Bernie Williams picked up the struggling Alex Rodriguez. On a big night in which he had four hits, the elder statesman of the Bronx Bombers came through with a clutch lead off home run in the ninth which lifted New York to a 7-5 victory over the Nationals at a packed RFK Stadium Friday night. Before the largest crowd since baseball returned to Washington last year, they drew 44,749 fans.
In their first trip to D.C. since they played the final game against the Senators on September 30, 1971 (9-0 default win), the Yankees (38-27) cameback to defeat the Nationals (30-39) to pickup their third win in their last four. It kept them in first place in the A.L. East, a game ahead of Boston, who was a 4-1 winner at Atlanta. Toronto lost at Florida 3-1 to fall into third, two games back.
Williams got it started for the Yanks in the second inning with a two out runscoring double to give them a 1-0 lead. After a Jose Guillen RBI groundout tied it in the bottom half of the inning, Jason Giambi put the Bombers back in front 2-1 with an RBI double which scored Derek Jeter.
But for the second straight inning, starter Jaret Wright couldn't hold it. After retiring Marlon Byrd, the struggling righty gave up a single to starter Shawn Hill and then served up a two-run homer to former Yankee Alfonso Soriano. The long ball was Soriano's 24th of the season, putting him one behind Albert Pujols for the NL lead.
Trailing by a run in the fourth, the Yanks loaded the bases with nobody out. After Hill cameback to strikeout Johnny Damon, he hit rookie Melky Cabrera to tie the score but robbed Jeter of a hit by starting a 1-6-3 double play to get out of further trouble.
Once again, Wright couldn't keep the Nats at bay. For the third consecutive inning, they pushed across a run. But it could've been worse. After ex-Yankee Nick Johnson led off with his second double of the game, rookie Adam Zimmerman reached on a bunt single and then Guillen walked to load the bases with no one out. Wright got Brian Schneider to pop out but pinch hitter Daryle Ward's sac fly scored Johnson. However, he probably shouldn't have because Williams failed to throw home. Only a nice play by Robinson Cano allowed Wright to get out of the jam. Cano denied Hill of his second hit when he went into the hole and threw him out.
When Wright walked Johnson to start the sixth, his night was finished. On a night in which Joe Torre was serving a one game suspension for Wednesday's incident against Cleveland in which Randy Johnson was tossed for throwing at Eduardo Perez, interim manager Lee Mazzilli brought Scott Proctor in. But he was immediately greeted by a Zimmerman RBI double which scored Johnson to increase Washington's lead to 5-3.
The Yanks had a golden opportunity to tie it a half inning later when they put runners on second and third with one out for the slumping Rodriguez. The third baseman who has failed miserably in key situations this month continued to struggle when he took a called third strike against reliever Jon Rauch. Rauch also would fan Cano to end the threat.
But in the eighth, the Yanks finally struck back to tie the game. After Williams and pinch hitter Jorge Posada started the frame with back-to-back singles, Washington reliever Greg Majewski struckout Andy Phillips swinging. But Damon followed with a single to left which loaded the bases. This time, they came through thanks to a big RBI single by Cabrera and a bases loaded Jeter walk which forced in the tying run.
Unfortunately, they failed to push across more. After Giambi popped out against ex-Yankee lefty Mike Stanton, the stage was once again set for A-Rod to come through. But Washington skipper Frank Robinson brought in closer Chad Cordero, who blew away the Rodriguez with a high fastball. It was the 18th strikeout of the month for the 2005 AL MVP, who slammed his bat and helmet in frustration at another failure. After winning the AL Player of the month in May, the 30 year-old is just 7-for-45 (.156) in June with a HR and 3 RBI's. He's K'd eight times in the last three games.
After new pitcher Kyle Farnsworth retired Jose Vidro on a comebacker, he left with back spasms and was replaced by closer Mariano Rivera, who got the last two outs of the eighth.
Still tied at five in the ninth, Williams came through again. Already 3-for-4, the 37 year-old right fielder started the ninth with a solo home run to right off Cordero to give New York its first lead since the third inning. Cheered by Yankee fans who made the trip, he was asked to come out for a curtain call.
"I was telling the guys on the bench, 'How many places do you go to a visiting ball park and fans are asking him to come out?' It kind of gives you goosebumps," Mazzilli told reporters.
"It's a little weird. It's a testament to how many great Yankee fans we had coming down here. If they can make the trip to Baltimore, I think they can probably just drive the extra half an hour and come to the stadium and cheer for us," an emotional Williams expressed. "It was a great feeling."
Posada followed with a double for his second hit in two innings after replacing catcher Kelly Stinnett. After a Phillips fly to left moved him to third, a Damon sac fly gave the Bombers some insurance for Rivera, who retired all five batters he faced for his fourth win.
Notes: In the past four games, Williams is 9-for-15 with 2 HRs and 4 RBI's. ... With a single in the second inning, Cano extended his career best hit streak to 14. ... Washington shortstop Royce Clayton left the game in the eighth due to a right shoulder injury suffered after diving to try to stop a Cabrera single which tied the game. ... Yankees improved to 3-17 after trailing at the end of seven innings. ... The Nationals have lost their last five. ... With an RBI double, Zimmerman leads all major league rookies with 42 RBI's. ... Yankees look to make it two in a row with Shawn Chacon (4-1, 5.23) taking the mound against Ramon Ortiz (5-5, 4.88).
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