Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Tex is Back

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Tex is Back: Yanks End 5 Game Losing Streak with Win Over Red Sox By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 1- The pressure was on the Yankees on Friday...

Tex is Back

Yanks End 5 Game Losing Streak with Win Over Red Sox

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK, JUNE 1- The pressure was on the Yankees on Friday night. After losing a season-high five straight contests, the last four to the crosstown rival New York Mets, the Yankees began a weekend series with the leaders of the American League East, the Boston Red Sox.

To add extra stress to their situation, Jon Lester was their mound opponent. The experienced left-hander had previously compiled a 10-4 mark against New York and an 8-2 record in the Bronx. Lester earned the win over Friday’s starter for the Yanks, C.C. Sabathia, on Opening Day.

The Yanks counted on Sabathia to stop the losing streak as he usually does. Contrary to his starts during the past month, the Yankees ace pitched superbly. In 7.1 innings, only one run was scored off him. Dustin Pedroia led off the seventh with a double, and was driven across the plate on a double by Mike Napoli. Other than those two doubles, Sabathia allowed only four scattered base hits. He did not walk a batter and tied his season high with 10 strikeouts.

In the past two seasons, 2012-2013, Sabathia recorded a 9-2 record in 13 starts following a Yankees loss. He pitched at least seven frames and allowed three earned runs or less in 12 of the 13 starts.

Yankees skipper Joe Girardi commented about Sabathia’s effectiveness on Friday, “[He had] good location of his fastball. [His] slider was really good. He stayed ahead of the hitters for the most part.” The manager attributed the change to the weather, “When it warms up, he’s usually on a roll.

Although the increased velocity of Sabathia’s fastball was noticeable, his catcher Chris Stewart said of the improved performance, “I think it was more location than velocity.”

Two of the stars of the regular lineup, Mark Teixeira and Kevin Youkilis, returned to action after long absences. Teixeira missed all 53 regular season games with a right arm torn ECU sheath and Youkilis did not see action in the last 23 contests after suffering a lumbar spine sprain. Each of the two contributed to the victory.

Teixeira led off the two run second inning by drawing a base on balls. He scored the first run of the game after his walk was followed by a double by Vernon Wells and a run scoring single by Jayson Nix. The second run of the inning was scored on a single by Ichiro Suzuki.
Youkilis drove in the third Yankees run with a two out single to left in the fifth.
Of their return, Girardi remarked, “I think their impact is big. It changes our lineup. It gives us a better balance.”

Stewart, like most players, praised the difference with them in the lineup, “Having them in the lineup is going to make the pitchers work harder.”

The New York win reduced Boston’s margin over them in the A.L. East to one game
Phil Hughes (2-3) will start game #2 on Saturday night against Felix Dubront (3-2) for Boston.

Bored Gunmen rob cabbie

By Dan Gesslein

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 31- Not even a gun held to the head of a cabbie seems to have awakened a robber from his boredom. Surveillance video shows a cabbie being held up at gunpoint in Van Nest while the accomplice looks bored.

Police released surveillance video from inside a livery cab where the driver had a gun pressed against his head. At around 12:45 a.m. on May 28, the 22-year-old livery driver picked up the pair at the corner of White Plains Road and Morris Park Avenue. The cabbie drove them to 1790 Clinton Avenue when one of men pulled out a revolver and pressed it to the side of the driver's head. While the gunman was threatening the driver and demanding cash, his accomplice was shown on tape slouched in the backseat with a look of boredom on his face.

Cops say the pair made off with an undetermined amount of cash, a tablet computer and the taxi radio.

Anyone with information should call CRIMESTOPPERS at (800) 577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are confidential.

Bronx News Sports: Yanks Get Swept Away

Bronx News Sports: Yanks Get Swept Away: By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 31- For the first time since the inter league Subway Series started in 1997 with the two New York b...

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks get swept away

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Yanks get swept away: By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 31- For the first time since the inter league Subway Series started in 1997 with the two New York b...

Yanks get swept away

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 31- For the first time since the inter league Subway Series started in 1997 with the two New York baseball teams, the Mets swept the cross-town rival Yankees with a 3-1 win Thursday night in the Bronx. The home-and-home series of four games that started in Flushing Queens Monday night concluded in the Bronx with two more games at Yankee Stadium

And for the Mets, a team that had been struggling, the series brought out the best in them with good pitching, timely hitting, and they left the Bronx with a season high five-game winning streak.

The Yankees, on the other hand, are the New York team now in a struggle. They lost their fifth straight, a season high and get ready for division rival Boston for the start of a three-game series that begins Friday evening at Yankee Stadium.

“When you play 162-games you are going to go through these things,” commented Yankees manager Joe Girardi. It is the longest season losing streak under Girardi as manager and the Yankees have now dropped seven of their last nine games.

The Mets streak matched their longest of the last two seasons. They came to the Bronx and picked up where they left off in Queens. That included getting in front early and outstanding pitching.

Thursday night, it was Dillon Gee who quieted the Yankees lineup that suddenly seems vulnerable to the strikeout, as they await the return of first baseman Mark Teixiera and third baseman Kevin Youkillis.

Both continued to rehab with appearances Thursday at Double-A Trenton. They went 1-for-3 against Erie, played seven innings and could be activated this weekend during the Boston series.

But the way, Gee, the Mets’ right hander pitched Thursday night it was hard to get hold of his fastball and changeup. He got his second win in the month of May, the other coming the first of the month against the Marlins. More importantly, Gee needed to step up as his spot in the Mets rotation is in jeopardy with the arrival soon of rookie prospect Zach Wheeler.

Gee struck out a career-high 12, in 7.1 innings, walked none and after a one-out home run ball to Robinson Cano, he retried his last 15 batters. It was his longest outing since going 6/1-3 innings after having shoulder surgery last July to remove a blood clot from his pitching shoulder.

Mets pitchers in the last three games did not issue a walk which also tied a franchise record done three previous times.

“Obviously it’s fun to be out there and pitch, like that,” commented Gee. “Tonight was to be aggressive as possible and force contact and be the guy to control the game.

Gee, (3-6) admitted he had no idea that his pitch count was at 88-pitches and that he had amounted a career high in strike outs until he left the mound. Collins told him good job, and it was not done for precaution. The situation with Robinson Cano due up in the inning had more to do with it.

Regardless, the Yankees had no idea how to attack Gee. And in three of the four games with their cross-town rivals, they were held to one-run.

Girardi said it was no fun the past four games. Losing will do that, so will a five-game losing streak. “Up until these first five games we have been winning a lot of series,” he said.

The optimism was the quality start from left hander Vidal Numo. He made a cause to stay in the Yankees rotation when Andy Pettitte returns from the 15-day disabled list. Pettitte threw 76 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday down in Tampa.

Nuno,(1-2) limited the Mets to 3-hits and two earned runs. He tossed a career high 6.0 innings for the second straight start, retiring 15 of the final 16 batters he faced and did not allow a hit after a double by Anthony Recker in the second inning.

The tenth Yankees rookie pitcher to make a start in the S ubway Series, Nuno was touched for two runs in the second inning. Marlon Byrd hit his second home run in as many days, his sixth of the season that gave the Mets another early inning lead in the four game series.

“It’s hard to lose to your cross-town rivals but it happens,” said Girardi.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Weiner Pops Up

Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Weiner Pops Up: Riverdale Report By Robert Press BRONX, NEW YORK, MAY 30- Last week the Ben Franklin Democratic Club (BFDC) held a mayoral forum, and th...