Sweet 16

In the 100th game of the season, the Yankees handed the Mariners their 16th straight loss — a 10-3 shellacking. The win, which featured a 1 hour and 57 minute rain delay, put the Yanks 20 games over .500 (60-40) for the first time all year.

The offense violated Seattle pitching all night; seven different players scored a run while five players drove in a run.

Tex (2-for-4; 3 RBI) slugged his 99th home run as a Yankee (27th on the year) and now has two homers in his last four games after going 17 straight without any dingers. His average is a tad low (.243) but he is certainly not short on power. Plus he’s absolutely dirty on defense.

Jeet (2-for-5; 3 RBI; 2 R) got the two hardest parts of the cycle for hits #3,016 and 3,017. His triple was the 63rd of his career, which moves him into sole possession of 17th place on the franchise list. His homer was just the fourth of the season, however, Jeet was hitting .260 when he went on the DL but since returning he’s 23-for-72 (.319). He may not have much power left but he seems to have found his stroke. He even made a great play in the field…though it’s debatable if the runner was actually out.

Grandy scored and drove in a pair of runs for his 22nd multi-RBI game of the season, which established a career high with his 76th RBI.

Eddie Nunez and Gardy both went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI, and also made a nice defensive play. Eddie is now 6-for-14 on the homestand. Gardy has been raking lately as well; on April 27 he was hitting .145 but has since went 79-for-244 (.324) to raise his average to .288 on the season.

It could have been a whole different game but the Yanks lucked out with a five-run (four of ’em unearned) fourth inning in which they sent nine men to the plate. It may have been a 1-2-3 inning but, with one out, Martin reached on an error by Adam Kennedy and Andruw Jones was called safe even though replays clearly showed he was out. The team capitalized from there.

Cano and Martin were the only Jabronis without a hit, though Martin did score.

The pitching was great as well. Fabulous Freddy (9-7) went 7 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts to one walk. He threw 98 pitches with 68 going for strikes. He looked great…again.

Boone Logan struck out the two batters he faced and, making his ML debut, Steve Garrison retired the two batters he faced. Let the South Park jokes commence!

If the M’s hope to snap their losing streak, they may have to wait a day. CC is going on Tuesday and there’s virtually no chance of them beating him. But now that I’ve said that Doug Fister will probably throw a no-hitter or something. First pitch is at 7:05 and can be seen on My9.

Other news:

• A-Rod is progressing nicely in his recovery from knee surgery and could return to the team by mid-August.
• So threw another minor league game tonight (back-to-back games). He had his first 1-2-3 inning since Opening Day — 11 pitches with eight for strikes (1 K). He came out healthy and will most likely be activated on Wednesday, and if not Wednesday then definitely Friday. He said he doesn’t care what role he has in the bullpen upon activation, which is good because D-Rob should own the eighth inning from now on.
• Chavez will be activated on Tuesday. He was chilling in the dugout during the game.
• SuperNova will throw a simulated game tonight, if he’s OK he will probably start one game of a day-night doubleheader against the O’s on July 30. If he’s not OK Adam Warren will start in his place.
• The Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Yanks or Sox. The Yanks wanted him this off season but the botched Cliff Lee deal got in the way.