September 30 – October 1, 2011
Yankee Stadium
The Bronx,  New York

Rain – Rain – Go – Away
The Yankees have had 23 games affected by weather in 2011 with a Major League  most 9 postponed  games  and 13 that experienced delays.  The game total also included a July 18th win at Tampa Bay when a bank of lights went out due to lightening. 

Saturday, October 1st, the Yankees resumed Game one of the 2011 American League Division Series vs. the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium.  The game was picked up from the bottom of the Yankees 2nd inning with the score tied 1-1.  The suspension is the first since the January 2009 rule amendment was passed by the Major League Clubs, providing that all postseason games become suspended games if they are called, regardless of how many innings have been played or the score at the time the game is called.

Yankees pitcher C.C. Sabathia pitched 2 innings of the rain shortened  game on Friday.  On Saturday, at the top of the 3rd inning, Ivan Nova took the mound as the relief pitcher.

Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander pitched one inning of the rain shortened game .  Doug Fister took the mound in relief on Saturday.

Rookie pitcher Ivan Nova went undefeated in his final 16 starts of the season.  His first start in postseason confirmed his effectiveness by pitching 6-1/3 innings of 4 hit ball to Detroit.  Nova became the first Yankees Rookie to earn a win in his postseason debut since Orlando (Duque) Hernandez on 10/10/98, Game 4 of the ALCS in Cleveland.

It was an Ivan Nova and Robinson Cano game.  Cano’s hit  in the 5th inning was thought to be a homerun.  It was reviewed by the Umpires in the Authentication Room.  The ball landed on the ledge of the wall at right centerfield.  It was ruled a double.  In the 6th inning, Robinson Cano broke the game wide open with a grand slam putting the Yankees ahead 8 – 1.  At the top of the 8th inning, Cano  again connected with a double and tied the Yankees postseason franchise record of  6 RBIs.

Jorge Posada played in his 121st postseason game, tying Bernie Williams for second place all time behind Derek Jeter with 148. 

50,940 fans in attendance – the largest single game attendance in the 3 year history of the current  Yankee Stadium.
Final score Yankees 9 – Detroit 3
Winning Pitcher: Ivan Nova
Losing Pitcher: Doug Fister
Time of the game 3:26

September 29, 2011
Yankee Stadium
The Bronx, New York

The Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
2011 American League Division Series

Major League Baseball Division play began in 1969 and it has been like home for the New York Yankees.

The Yankees celebrate their third season at the new Yankee Stadium with home field advantage, thus playing Game One of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium for the third consecutive season. The Yankees have clinched the AL Division title for the 12th time in the last 16 seasons.  They have won the ALDS title 17 times.

Credit Joe Girardi as the sixth Yankees skipper to lead the club to three consecutive postseason appearances, joining Miller Huggins, Joe McCarthy, Casey Stengel, Ralph Houk and Joe Torre.

Joe Girardi acknowledges the Tigers as a complete team, very sound fundamentally. He stated that their starting rotation is good, their bullpen is good and they have left-handers in their bullpen.  “Detroit’s line-up is very good and it’s deep”. “We know how tough our opponent is, it’s going to be a tough series”.

Detroit Tigers Manager, veteran Jim Leyland offered his take on the teams. “We opened the season here at Yankee Stadium and we’re a bit of a different ballclub since that time.  We think we’re a better ballclub.  Certainly I think we’re a very good opponent”.

Two season issues were again hi-lighted during Manager Joe Girardi’s Press Conference; Alex Rodriguez health “not being there yet” and Jorge Posada as DH. Regarding A-Rod the manager assured the media in 12 easy words “I have no doubt that he’s healthy enough to play every day.

With Detroit using four right-hand starters, on the topic of DH and Jorge Posada, Girardi replied, “our intent is to use Jorgie as our DH”.

In the Yankees Clubhouse, I had the opportunity to question the former Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, following their routine practice session.

It’s a little bit of baseball with a bilingual flavor.
Es Un Poquito de Beisbol Con Sabor Bilingue.

PREGUNTA – “Jorge, 2011 ha sido una temporada como ninguna otra en tu carrera”.  “Te pudiste adaptar a la pocision de DH y despues, como fue la temporada especial para ti?”
REPUESTA – “Especial por que ahorra mismo estamos a donde tenemos que estar y es la postemporada.  Nosotros estamos bien contentos en lo que podemos hacer y en la situacion en que estamos.  Estoy sumamente contento de que se pueda tener una postemporada con el equipazo que tenemos, porque estamos bien positivos.
PREGUNTA – “Jorge, tu guante de receptor, a donde lo tienes?”
REPUESTA – “(riza) ha ha ha, por ahi esta, por algun lado, muy cerca, muy cerca de mi (riza) ha ha ha”.

September 30th – Game One
LHP CC Sabathia 19-8, 3.00 vs. RHP Justin Verlander 24-5, 2.40

Tuesday, October 6th – It was sudden death for Minnesota for a chance to play the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.  The scrappy Twins and hungry Detroit Tigers played pitch for pitch, hit for hit, miscatch by miscatch to tie the game until the bottom of the 12th inning.

Baseball, inch by inch by inch by inch and Detroit’s Brandon Inge.  Eleventh inning, Inge 9 for 17 during the season with the bases loaded was hit by pitch.  The hit by pitch count did not go his way. Then, he struck out. Turning point of the game?

It was the first tiebreaker to go extra innings.

It was Managers Jimmy Leyland for Tigers and Twins Ron Gardenhire working overtime.  13 pitchers threw for the teams.  Both teams left 12 on base.  Final score Minnesota 6 – 12 hits /Detroit 5 – 12 hits

Orlando Cabrera, veteran major league shortstop, native of Cartagena  Colombia, with seasons of playoff experience was quoted “This is the most unbelievable game I’ve ever played or seen.  Words which were also voiced by Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire.

Ex-New York Mets outfielder from the Dominican Republic Carlos Gomez got a hit in the bottom of the 12 inning, fellow Dominican, infielder Alexi Casilla singled home the winning run to rally past Detroit, completing the colossal collapse of the Tigers.

 The Twins get to play the Yankees.  New York was 7-0 vs.  Minnesota this season.

David will face Goliath.