[轉錄] Bombs a-way as Yanks roll
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Bombs a-way as Yanks roll
Alex's pair power rout of Royals
BY ANTHONY McCARRON
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
In the often odd relationship between Alex Rodriguez and Yankee fans,
this amounted to a love letter. Rodriguez was standing in the batter's
box in the sixth inning yesterday with runners on second and third when
loud booing broke out because Royals catcher John Buck held his arm out,
giving the pitcher the time-honored "walk him" sign.
Rodriguez already had hit two homers in the game and the 54,216 in the
Stadium stands wanted another to cap the Yankees' splurge. They didn't
get what they wanted, but A-Rod might have - an indication of
appreciation from the fans who often cheer the hardest for other Yankee
stars.
Rodriguez said later that he doesn't listen in those moments because he
is trying to focus. But there's no question he deserved accolades. He was
2-for-3 with his 12th and 13th homers of the season, leading the Yankees
to a 15-4 rout. In addition, Rodriguez had another walk and scored four
times.
"Alex has been hot lately," Joe Torre said. "I'm just happy for him
because I know how much it means to him. ... When you're counted on to do
so much on a regular basis, you feel that pressure. He's having a lot
more fun with it now."
The Yanks also got huge contributions from hitters they don't normally
rely on - Miguel Cairo and Kelly Stinnett. Cairo tied his career high
with four hits and knocked in three runs and Stinnett hit his first homer
as a Yankee and drove in four. Melky Cabrera, who seems to be gaining
confidence daily at the plate, was 2-for-4 with three RBI, meaning the
7-8-9 hitters were 9-for-13 with 10 RBI.
"It's great to have guys who don't normally get a lot of attention do
enormous work for us," Torre said. "You have the pleasant surprises and
you need that. We're so used to guys who get a lot of attention. We need
everybody's contribution, so this was big."
Chien-Ming Wang (5-2) allowed seven hits and four runs in seven innings,
going deep into the game and providing rest of a weary bullpen. Torre has
been worried that he's overusing certain relievers - Scott Proctor, for
one - and he was determined to stay away from calling on either Proctor
or Kyle Farnsworth yesterday.
Wang gave the Yankees "some length," as Torre put it, allowing those
relievers to rest. Ron Villone and Scott Erickson tossed a scoreless
inning apiece instead.
"That's what we wanted going in," Torre said of Wang's performance. "We
needed seven innings, minimum. It was very important to stay away from
the bullpen. ... We've gone to them so much, it's a concern."
Wang was brilliant early, retiring the first 11 batters he faced while
the Yankees walloped Kansas City lefty Jeremy Affeldt, who entered the
game with a 6.51 ERA. The Yanks scored three times in the second and five
times in the third and kayoed Affeldt early in what became a six-run
sixth.
"We were relentless," Rodriguez said. "After (Friday's loss), it was
imperative to get out and step on them."
Affeldt (2-5) gave up 11 hits and a career-worst 10 runs in 51/3 innings,
following up six runs in 3-1/3 innings he surrendered in the Bronx on
April 12. Affeldt and the rest of the Royals have been just as bad
wherever they've gone this season - they're now 3-21 on the road.
The Yankees bludgeon most lefty starters, though, and improved to 12-3 in
games started by lefthanders this season. They are 9-0 at the Stadium
against southpaws, the best home start in franchise history against
lefties.
Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the third and a solo shot in the fifth,
giving him 41 career multihomer games, 38 of them with two homers. He
also has four home runs in his last five games and said he "found
something in Boston working with Donnie (Mattingly)."
"I can hit," Rodriguez said. "I've been doing it a long time. Just a
little rhythm, for the most part. It's just a matter of relaxing, not
trying to do too much."
Originally published on May 28, 2006
--
You always knew. "But I, being poor, have only my dreams.
I have spread my dreams under your feet.
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams." I assume you dream, Preston.
--
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