Yanks Smash White Sux

Yanks Crush White Sox, 9-1 after Scoring 8 Runs in the Fourth Inning

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 2- Rebounding from a disappointing and damaging loss to the Orioles on Sunday, that featured a seven run seventh inning by the Birds that overcame a 3-0 Yankee lead, the Yanks humiliated an inferior Chicago White Sox club on Monday by scoring eight times in the fourth frame.

With one out in the top of the second on Monday, soaking rains fell on Yankee Stadium that interrupted the contest for one hour and 53 minutes.

Prior to the coming of the rain, a lead-off double by Brett Gardner that was followed by an RBI single by Derek Jeter led to the first Yankee run. Jeter’s hit was his 3,313th, which tied him with Eddie Collins, whose career in the majors began 107 years ago, for ninth place in the MLB career hit parade.

Thirteen Yankee players came to the plate in the fourth. The first eight reached base successfully against reliever Dylan Axelrod before the first out of the inning was recorded. Seven of the batters got hits and one was walked. Two errors by the White Sox kept the inning alive so that all eight base runners were able to cross the plate. The eight runs scored was the 2013 Yankee high for runs in a single inning.

The only White Sox run of the contest was scored by a solo home run in the seventh by Paul Konerko, the 432nd of his career in the majors. The veteran raised his consecutive game hitting streak against New York to 12.

After the rain delay ended, David Huff replaced starter Phil Hughes on the mound for the Yanks. He lefty made his lengthiest appearance in pinstripes as he remained in the game for 5.2 innings. He was highly effective, yielding only five hits and one run, the Konerko homer.

Although this was his longest relief appearance, he had made 12 starts earlier in the season with Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he said he was throwing ‘100-110 pitches.”

He told reporters, he was willing to do whatever was necessary to help the team, “Whatever he [Girardi] needs, I try to be ready for it. I know my role now is to be in the bullpen. I’m going to make sure I’m always ready.”

Thus far, he has been ready. Huff has hurled 16 innings in six appearances and has only surrendered two earned runs.

Notes-Two Yankees newcomers made their major league debut on Labor Day. After missing all of the 2012eason and the first two months of 2013 with a fractured left elbow, 24 year-old Cesar Cabral came in to pitch the eighth. After the contest, he admitted, “I was a little nervous.”

He had only joined the club two days ago. The Dominican native said that several of his Yankee teammates and fellow countrymen, Robinson Cano, Alfonso Soriano, Ivan Nova and Eduardo Nuñez talked to him and made him feel more comfortable.

He gave up a single, threw a wild pitch, but fanned two batters. He remarked that the inning “gave me confidence.”

Catcher J.R. Murphy, 22, pinch hit for Cano in the eighth. He didn’t know of his appearance until he heard the announcement. He described his emotions, “I was pretty nervous. After I took the first pitch, I was okay.” He beat out a ground ball that was scored a hit. He said, “They’re [my parents] here. The whole section was going crazy.”

As a keepsake, he explained, “Joe [Girardi] gave me the lineup card.” He hadn’t yet been given the baseball.

The two new Yankees raised the number of Yankees who played this year to 52, a new franchise record.

A pitchers’ duel is expected on Tuesday night as Hiroki Kuroda (11-10) will face Chris Sale (10-12). The won/loss marks of both are deceptive as each has an ERA under 3.00.