Final Score: Yankees 4, Angels 3 (13)
1st and 2nd, one out, bottom of the 13th in a fascinating game that was 3-3, when Melky Cabrera bounced one to the left of 2Bman Maicer Izturis, who spun and threw to second -- or sort of in that general direction, wildly, allowing the winning run to score. Here's why it was such an exceptional bonehead play by Izturis, given that there was no chance for a DP:
The only advantage of getting the lead runner instead of just taking the routine out on Cabrera at 1B is having 1st & 3rd, instead of 2nd & 3rd, with two out. Either way the winning run is at 3B but not only that, twice already in this exact situation the runner has not been held at 1B and has jogged to second base uncontested. Had Izturis gotten the force at second, undoubtedly Cabrera would have trotted to 2B anyway.
But then we're talking about the team whose closer grooved an 0-2 pitch to Alex Rodriguez leading off the bottom of the 11th with two pinch-runners due to follow in the order, a team whose cleanup hitter has changed the use of the word "bad" in Bad Vlad (Vladdy stranded 8 runners tonight, 6 in scoring position), a team that returns to Anaheim in need of a heck of a rally monkey.
Great game overall. Fun, tense, interesting, sometimes even well played. See you tomorrow for Game 3 of the NLCS!
