Sports Network | June 28, 2010
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Robinson Cano hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the 10th inning after the Yankees rallied to tie the game off Jonathan Broxton, lifting New York to an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the rubber match of a three-game series.
The Yankees scored four times off Broxton in the ninth to send the game to an extra inning. Mark Teixeira hit a leadoff single off Ramon Troncoso (1-2), who got Alex Rodriguez to ground into a fielder's choice before being replaced by George Sherrill.
Cano ripped the second pitch from Sherrill, a fastball away, to left-center field for an 8-6 New York lead. Mariano Rivera (2-1), who had thrown a 1-2-3 ninth, pitched a scoreless 10th to seal the victory.
The late rallies bailed out Yankees starter Andy Pettitte, who made two throwing errors in the third inning as Los Angeles jumped out to a lead. He pitched five innings, giving up five runs (two earned), six hits and three walks.
Rodriguez hit a two-run homer, the 594th of his career, for the Yankees, who have won six of eight.
Broxton's meltdown wasted a good start by Clayton Kershaw, who allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings. He also struck out five for the Dodgers, who have lost eight of 10.
Broxton came on for the ninth inning with the Dodgers ahead, 6-2, and got the first out with a strikeout of Teixeira. However, the game quickly spiraled out of control for the LA closer.
Rodriguez singled, moved to second on defensive indifference, then scored on a Cano double. Jorge Posada's base hit pushed Cano to third, and he moved to second before Broxton walked Curtis Granderson to load the bases.
Chad Huffman, playing in place of Brett Gardner -- who left the game in the fourth inning with an apparent wrist injury after being hit by a pitch -- provided the big blow with a two-run single. The hit brought the Yankees within 6-5 and put runners on the corners with one away.
Broxton remained on the mound and got Colin Curtis to ground to first, but James Loney opted to get the out at first before throwing home. His throw was too late, as Granderson slid in safely to even the game.
Broxton managed to get out of the inning without giving up another run, but threw a career-high 48 pitches in letting the Yankees back in the game.
For much of the contest, it looked as though the Dodgers were on their way to a series victory, which would have been their first since June 15-17, when they took two of three from Cincinnati.
Los Angeles put three runs on the board in the third inning, which Reed Johnson began with a double. Kershaw then put down a sacrifice bunt, but Pettitte's throw to third, which crossed into the shadowed section of the field, went wide of Rodriguez, allowing Johnson to score.
Rafael Furcal then reached on a bunt single as Rodriguez couldn't make the throw in time, and Ronnie Belliard followed with yet another bunt. Pettitte fielded that one as well, but his throw to first was wild and Kershaw scored to make it a 2-0 game. Andre Ethier followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Furcal.
Los Angeles made it a 5-0 game in the fourth on a Furcal sacrifice fly and Belliard's homer -- his second of the season.
The Yankees got on the board in the sixth, when they had one on with two outs. Rodriguez stepped to the plate and turned on a low-and-inside fastball, sending it over the left field wall.
Furcal's RBI double off Joba Chamberlain in the eighth made it a 6-2 game.
Kershaw did not walk a batter for the first time in his career...Jeter had three hits for the Yankees, while Johnson had three hits for the Dodgers...Pettitte had pitched at least seven innings in each of his last six starts...LA went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base...The Dodgers' Garret Anderson and Russell Martin were ejected in the ninth and 10th inning, respectively, for arguing balls and strikes...The Yankees finished 2010 with an 11-7 interleague record, their 11th consecutive winning mark in interleague play...LA went 4-11 vs. the AL...This series marked the first time Torre was facing the Yankees since his 12-year run at the club's manager ended following an early exit from the 2007 playoffs...Yankees pitching coach Dave Eiland is expected to return from his leave of absence Tuesday, when New York hosts Seattle in the opener of a three-game set. He went on the leave June 4.