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Rockin' Robin Ventura strikes again as Yanks continue winning waysPosted: Monday May 20, 2002 11:01 PMUpdated: Tuesday May 21, 2002 12:25 AM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Sterling Hitchcock, like the rest of the Yankees' pitchers, can't wait to get on the mound, even on short rest. He knows what's coming from his hitters. "It's just ridiculous, right now, they're swinging so well," he said. Bernie Williams got the Yankees going with a two-run homer in the first inning ad Robin Ventura hit a tiebreaking drive in the seventh that propelled New York to its 12th win in 13 games, 6-3 over the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday night. The Yankees, who have won five in a row, have homered in 12 straight games and have 24 in their last eight, giving them a major league-leading 72. With 12 home runs, Ventura tied Toronto's Carlos Delgado and Texas' Alex Rodriguez for the AL lead. "I don't expect to lead the league in home runs," said Ventura, whose career high is 34. Ventura's drive off Felix Heredia (0-1) clanked off the right-field foul pole. Williams' homer off Brandon Lyon gave the Yankees first-inning runs for the fifth straight game. The win was tempered by back injuries to Orlando Hernandez and David Wells. El Duque was scheduled to start for the Yankees but was scratched because of pain in his upper back, giving Hitchcock his first start of the season.
Wells won't make his scheduled Tuesday start because of pain in his lower back. Mike Mussina was moved up to Tuesday and Ted Lilly to Wednesday, both to pitch on three days' rest. "In all likelihood, if Wells can't pitch Thursday, we're going to need some help from below," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. Hitchcock failed to hold a 2-0 lead, allowing consecutive RBI singles in the second to Tom Wilson, Felipe Lopez and Vernon Wells -- the last three hitters in Toronto's batting order. Hitchcock, gave up three runs and four hits in four-plus innings, throwing 56 pitches with just two days of rest since his last relief outing. But the bullpen was outstanding, with Ramiro Mendoza, Mike Stanton and Mariano Rivera combining to retire 15 of 17 batters, allowing two singles as they completed the six-hitter. "Mendoza, Stanton and Rivera, that's world-class isn't it?" Toronto manager Buck Martinez said. "They effectively shut us down." Mendoza (1-2) retired nine of 10 hitters and struck out the side in the sixth. He entered with two on and no outs after Hitchcock threw eight straight balls. He bounced on Dave Berg's bunt to get the force at third, then got Jose Cruz Jr. on a flyout and Carlos Delgado on a popout. Torre had second-guessed himself for not bringing in Mendoza to start the inning. "As it turned out, I think it's better that he came in in trouble and got out of trouble," he said. Mendoza started the season on the disabled list with a sore neck and had struggled all season. He has worked to slow down his kick by raising his left leg higher, which keeps his weight back and causes his sinker to sink. "Early on, when he came back from Florida, we tried to use him in the seventh and eighth, and it didn't pan out," Torre said. "This is as good as he's been." Toronto, which had been trying to match its best winning streak of the season at four, failed to hold a 3-2 lead when Nick Johnson hit a run-scoring single in the fourth. The Yankees stranded 11 runners in the first six innings against Lyon and Scott Eyre, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and the fifth. After Heredia gave up the go-ahead homer to Ventura, the first batter he faced, he allowed a hit-and-run RBI double to Shane Spencer, who hit a pitch near his ankles just over the third-base bag, making him 3-for-3. Alfonso Soriano added a sacrifice fly. Soriano, on his second 10-game hitting streak this year, had singled in the first, then stole second and third. Williams followed with his fifth homer in six games. Lyon, who has won once in nine starts this year and not at all since April 23, allowed three runs -- two earned -- and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings. He has given up 10 homers, including four in the first inning, and hasn't gotten past the fifth in his last three starts. "I've got to do a better job of getting deeper into the game," he said.
Notes: Rivera got his 14th save in 16 chances. ... Toronto pitching coach Mark Connor, visiting Eyre at the mound in the fifth, was ejected by plate umpire Mike DiMuro. Martinez said Connor questioned calls on some close pitches. ... The Yankees have taken 20 first-inning leads, the most in the major leagues (Colorado is second with 17). ... New York OF Rondell White was scratched because of a sore left calf. ... Williams has five homers in his last six games. ... When Jason Giambi batted in the sixth, the Yankees played The Who's Baba O'Riley, often used by Paul O'Neill, who retired after last season.
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