yankees aren't losing anytime soon

[smazza]

and beaners aren't catching them this year

[smazza]

Yanks Handle Orioles Again, Sweep Series With 5-2 Win

New York Has Won Nine of Its Last Ten; Jeter's RBI Streak Ends

By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP SPORTS

NEW YORK (June 3) -- The New York Yankees are beginning to realize just how good they are.

 

AP

New York's Javier Vazquez wins his third consecutive start, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings.  

 

Gary Sheffield snapped a seventh-inning tie with a two-out double, and Javier Vazquez pitched New York to a 5-2 victory Thursday for another sweep of the Baltimore Orioles.

Alex Rodriguez drove in a run and scored for the surging Yankees, who have won nine of 10 to open a season-high 2 1/2-game lead over Boston in the AL East.

"We just feel like we can win every ballgame," Sheffield said. "Somebody is going to get the big hit."

 

Thursday's MLB Action  

 

 

American League

· Yankees 5, Orioles 2

· Devil Rays 5, Twins 2

· Royals 9, Tigers 6

 

 

The Yankees own the Orioles, winning eight straight meetings dating to last season and 45 of their past 62 games against Baltimore.

Javy Lopez homered for the Orioles, but rookie manager Lee Mazzilli remained winless in six games against former boss Joe Torre. The Yankees have outscored Baltimore 59-31 this year, including a three-game sweep last week at Camden Yards.

"They're still better than us," Rafael Palmeiro said.

Miguel Cairo singled leading off the seventh against John Parrish (3-2). Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch one out later, and Sheffield's two-run double into the right-field corner off B.J. Ryan gave New York a 4-2 lead.

"This is the best I've felt all year," said Sheffield, hitting .289 with six homers and 33 RBI. "This is the game you want the most out of the whole series. The third one is the hardest."

Hideki Matsui added an RBI single, a one-hop smash off Palmeiro's arm at first base.

Vazquez (6-4) won his third straight start, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings. Tom Gordon pitched a hitless eighth before Mariano Rivera got three straight outs for his 21st save in 22 chances and third of the series.

 

 

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The Yankees have the best record in the majors at 33-19.

"I think the one thing that separates us now, you know, the big walks, the good at-bats, grinding it out. That takes its toll," Rodriguez said.

Jeter went 0-for-2. He had driven in at least one run in nine consecutive games, the longest run by a Yankee since Don Mattingly also went nine games in 1987.

"I'm not going to break any RBI records so it doesn't matter to me. We won the game," Jeter said. "The last three or four weeks I think we've been playing outstanding."

Bubba Crosby led off the first with a single and scored on Rodriguez's single.

In the second, Lopez hit his seventh homer over the retired numbers in left-center.

 

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The key sequence came in the fourth, after the Orioles loaded the bases with none out on three straight singles. Vazquez hit Lopez with a 2-2 pitch, forcing in a run, and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre came out to calm the right-hander.

"He was as upset as I've seen him all year. He was very upset at himself," Stottlemyre said. "We all lose it momentarily at times. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't any carry-over."

Not at all. Vazquez escaped further damage when B.J. Surhoff popped out, Luis Matos struck out and Larry Bigbie grounded out.

"When I'm in a jam I just try to concentrate on the hitter, not on the men I have on base," Vazquez said. "It was a huge inning for me."

The Orioles knew they missed their chance -- and they didn't get another hit the rest of the way.

"Big moment in the game was right there. Not anything else that happened after," Palmeiro said. "In that inning, we had them up against the ropes."

New York tied it at two in the sixth when Rodriguez led off with a double and scored on Ruben Sierra's high-chop double over Palmeiro.

[Velcro]

keep dreaming .... yanks are going down, in flames.

[bulls96go]

if the pitching holds up this could be done before it has started

[Velcro]

this will go the full 162 games, as always.  Yanks are in a hot streak, that won't last much longer.  

[TripleB]

Yankees suck ................... like the Lakers.

[Velcro]

Geez, that prediction of yours lasted all of 2 days... Yanks get trounced by Texas 8-1 in Yankee stadium...

I think the yanks have now been cursed by Smazz

[smazza]

yankees win agAIN

[Velcro]

your prediction failed quickly as expected

[smazza]

look who is in first