New York came into the fifth inning with a 2-1 deficit but scored four times and went on to take the rubber match of a three-game set with the Blue Jays.

Jorge Posada doubled to lead off the frame and Brett Gardner and Francisco Cervelli followed with singles to tie the game. One out later, Granderson lined a 3-2 pitch into the right field stands, putting the Yanks in front to stay.

Ivan Nova (2-2) earned the win, allowing two runs on six hits over six frames. Three Yankees relievers combined for 1 2/3 scoreless innings and Mariano Rivera collected his 10th save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Jesse Litsch (2-2) received  the loss, giving up five runs on six hits over six innings.

Adam Lind bashed a solo homer for one of his two hits for the Blue Jays.

Alex Rodriguez showed up big and took CameronDiaz off his mind while he went 3-3 and had a big double in the 10th to help put Mark Teixeira on 3rd.

One of the biggest hits for the Yankees came from Jorge Posada who belted a solo homerun in the ninth to tie up the game.

Mariano River came in for the 10th inning to shut down the O’s.

Overall a solid victory for the Yankees that helped them get a little momentum for the weekend. Let’s hope they continue to win these close games.

The Yankees held off the Detroit Tigers for a 6-3 victory at Yankee Stadium earlier today. That makes the 11th straight opening da victory for New York.

The crowd got their money’s worth in the 7th inning when Curtis Granderson hit a go-ahead homerun. It was later followed up by a 3-run shot by Mark Teixeira that sealed the win.

“It was great — except for the weather,” said Granderson, who arrived in New York around 11 p.m. Wednesday after playing in a rehabilitation game with minor leaguers in Tampa, Fla., earlier in the day.

CC Sabathia was a workhorse on the mound and had a great day recording 7 strikeouts and 2 walks. The bullpen finished up the game in solid fashion. Joba and Mariano Rivera came in and made sure that this one didn’t get away from the Yankees.

“Their bullpen and the long ball is what did us in today,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. “I thought it was actually a decent game for the conditions. It was pretty rough.”

This means…

1. The Yankees are going to start off the year hot. If they can get a win off a solid pitcher like Verlander, they are going to keep swinging it with confidence.
2. The Yankees pitching staff will do just fine this year. Yes, they aren’t as stacked as Boston or Philly, but who cares. They will find a way to win.

This kid is getting a lot of hype for the small things. I think he will be a great player but the media is currently giving him way too much love.

He will be headed to the minors this year and if he plays well, he could potentially end up in the bigs by the end of the year.

The interesting thing about his first RBI is that his favorite team growing up was the New York Yankees. Very ironic to get his first RBI against the Yankees.

This will have some interesting ramifications with who wil be the Yankees starting catcher for opening day and throughout the first few weeks of the regular season.

We know that Jorge Posada will not be behind the plate come opening day. He is getting older and they are going to save his knees and use him only as a DH this year.

This will give room for one of the back-ups to step into the big show and see what they can get done. From the looks of who they currently have on the roster, Russell Martin will look to get the start and receive most of the innings behind the dish. However, if he gets injured it will be interesting to see who they will throw in out of Jesus Montero or Austin Romine.

Both are solid players and are exciting to watch.

Regardless, this injury shouldn’t be too detrimental for the Yankees. They have enough bats in the lineup and none of the pitchers are super set on having a specific catcher.

The New York Daily News, citing a Yankees team source, said Steinbrenner died at about 6:30 a.m. ET today in Florida after suffering a massive heart attack last night.

Words to remember Steinbrenner by

Tell us: Was Steinbrenner greatest owner ever?

A family statement said: “It is with profound sadness that the family of George M. Steinbrenner III announces his passing. He passed away this morning in Tampa, Fla., at age 80.”

WABC reported Steinbrenner suffered a massive heart attack last night and was rushed to St. Joseph’s hospital in Tampa.

Steinbrenner last week told the AP he was “feeling good” after spending a couple hours in his office at the Yankees’ spring training complex.

During Steinbrenner’s ownership, the Yankees have won 11 pennants and seven World Series.

The Yankees website is acknowledging that there are reports about Steinbrenner suffering a heart attack, but makes no further comment, as of 9:55 a.m. ET.

When Steinbrenner celebrated his 80th birthday on July 4 at his home in Tampa, he said in a press release through his spokesman Howard J. Rubenstein:

“I want to thank everyone who has sent their good wishes. I am very fortunate to have the love and support of a great family and many, many friends. The Yankees and their fans are a large part of what keeps me going. It means a lot. And I remind everyone that the Fourth of July is also the birthday of our country. We are all lucky to be Americans.”

Steinbrenner will be remembered for many things. Among them:

He hired — and fired — Billy Martin for five separate managerial stints. He also made a Miller Lite commercial with his favorite manager.

His five-year, $3 million contract with Reggie Jackson in 1977 ushered in the era of big-time free agency money, and proved worth it when Jackson went on to earn the name of Mr. October.

During the 1981 World Series Steinbrenner contended he had broken his hand while punching out two abusive Dodgers fans. Those alleged fans never were found, and it was widely suspected that The Boss had injured himself by punching an elevator wall because he was angry about a Yankees loss.

When Dave Winfield failed to produce significantly for the Yankees, Steinbrenner belittled him as Mr. May. In 1990 he was suspended for life — but late reinstated — for hiring someone to dig up dirt on Winfield.

His failing health became obvious at the 2008 All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, when Steinbrenner was driven onto the field in a golf cart. He met with former players and broke into tears. Later that year, he gave control of the team to his sons.—USA today

“The card is a little short right now,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who also was without injured catcher Jorge Posada and center fielder Curtis Granderson. “It is frustrating, but no one is going to feel sorry for (you).”Phil Hughes (4-0) allowed seven hits and two runs in seven innings and has a 1.69 ERA.His confidence, Hughes said, “is up there. I’m throwing the ball well. I’m just trying to keep it going. There’s a lot of season ahead of us.” Beckett (1-1) struck out six and allowed one hit in the first three innings but ended up giving up nine runs in 5 1/3. He also plunked Derek Jeter in the back in the six-run sixth and even hit his own catcher, Jason Varitek, in that inning with a pitch that forced him out of the game with a left forearm contusion.”I had an idea where (the ball) was going. It just wasn’t going where I wanted it to go,” Beckett said. “When you try to overthrow like that, your delivery gets all messed up.”Neither team suggested that Beckett was trying to hit batters.”No one’s going to hit you (deliberately) with the bases loaded,” Jeter said.The Yankees have outscored opponents 37-12 during their winning streak.Jeter played in his 2,165th game for the Yankees, breaking a tie with Lou Gehrig for second place in club history. Mickey Mantle is first with 2,401.David Ortiz drove in both runs for Boston, which was coming off a four-game sweep over the Los Angeles Angels.The game lasted just 3:01, shorter than the three in the teams’ opening series of the year — 3:46, 3:48, 3:21. After that series, umpire crew chief Joe West said that the Yankees and Red Sox were “pathetic and embarrassing” for dragging out those three games.The Red Sox started Friday’s game with a 15-14 record, the first time they were over .500 since beating the Yankees on opening night. But since then, New York is 20-7.They’ve kept winning without Posada, who hasn’t played since Monday because of a strained right calf, and Granderson, who went on the disabled list on Sunday with a strained left groin. Johnson felt pain in his wrist during his first at-bat and is to be examined Saturday at a New York hospital while Cano is day to day, Girardi said.Alex Rodriguez led off the sixth with a double and Cano was hit by a pitch. He walked slowly to first and stayed in the game for two pitches before Ramiro Pena ran for him. A passed ball moved the runners up and Brett Gardner was walked intentionally. The next six batters all got RBIs — Francisco Cervelli with a walk, Randy Winn (single), Jeter (hit by pitch), Marcus Thames (single), Mark Teixeira (single) and Rodriguez (sacrifice fly).Beckett threw inside pitches to two other batters, sending Cervelli to the dirt on a 3-2 pitch and coming close to Teixeira.”In a 3-1 game, there’s certainly no intent in any one of those situations,” Boston pitching coach John Farrell said. “I don’t think any one of us foresaw the sixth inning unfolding like it did.”And the pitch on which Beckett hit Varitek?”We switched the signs a little bit,” Beckett said. “That was completely my fault.”Swisher’s sixth homer of the season broke the scoreless tie in the fourth. The Red Sox made it 3-1 on a sacrifice fly by Ortiz in the bottom of the fourth. After the Yankees went ahead 9-1, Ortiz singled in a run in the bottom of the sixth.The last two runs scored in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Thames and a single by Adrian Beltre.

–ESPN

This week the Yankees have a series with the A’s. I am starting to smell a sweep of these games. The A’s are just too young and don’t have the experience to pull out a win.

Go Yankees!

If the Yankees 1-4 hitters can hit for better than .275 each game, they will have no problem getting the job done against the Angels, however, if they can’t come through, this could go to the Angels. Either way, I feel that the Yankees pitching will show up to play and will not disappoint in the postseason.

Many Yankee fans think that if the weather is rough, it will favor the Yankees, and I couldn’t agree more. When you play in a colder environment, it is the small ball that wins games. When it comes to small ball, the Yankees are probably the best. True, they like to swing for the fence, but they also know when to lay down the bunt or hit a sacrafice fly. Let the rain pour, baby!! The Yanks will not lose when their is bad weather. Mark my words.