TAMPA - GAME RECAP

We caught the second game of a doubleheader that was not on the schedule. This would only be 7 innings, as all minor league doubleheader games are, so we were disappointed that we wouldn't get a full game. But as things turned out, 7 innings was plenty long enough.

Angel Caraballo got the start for the Blue Jays and was not in control - he walked Torre Tyson to start the game and then gave up a monster home run to Andy Phillips as Tampa jumped to a 2-0 lead. Although Dunedin managed a run in the 2nd, Caraballo couldn't get the ballo over the plate-o. He struck out lead-off batter Brad Elwood, but the 3rd strike was wild and Elwood reached. Two more wild pitches and Elwood was on third. Two walks loaded the bases and then Tyson drove in a run on a fielder's choice. A single and a passed ball and it was 5-1 Yankees.

Rob Hamman came in to pitch the third and promptly gave up a home run to Nick Leach as the Yankees increased their margin to 6-1, but he settled down for the next three innings. Dunedin managed a homer in the 4th to make it 6-2, which is how it stayed until the 6th, when Yankee reliever Tim Stanton gave up 3 singles and two walks as Dunedin closed to within two. A pitching change brought closer Adam Roller into the game and after an error allowed another run to score, Tony McKinney was up with the bases loaded. He worked the count full and then swung on the payoff pitch - a grounder to short for a tailor-made double play. The Yankees escaped and Roller shut the Jays down in the 7th to get the save as Tampa wins 6-5. This game was not good until the end - poor pitching and poor umpiring conspired to make this battle long. It gets a 6/10 only because it was a close battle at the finish.

Tyson drives in a run on this groundout