The walk-off has become the by-word of the 2009 Yankees. Fifteen times the team won in its last at-bat, enjoying implausible theatrics at the hands of Melky Cabrerra (3 times), Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, and even Francisco Cervelli and Jose Miranda. Last night, in a terrific Game 2 of the ALDS, the heroics were performed by the boss stud of the Yankee line-up, Mark Teixiera. Heretofore this year Teixiera (above right) confined his massive contributions to normal players’ hours, but last night led off the 12th by smoking an angry liner that barely got over the left field wall to gve the Yankes a 4-3 victory (According to hittrackeronline.com, a Web site that crunches numbers to determine speeds and true distances of home runs, Teixeira’s blast went from bat to stands in just 2.88 seconds, making it the fastest
home run to leave the yard in a major-league game this year.) This moment was made possible by a whole bunch of wonderful moments that preceded it, including most prominently a monster 2-run home run in the bottom of the ninth when the Yanks were trailing 3-1 by Alex Rodriguez (above left), who had three RBIs on the night and continues something which seems like a redemption tour but which, if it continues, might end up seeming like something between a punitive raid and a crusade. Other very nifty moments: a heads-up play early in the game when Nick Swisherr threw to second behind the runner and Derek Jeter applied the tag a nanosecond before another runner could cross home plate, negating a certain run; splendid relief pitching by rookie David Robertson, who calmly extinguished a three-on, no one out jam in the top of the 11th, one of the outs coming on calm and collected 3-1 play from Teixiera to Cervelli. Teixiera’s throw was terrific, soft and firm, eye high, easily catchable. It wasn’t magnificent or brilliant; it was just perfect. Two down, nine to go.
