New York Yankees’ journey in the 2011 MLB season – Part 4
It seemed that the Yankees had gained what they were looking for since the start of spring training. Their commanding win over the Astros was enough to provide the fans and the administration a chance to feel relaxed.
As the dominating performance was definite moral support for the Yankees, the club hosted one of the strongest pitching rotations of the Philadelphia Phillies for the third time in spring training. Yankees brought Allan James Burnett in competition with
Roy Oswalt on Monday, March 7.
Burnett threw three perfect innings and the Yankees overpowered the Phillies 7-1. Despite coming off a rough 2010 season in which he was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA, Burnett was determined to make his comeback in the 2011 season. He proved it with his first two
spring training starts.
Girardi was pleased with Burnett’s pitching in the second start.
"I thought it was good. I thought it was better than his last start, which is the direction we want all our starters to go in," Girardi said.
The Yankees batting backed Burnett with their perfect hitting exhibition. Eduardo Nunez launched a three-run homer and Curtis Granderson also hammered against the Phillies’ reliable starter Roy Oswalt, who gave away five runs in just over two innings.
Yankees made their first back-to-back wins in spring training and Girardi was pleased to see the sudden improvement in the club. Considering it the best time to test final rotation candidate, Girardi gave a chance to Sergio Mitre against a relatively weak
Baltimore Orioles squad in the second out of the split team competitions.
Mitre impressed Girardi with his three scoreless innings, but the Yankees batting could not take advantage of the perfect start.
"I'm trying to make their decision as hard as possible, as difficult as I can do it," he said.
Facing Zach Britton for the first time in spring training, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez faced trouble. They could manage only four hits against Britton and his company.
Both clubs failed to make a run and the game was tied at 0-0. It was however a satisfying performance for the Yankees fans. The club was heading positively in spring training. They now had gained four wins in eleven games.
Coming up next was the strong team of the Atlanta Braves, who has taken six victories in ten games. Garcia landed at the mound to test his arm, as he managed to toss another scoreless outing and it helped the Yankees snatch a close confrontation with a score
of 5-4.
The game played at Champion Stadium in Kissimmee, Florida on March 8 was the third consecutive win for the Yankees. However, Garcia, Nova, Colon and Mitre were making life very difficult for Girardi. Until then, Girardi was in doubt about who to take or
who to leave.
"There's no separation," Girardi said. "They're going about their business the right way."
Curtis Granderson acquired little but perfect momentum as he launched another two-run triple in the top of the third inning. The Yankees batting was moving in a positive direction. This game opened the bat of Nick Swisher, who scored 2-for-2 to take the
Yankees into their dominating win.
As the Yankees batting is getting better day-by-day, Girardi’s ambition to take the World Series had risen to a maximum.
Continued in Part 5
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