A-Rod Finds Grand Redemption

Anything can happen in the great game of baseball. One day you're the bug, the next day you're the windshield. One day you're the goat, the next day you're the hero. But the events that transpired at Yankee Stadium over the past 24 hours are something out of Bizarro World. Just a few short hours after a certain blogger - OK, me - slammed A-Rod for his lack of clutch hitting, Rodriguez slammed back with a 2-out, walk-off grannie. It was A-Rod's second long-ball of the game in which he racked up 6 RBI's - all with 2 outs - and threw a double in just for good measure.

Today's enemy of the Bronx was Yankee starter Kei Igawa. Just 12 batters into the game, the boos began. And he heard them again, much louder, after giving up a home run to Mora in the fourth. Igawa lasted just 5 innings giving up 8 hits and 7 earned runs. Igawa was the fourth Yankee starter to go winless. The pinstriped front four have given up 19 ER's in seventeen-and-a-third innings so far. Johnny Damon returned to action as a pinch-hitter and struck out. Hideki Matsui left the game in the fourth with a hamstring injury.

Oriole fans got a glimmer of hope yesterday, watching their team beat Mussina and the Yankees. The got a solid outing from Loewen and the bullpen held on. Reality came calling today, as Baez and Ray combined for one inning of work, giving up 3 walks, 3 hits and 7 earned runs, squandering a strong start by Steve Trachsel. For the second game in a row, Mora and Markakis carried the offense, and Tejada remained quiet. The series concludes tomorrow with Bedard versus Rasner.