This afternoon is it for the Yankees, win or go home. They have no margin for error. It's a good thing their ace CC Sabathia is taking the mound against the Rangers. The team mantra has been to worry about tomorrow after today, from Yankees manager Joe Girardi all the way to their closer Mariano Rivera.
"We haven't lost yet, we just have to play one game at a time. We cannot win three games at a time," said Mariano Rivera before the game "Just play hard today and forget about tomorrow...if we do that, we will have enough to win tonight."
On the season, Sabathia had a major league leading 21 and only 7 losses with a 3.18 ERA. For their careers against him, the Rangers are hitting only .175 with 3 home runs and 14 RBI. The team's best hitter against Sabathia is 3rd baseman Michael Young, who has 12 hits in 38 at bats for a .316 average. "For us as a team, we haven't really put too much stock into our post season past, because that's what it was, the past," said Young. "We're very confident with the guys in this room that we can do some good things."
In game 1 against the Rangers this ALCS Sabathia surrendered 5 runs on 6 hits over only 4 innings. He is looking for a better outing this time around. "We're down and we need everyone to pitch well. Of course I feel like I need to pitch that way every time out," said Sabathia. "I wasn't able to get it done in game 1, but I'll be ready to go...they're good, they can hit, they got a lot of power up and down." He is 8-3 after Yankee losses this season, there's no better man to have on the mound for this pivotal game.
The Rangers starter CJ Wilson was 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA during the 2010 regular season. In game 1 against the Yankees he allowed 3 runs on 6 hits over 7 innings. For their careers, the Yankees are hitting a collective .248 with 2 home runs and 18 RBI. Nick Swisher has 6 hits in 20 at bats for .300 average to lead his teammates efforts against the former closer. Marcus Thames has 5 hits in his 11 at bats against him. The only real weak spot in the Bombers' line up would be Berkman, having no career at bata against Wilson and struggling mightily against lefties this season. He appears to be swinging the bat better as of late, hopefully it translates into something positive.
Mariano Rivera has pitched only one inning this entire ALCS, he hopes to be active later tonight and help the Yankees punch their tickets back to Arlington.
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