ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Joe Girardi called for Mariano Rivera to protect a four-run lead in the ninth inning last night with two outs.
Does that tell you how badly the Yankees had to taste victory?
“We needed to win the game,” the Yankees manager said of a 6-2 decision over the AL East-leading Rays in front of 27,123 at Tropicana Field that ended a season-high six-game slide. “I wouldn’t say it was a must-win, but it was as close to a must win is in May.”
With owner Hal Steinbrenner located in field-level seats, Alex Rodriguez homered twice, David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain delivered stellar relief performances, Ivan Nova provided a sturdy outing and Brett Gardner had three hits. Jorge Posada, who returned to the starting lineup for the first time since asking out of Saturday’s game, also was 2-for-3 and had a key double in the seventh which helped the Yankees tack on some insurance runs.
“It felt like we needed a win for the last two weeks,” said Gardner, who went 3-for-4, scored a run and drove in another. “If we had lost tonight we would have had to take a bus to Baltimore. It’s the biggest win of the year.”
And fueled by Rodriguez, who homered twice off James Shields.
“I had been struggling for a while and that’s not acceptable,” said the cleanup hitter who had three hits in 24 at-bats when he crushed a change-up for a solo homer in the fourth to left. He hit a fastball over the center-field fence in the sixth with the bases empty that gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. “It was desperation, we needed to win the game.”
Must-win. Desperation. Biggest win of the year. In the middle of May?
All true because it has been a while since the Yankees clicked in more than one area.
Nova, who said he wasn’t pleased with his 5 1/3-inning outing that improved his record to 4-3, allowed a run and four hits.
“We won the game and that’s important, but I can do better,” Nova said.
An intentional walk to Matt Joyce loaded the bases in the sixth and Girardi decided to call for Robertson to face the muscular B.J. Upton, who smoked an A.J. Burnett breaking ball for a two-run homer Monday night.
Armed with a knee-locking curveball, Robertson fed Upton six straight fastballs, the last of which was caught at 94-mph for a foul-tip strikeout. Ahead, 0-2, to Casey Kotchman, Robertson humped up to 96 and caught the left-handed hitter looking to strand three.
That led to the quiet right-hander unleashing several violent fist pumps.
“I don’t know if I have ever seen more emotion out of David Robertson,” Girardi said.
Robertson seemed almost embarrassed by his actions. Nevertheless, it was a much-needed victory and he got some crucial outs.
“I knew it was a big situation and that I had to get two outs,” Robertson said. “I couldn’t let them score. We had lost six in a row. We needed a win.”
Chamberlain, who worked his third straight game and won’t be available tonight in Baltimore, provided 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. When Amaury Sanit gave up a ninth-inning run and had a runner on second with two outs, Girardi called for Rivera.
He ended the six-game bender by breaking Johnny Damon’s bat. But all he wanted to do was praise Robertson.
“He is the best guy we have [in the pen],” Rivera said.
Better than the closer?
“Better than everybody,” Rivera said. “I like him.”