Yankees postgame notes after their win

It came out after this 8-3 win over the Rockies that Alex Rodriguez has been playing on a sore right knee since hurting it last Sunday night while running the bases against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Joe Girardi had a chance to pull him with a 6-0 lead after seven in this latest game, and he took advantage of it.


A-Rod might be hobbled a bit, but he hasn’t let it bother him at the plate. He knocked in three runs with two hits, so he now has at least one RBI in five straight games and 50 for the season. He’s batting .545 (12 for 22) in his last six, with at least one hit in each game, and .408 in his last 14.

”He comes to play every day, and that’s what great players do,” Girardi said. “You’ve got to find a way to fight through the little nicks that you have in the course of the season.”

CC Sabathia turned in another inspired performance in winning his third straight start and becoming the first pitcher in the majors to win 10 games – eight innings, one run, seven hits, one walk, nine Ks.

The lefty matched Chien-Ming Wang for the fastest to 50 wins among Yankees pitchers over these last 30 years. This was Sabathia’s 85th start in 2 1/2 seasons. He’s also the fifth Yankees pitcher in the last 60 years to win No. 50 and have fewer than 20 losses. This season, the Yankees have scored at least seven runs for him eight times. Also, he has gone at least seven innings 11 times in 17 starts, often taking the burden off a banged-up bullpen.

Yankees snapped their two-game skid and have won 11 of 15.

“I feel the past week we’ve been playing outstanding baseball,” Nick Swisher said.


The Yankees are up to a major-league-best 21-4 in day games as opposed to 23-27 at night.

“It’s probably a lot of luck,” Gardner said.  That is a really weird stat and I don't know what to make of it. 

Curtis Granderson scored two runs and leads the majors with 68. He has scored at least one time in seven straight games, which is one away from his career high. He’s also batting .295 in home games.  He is like a completely different players since changing his swing last season.  This season he is just on a tear though and it is fun to watch. 

Jorge Posada had a season-high-tying three hits and has now hit safely in 10 of his 11 starts, batting .405 over the span.  Ever since he sat out that one game he has been a different player.  I don't know if that helped him clear his mind or get everything off of his chest but whatever happened it worked.  I also think his son having surgery and being ok has helped. 

Nick Swisher went 2 for 3 with a sac fly and is now batting .315 in his last 27 games, raising his average from .204 to .245.  They needed Swisher to start hitting because he is a fun guy in the clubhouse but they couldn't have him batting 200. 

Sunday is Old-Timers’ Day. They will take batting practice starting at 10 a.m. The ceremonies begin at 11:30, followed by the Old-Timers’ game. The regularly scheduled games is down for 2:20.  It is always a fun day and Joe Torre, Bernie Williams and Lou Piniella will be making their first Old Timers appearances.  Torre was at Yankee Stadium for the unveiling of the Steinbrenner Monument but this will be the first real appearance for him as he will be announced and get a hand and all of that.  He last managed in 2007 with the Yankees and left in a not so good way, the organization and he have mended fences though and it should be a great day.