In a day filled with fatigue, roster moves, hurried travel plans and exchanged routs, the Yankees salvaged their night thanks to a pitcher trying to salvage his career.
Sidney Ponson had as rough a start as anyone involved in the Yankees' third day-night, split-doubleheader against the Mets in the past eight years. This was after reliever Ross Ohlendorf was demoted between games and Hideki Matsui had been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sore left knee. Ponson also might have shared the frustration of Game 1 starter Dan Giese, who gave up six runs in a 15-6 loss to the Mets. But Ponson rebounded, escaping trouble early -- especially in the third inning, when he got a double play to end a threat after loading the bases -- and wound up throwing six shutout innings in the Yankees' 9-0 win.
Ponson had come in just for this start after the Yankees gambled by signing him to a minor league contract shortly after Texas let him go due to concerns he was disruptive.
The veteran pitcher has had a checkered past off the field, but he gave the Yankees just what they needed Friday.
In the process, he may just have given himself another chance by saving the end of a very long day.
METS 15, YANKEES 6 (Game 1): Yankees starter Dan Giese struggled, Carlos Delgado thrived and the Mets trounced the Yankees in the opener of the teams' day-night, split-ballpark doubleheader. Delgado smacked two home runs and drove in a Mets-record nine runs in the makeup game of an earlier postponement at Yankee Stadium. Giese gave up six runs in four innings.
YANKEES 9, METS 0 (Game 2): After the teams traveled from the Bronx to Flushing for the nightcap at Shea Stadium, the Yankees poured on the offense, led by Bobby Abreu's 4-for-4 night. Along with Abreu, Robinson Cano hit a homer and drove in three runs.
