More like BaltiLESS

AMIRITE?

Behind a phenomenal pitching performance from CC, the bats exploded en route to a 13-2 route of the Orioles. New York now owns a 6-0 lead in the season series. There’s nothing like a series with the O’s to cure a case of the RISP fails; they went 6-for-13 in such situations tonight. It should be more of the same as the Loser Mets come to town for three games this weekend.

CC (4-3) went eight scoreless innings and gave up seven hits with a season-high nine strikeouts and no walks. He threw 109 pitches and 84 of them went for strikes. In the process he passed Frank Viola for sole possession of 84th place on the all-time strikeouts list with his 1,846th punch out. The outing matched his longest of the season, he also went eight frames against these same O’s on April 23.

The last time the Yanks had back-to-back starts of eight-plus scoreless innings was on 8/27 and 8/28 in 2002 when Boomer and Moose accomplished the feat.

Amauri Sanit came in for the ninth and gave up the shutout, but the game was never in doubt as the Yanks scored five runs in the first inning and never looked back.

This game had pretty much everything: Posada started at first base, Russell Martin made a cameo at third, every starter reached base at least once, every starter — except A-Rod — had a hit, there were three bean balls, and when Cervelli came in to catch in the ninth all three catchers were on the field at the same time. That’s not including AJ pinch-running in yesterday’s game. This two-game series had pretty much every anomaly in the book.

Fun Facts:

• Posada made his 16th career start (29th game overall) at first base. The last time he played first came on July 10, 2008 during an interleague at Pittsburgh. He had only one error in his previous games at first (8/24/00 vs. TEX), 130 chances. He played well today — including no errors — as the Yanks moved 6-10 with him at the position. WATCH YOUR BACK TEX!!!!!
• Since Posada asked out of that game on Saturday, he’s reached base in seven of 10 plate appearances. However, he flied out hitting righty in the eighth and is now 0-for-25 against lefties this season.
• Jeter went 2-for-6 with a double, a triple, two runs and an RBI. He is now 30 hits away from 3,000. With his performance, he passed Jesse Burkett for sole possession of 24th place on MLB’s all-time list of runs scored (1,709). His triple was the 62nd of his career, which ties him with Phil Rizzuto and Birdie Cree for 16th on the franchise list.
• Swish Dog went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. It was his second multi-RBI game of the season and in fact he managed just three RBI in his previous 17 games. He has two five-RBI games since joining the Yanks — both of which have come against the Orioles.
• The Yanks managed just one extra-base hit in 15 innings last night, but had two in their first two plate appearances this evening. They finished with eight (three 2B, three 3B, two HR). The last time the team had three triples in a game was on 5/13/09 at Toronto (Pena, Damon and Gardner), and the last time they recorded back-to-back triples — which Gardy and Jeet did in the fourth — was on 4/21/10 in Oakland (A-Rod and Cano). If you were wondering, Grandy had the other triple. For what it’s worth, the team record for triples in a game is five, set on 5/1/34 at Washington. The MLB record for three baggers in one game is nine.
• Cano walked; it was just his eighth walk in 174 plate appearances this season.
• Tex and Eddie Nunez had the homers, and if anyone can inform me of Sterling’s call for Nunez’ I’ll be eternally grateful. Leave it in the comments section if you know, please.

As I mentioned earlier, the Loser Mets will come into town for the first leg of the Subway Series. Ricky Keeler will have the preview tomorrow.

Fabulous Freddy will be on the hill in the opener tomorrow night at 7 against RA Dickey.

LET’S GO YANKS!!!