Yankees 2, Red Sox 1: Classic games between these teams usually take four hours -- or four hours, 45 minutes -- not 2:58. The Yankees will take this. Mike Mussina spun six scoreless innings before Mariano Rivera wriggled off the hook in the ninth inning. The win came on the heels of two straight losses to open this four-game set. Mussina, whose unexpected successs (11 wins, 3.64 ERA) probably deserves to be on the All-Star......

Red Sox 6, Yankees 4: If Johnny Damon had caught the ball, things might have turned out differently. With the Yankees leading, 3-1, and two Red Sox on base, Kevin Youkilis lifted a high drive to left field, and Damon appeared to have it in his glove. Then gravity kicked in, Damon returned to Earth, and, after literally hanging on top of the wall, the ball fell to the warning track. That proved to be the turning point. ...

If Derek Jeter hadn't made an error that led to two unearned runs being scored in the top of the first, the Yankees still would have lost. That's because the bats, which looked so lively against the Rangers on Wednesday, did nothing against Boston's Jon Lester on Thursday. Jeter's error, the latest downplayed miscue from an aging "shortstop," didn't cost the team the game. Even if he hadn't thrown a ball that should have completed a double play into first-basethe camera well, Andy Pettitte still wouldn't have had his best stuff. This is the first time the teams played after Memorial Day without one of them being in first place since September 2007. The Yanks will need to win two of the next three to avoid falling further behind Boston -- and first-place Tampa Bay....

Sidney Ponson, who will soon be forgotten himself, made a start that will be forgotten. That's thanks in part to his ineffectiveness but mostly to the Yanks' offensive explosion spearheaded by Jason Giambi (grand slam, six RBIs) and Alex Rodriguez (homer, three RBIs, four runs scored). Every Yankees starter had a hit. That includes Brett Gardner, who could be the new center fielder if Melky Cabrera continues his sour play. Ponson, picked up as a stopgap measure, was barely decent -- but fully clothed -- until the sixth inning, when he allowed a pair of two-run home runs. But then the Yankees exploded for a nine-run seventh. ...

Photograph of Tony Armas giving a fist pound to Damion Easley who scored on a double by Ramon Casto by Tom Gannam/AP Mets 7 St. Louis 4: The Mets called up Tony Armas to make this start and while he struggled early, he delivered in the end. The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 lead and took a 3-1 lead after two. But, the Mets’ offense struck back while Armas kept them in the......

Photograph of Carlos Delgado leaping for an errant throw from David Wright and trying to tag Alex Rodriguez out (but A-Rod was ruled safe) by Julie Jacobson/AP Yankees 3, Mets 2: Andy Pettitte pitched through a rain delay, and Johan Santana couldn't pitch through another meager output from the Mets bats. Pettitte came out after a 53-minute rain delay and gave up a solo homer to David Wright. But that only made the game......

Photograph of David Wright being congratulated by third base coach Luis Aguayo after his solo home run by Julie Jacobson/AP Mets 8 Seattle 2: New York came out angry and scored early as they romped to a sweep-avoiding victory. Maybe it was Jerry Manuel’s decision to change the team's warmup routine, maybe it was the thought of being swept by the worst team in the American League. Whatever the reason, the Mets showed some......

Photograph of Jerry Manuel arguing with home plate umpire Brian Runge, who then threw Manuel out of the game, by Julie Jacobson/AP Mariners 11, Mets 0: Yes, the Mets are on the verge of being swept by the worst team in baseball. Seattle rocked Mets starter Oliver Perez for six runs in five innings and the Mets looked lost against Mariners knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. To be fair, they would look lost against a slow-pitch......

Fred Wilpon has come out and publicly endorsed his GM Omar Minaya and defended the handling of Willie Randolph’s dismissal. “I think Omar has done a great job,” Wilpon told reporters Monday at MLB headquarters while also explaining the thought process behind Randolph’s termination saying it was handled the way it was out of respect for Willie. "You can always look over your shoulder and think things like that, but the intent here clearly was......

Photograph of Carlos Beltran sliding into home--and Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez--by Seth Wenig/AP It seemed like such an innocent play at the time. Willie Blumquist grounded to third for what should have been an easy out, but David Wright bobbled the ball and the bases were loaded. But, the pitcher was due up and pitchers can’t hit, especially American League ones, right? Wrong, Felix Hernandez became the first AL pitcher in 37 years to......

Yankees 4 Cincinnati 1: The Yankees did just enough to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Reds. Andy Pettitte went six-strong, not allowing a run and striking out four. He probably would have pitched longer, but the game was delayed 50 minutes due to rain. Jason Giambi provided the big hit, a two-run double in the sixth that gave New York a comfortable lead. Mariano Rivera, who had to come into the game......

Cincinnati 4 Yankees 2: It has been 32 years since the Reds last appeared at Yankee Stadium and they picked up where they left off. In 1976, it was a two-game sweep to win the World Series. In 2008, the stakes were not as high, but the Reds had Edinson Volquez, the best pitcher in the NL so far, on the mound and he delivered. Volquez earned his 10th win of the season, allowing only......

The value of a switch hitter in baseball is great, but what about the value of a switch pitcher. Imagine a pitcher that can throw to hitters on either side of the dish. That's what the Staten Island Yankees have in Pat Venditte, a 22 year-old switch pitcher. Venditte was drafted by the Yankees in 2007 and again 2008 after he returned to Creighton University for his senior year. Venditte's first minor league appearance......

Willie Randolph, who went from being perceived as terse and incompetent to bloodied scapegoat in the matter of three or four days, tells the story Friday of his midnight firing in an article in the Daily News. In it, he says how stunned he was when Mets general manager Omar Minaya told him the bad news in the Anaheim hotel. He also gives a blow-by-blow account of how it happened. When Minaya started talking to......

Yankees 2, Padres 1: If Joba Chamberlain weren't in the rotation right now, Dan Giese, owner of 0 big-league starts, would be the team's fourth starter. Instead, Chamberlain is striking out nine Padres -- yes, they still count -- and helping the team win its seventh straight. Alex Rodriguez -- still not clutch -- got the go-ahead single in the sixth inning. Jose Veras picked up the win in relief, but Chamberlain was the pitching......

Some say that Jerry Manuel and Willie Randolph are too similar, but somehow we can't envision Randolph, the former Mets manager saying what Manuel did on Tuesday night, even jokingly. When Jose Reyes was removed from the game after he experienced tightness in his hamstring, he had a helmet throwing-hissy-fit. Reyes later apologized to Manuel, but the new manager cracked to Reyes:"I told him next time he does that I'm going to get my blade......

Photograph of Alex Rodriguez celebrating with third base coach Bobby Meacham after A-Rod hit a third-inning home run by Frank Franklin II/AP Yankees 8 Padres 5: Is it a coincidence that the Yankees have gone 19-9 since A-Rod returned to the lineup? You certainly have to give Posada some credit too, but the lineup is scoring again and the Yankees have been able to overcome some rough pitching, especially from their bullpen. Wednesday night......

While ticket prices at the new Yankees Stadium prices are high, the last season at Yankee Stadium is also proving lucrative with all sorts of memorabilia to remember the house that Ruth built. Yesterday, pitcher Joba Chamberlain unveiled a special All-Star Game T-shirt at Modell's in Times Square. Since the game is being held at Yankee Stadium, the shirt features the phrase, "Heroes Made. Legends Remembered, with images of Yankee Stadium, the Statue of Liberty......

Yankees 8, Padres 0: One day after getting devastating news about Chien-Ming Wang, the Yankees pounded the Padres to continue their domination of the Pacific Coast National League. Andy Pettitte, who put forth a second straight dominant outing got plenty of help, including two homers from Jason Giambi and a bomb to center field from Alex Rodriguez. A few words on Giambi, who was written off for dead: He has unbelievable numbers since May 1.......

Photo of Omar Minaya and Willie Randolph from October 2, 2007 when it was announced that Randolph would continue as the Mets manager in 2008 by AP/Craig Ruttle After firing Willie Randolph following last night's game against the Angels, Mets general manager Omar Minaya finally met with the media today. During the press conference this afternoon, Minaya said the decision to relieve Randolph of his coaching duties "was my decision and it was a......

The Yankees are going to have to figure out a way to survive without their ace for possibly the remainder of the season. Tests Monday found that Chien-Ming Wang had a sprain of his Lisfranc ligament and a partial tear of the peroneal longus tendon in his right foot. In the best case scenario, Wang takes off his protective boot around July 28th, starts to rehab and gets back on the mound for the Yankees......

The rumors swirled viciously before the game. Willie Randolph was safe for at least the week, but some of his coaches would be fired shortly. Randolph and some of the coaches were about to be axed. There were even erroneous reports that Rick Peterson had been fired. The Mets scored two quick runs in the first thanks to a Jose Reyes walk and a Carlos Beltran homer and made it 4-1 after 2. But, the......

Yankees 13 Houston 0: It should have been a great day for the Yankees. An easy win completing a 5-1 road trip should provide plenty of reasons to smile. But all the joy was dashed in the sixth inning when Chien-Ming Wang started limping on the way to scoring the first run of his career. Wang has been diagnosed with a sprain on the top of the foot and will have a MRI tomorrow. Losing......

Yankees 8 Houston 4: So far, a trip to Houston seems just like what the Yankees needed. Down 3-0 early, New York stormed back to win the game. Alex Rodriguez got the Yankees onto the board with a home run to right that got some assistance from an Astros’ fan who got his glove in the way. Jose Molina provided a huge double in the third that gave New York a 5-3 lead. ...

Mets 7, Rangers 1: With the rumors swirling about Willie Randolph's job, the Mets manager got help from an unlikely source. Oliver Perez threw seven innings of one-run ball -- against the best offense in the American League -- and the Mets got to talk about a win rather than why they appear to stink. An early lead was blown open when they scored four in the six. Perez's own RBI single capped the rally.......

Two and a half weeks ago, Willie Randolph appeared to be on the precipice of being fired. The Mets, especially general manager Omar Minaya stood by him, and Randolph lived another day. Now, another poor stretch of play has prompted perhaps the strongest rumors yet. If SI.com's Jon Heyman is correct, and his sources are usually reliable, Randolph -- and half his coaching staff -- could be gone by the end of the weekend. Unfortunately......

Photographs of the Diamondbacks' Chris Young (left) hitting a ninth inning RBI double off Mets reliever Billy Wagner (right) by Kathy Willens/AP Diamondbacks 5, Mets 4: This one's on Billy Wagner, whose summation above says it all. Johan Santana pitched seven scoreless innings. Ramon Castro went deep and scored another run. David Wright had an RBI double. Joe Smith gave up two runs in the eighth, but Wagner entered the ninth with his team......

Photograph of Carlos Beltran being welcomed by teammates after his 13th inning, game-winning 2-run home run by Julie Jacobson/AP Mets 5 Arizona 3 (13 innings): They simply couldn’t afford to blow this one. Up 3-0, thanks to a brilliant start from Mike Pelfrey, the Mets lost their lead when Billy Wagner served up a three-run dinger in the ninth to Mark Reynolds. Reynolds’ home run came on a full count, with two outs and......

Photograph of Carlos Beltran ducking his head away from blowing dirt and debris during the 7th inning (the game was briefly suspended shortly after) by Julie Jacobson/AP Diamondbacks 9, Mets 5: Despite starting off the game in nearly perfect fashion, the Mets still found a way to end it in an undesirable way. Carlos Delgado (two-run single) and David Wright (two-run homer) helped stake John Maine to a 5-1 lead after two innings. But......

Jose Guillen has always hit well against the Yankees, but he took it to a new level in the four-game series the Royals just completed with the Yankees, where he went 9-for-16 with 4 home runs and several outfield assists. Guillen’s last home run of the series was off of Mariano Rivera in the 9th and it turned a 2-2 game into a 3-2 one that the Royals won. Guillen’s blast ruined a great day......