4, TEXAS 6.
NY YANKEES 7TH: Oneill homered to left center. B Williams struck out looking. T Martinez
grounded out to first. C Davis popped out to shortstop. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) NY
YANKEES 5, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 7TH: Mclemore struck out swinging. Greer lined out to center. J Gonzalez struck out
swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 5, TEXAS 6.
NY YANKEES 8TH: Curtis grounded out to second. Sojo grounded out to third. Posada hit for
Girardi. Posada struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 5, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 8TH: Posada catching. Jeff Nelson relieved Hideki Irabu. R Palmeiro popped out to
shortstop. I Rodriguez struck out swinging. Zeile walked. Mike Stanton relieved Jeff
Nelson. L Stevens struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 5, TEXAS 6.
NY YANKEES 9TH: John Wetteland relieved Jeff Zimmerman. Knoblauch walked. Jeter singled to
left center, Knoblauch to third. Oneill singled to right, Knoblauch scored, Jeter to
third. B Williams grounded out to third, Oneill to second. T Martinez intentionally
walked. C Davis hit sacrifice fly to left, Jeter scored, Oneill to third, T Martinez to
second. Curtis flied out to center. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 7, TEXAS 6.
TEXAS 9TH: Mariano Rivera relieved Mike Stanton. Alicea hit for Clayton. Alicea grounded
out to pitcher. T Goodwin grounded out to third. Mclemore grounded out to second. (0 Runs,
0 Hits, 0 Errors) NY YANKEES 7, TEXAS 6.