The Yankees opened their new billion-dollar stadium this year with a team whose payroll exceeds $200 million. But it was a pair of minimally salaried afterthoughts who lifted the Yankees to a series sweep of the Athletics on Wednesday.
Jose Veras threw a career-high 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief, and Melky Cabrera's second homer of the day was a game-winning, two-run blast in the 14th inning as the Yankees edged the Athletics 9-7 in a marathon in the Bronx. The performances provide a measure of redemption for Veras and Cabrera, each of whom has recently struggled in more pivotal roles. Veras, 28, appeared in 60 games last year, second most among Yankees relievers behind closer Mariano Rivera, and struck out 63 batters in 57 2/3 innings.
Veras began this year as the Yankees' top setup man, but he struggled early, allowing at least one run in three straight appearances from April 11-16. Those struggles, combined with the emergence of Brian Bruney, relegated Veras to middle and long relief.
Cabrera won the starting center field job as a 21-year-old in 2006, but he hit just .226 in 314 at-bats between May 1 and Aug. 13 last year to earn a demotion to Class AAA.
Cabrera lost a spring training competition for the center field job this year to Brett Gardner but has maximized his opportunities over the first two-plus weeks. Cabrera already has four homers in 23 at-bats and has drawn three walks while striking out just four times. Last year, he drew 29 walks and whiffed 58 times in 414 at-bats.
The game-winning homer Wednesday gave Cabrera his first two-homer game as a big-leaguer and an additional dose of satisfaction. The Yankees loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, but Cabrera struck out and the Yankees didn't score against Athletics right-hander Russ Springer. Fortunately for Cabrera and the Yankees, he took advantage of his second chance seven innings later.
YANKEES 9, ATHLETICS 7 (14 innings): Melky Cabrera's second homer, a two-run shot in the bottom of the 14th, capped a see-saw game and gave the Yankees a sweep of the two-game series in the Bronx. Johnny Damon had three hits, and six other starters had two hits apiece for the Yankees, who racked up 17 hits but stranded 13 runners. The game was tied at 4-4 after three innings, at 5-5 in the sixth and 7-7 in the seventh before the bullpens combined to throw scoreless ball through the 13th. Jose Veras, the Yankees' seventh pitcher, earned the win by striking out four in a career-high 3 1/3 innings. Starter CC Sabathia struggled again in giving up seven runs (six earned) on six hits while walking four and striking out two in 6 2/3 innings.
