Alex is hot -- at the plate, that is. (LS/Bill Menzel)

Yankee Stadium—Yankees batters again took advantage of the new cathedral of the long ball (Yankee Stadium) by driving three balls into the outfield seats. The homers accounted for all of the team’s runs and the 4-2 victory over the visiting Seattle Mariners on Wednesday evening. Not only Yankees personnel or fans were impressed by the power of the Bronx Bombers. After the contest, Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu commented upon his rivals, “Anybody in that lineup can hit a home run. Even someone like Ransom down in the ninth spot can hit it out of the ballpark. You can’t make mistakes against a good team like that or else they’re going to make you pay.”

In the first and second innings, the Yankees put men on first and second, but both rallies ended with double plays. Johnny Damon, with two out in the third, drove a 3-2 pitch into the right field stands for his 15th homer of the season to put the Yankees on the scoreboard. Jose Lopez doubled to lead off the top of the fourth, and scored on a fielder’s choice to tie the game.

A solo home run by Melky Cabrera to left in the bottom of the fifth again gave the Yankees a one-run advantage. The 621st homer by Ken Griffey with two down in the sixth knotted the contest at two. Griffey’s four-bagger was his first in the new Bronx ballpark. Yankee Stadium is the 44th Major League ballpark in which the future Hall of Famer has homered, second only to Sammy Sosa (45). Yankee skipper Joe Girardi and former teammate in Seattle Alex Rodriguez commented. Girardi reminisced, “I played against him in AA in Vermont in 1988, and he’s still doing it. He’s still dangerous. He’s a special player.” Rodriguez’s words were more personal, “It’s great to see Griff and his family here. I love him.”

Rodriguez, last season’s American League Latino MVP Award winner, drove in the winning runs with a two-run blast into the centerfield seats in the bottom of the sixth. A-Rod’s offensive stats have been exceptionally impressive recently. He raised his hitting streak to seven games. During that period, he batted .435 with four homers and 13 runs batted in. Of the homer, Wakamatsu remarked, “That pitch to A-Rod was a good changeup that was down in the zone, and he hit it over the wall in center. It just shows how great a hitter he is.” Earlier in the day, Rodriguez returned to Washington Heights, the place of his birth. He joined Cody Ransom, general manager Brian Cashman, and Yankee advisor Ray Negron to serve meals to area children at El Nuevo Caridad Restaurant on 191st Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.

The Yankees’ powerful offense has not been its only, or even its most important weapon of late. During the last 15 games, the Yankees’ moundsmen have held opposing batters to a .206 average while compiling a miserly 2.52 ERA. Andy Pettitte won his eighth game of the season with an effective performance in which he surrendered only two runs and six hits. Manager Girardi was very pleased with the work of his veteran starter, “He used all his pitches. He was ahead on the count.” Pettitte, who is usually quite self-critical, said, “I felt comfortable with everything thrown at every time.” Relievers Alfredo Aceves, Phil Coke, and Mariano Rivera were perfect in their combined two innings. The game was the 60th combined win-save appearance for Pettitte and Rivera, which increased their career major league record. The save was Rivera’s 33rd straight at home.

The evening was perfect for the 45,285 Yankees fans in attendance. The Bronx Bombers were victorious; the hurling was excellent; three balls were hit in the seats; it didn’t rain, and the time of 2 hours and 17 minutes was the fastest the team has played in 2009.

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