[外電] For at Least a Night, Wang and the Yanks Have Control

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For at Least a Night, Wang and the Yanks Have Control
By TYLER KEPNER
Published: May 22, 2007

Hitters usually know just what to expect from the Yankees’ Chien-Ming Wang:
heavy sinkers begging to be topped into the dirt. David Ortiz, the Boston
Red Sox slugger, has faced Wang many times, but he did not quite recognize
him last night at Yankee Stadium.

“At the beginning, I thought he was hurting,” Ortiz said. “He wasn’t
trying to be too aggressive, just throwing more off-speed. At one point,
I got a double and when I got into second base, I asked Derek Jeter, Is he
hurting? and he said, ‘No.’ But he was very different than what he always
used to be.”

Mixing more sliders and changeups among his sinkers, Wang held an early lead
and worked six and a third strong innings, guiding the Yankees to a 6-2
victory before 55,078 fans. The crowd gave Wang a standing ovation as he
left the mound.

The Yankees are still below .500, at 20-23, and still far behind Boston
in the American League East, at nine and a half games back. But for a
team that has not won more than three games in a row all season, any
kind of winning streak is important.

“We’ve won two in a row,” Manager Joe Torre said. “It’s not something
we usually trumpet, but we haven’t done that in a while.”

The Yankees had been sabotaged by poor offense lately but have scored at
least six runs in each of their past three games. This time, the Red Sox
left 12 runners on base, including 8 in scoring position.

They left the bases loaded in the second inning against Wang, who impressed
Torre by striking out Kevin Youkilis with a slider on a full count. Of his
114 pitches, Wang said catcher Jorge Posada called about 20 sliders, which
he guessed was his most ever.

“Sado said not every time the same pitch,” Wang said, referring to
Posada by his nickname. “I changed something.”

Wang’s sinker has been very effective, but Boston has tormented him. Before
last night, Wang was 2-4 with a 5.05 earned run average against the Red Sox.
Ortiz came into the game 9 for 20 (.400) off Wang, and Manny Ramirez was 10
for 16 (.625).

“When you pitch against a team a lot and you pitch them the same way, they
know how you pitch,” said Ron Guidry, the pitching coach. “He still had
good velocity throughout the game, but we talked a lot about trying to do
things differently — when you’re pitching in certain counts, maybe try
something else once in a while.”

Guidry said he jokingly told Wang that he was not happy with him because
he had walked three batters. But there was also much to like — Wang
retired the leadoff man in every inning, he struck out five, a season
high, and he evened his record at 3-3.

For all of the Yankees’ pitching injuries, their rookie starters have
not been their problem. In 21 games started by rookies, the Yankees are
10-11, about the best they could hope for.

They have mostly failed to capitalize on starts by their top three of
Wang, Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte. When those three have pitched,
the Yankees are only 8-12.

This game was never in doubt, though, because of Boston starter Tim
Wakefield, who said he never got comfortable. Wakefield worked five
innings, allowing six runs, nine hits and five walks. Alex Rodriguez
and Jason Giambi homered off him.

“The ball stayed up; it wasn’t diving at the end, as you can tell by
the two home runs,” Wakefield said. “I just didn’t have great stuff
tonight and they took advantage, not only of the walks but the ball
staying up in the zone.”

Johnny Damon had three hits and a walk for the Yankees, with two stolen
bases. Damon said he had lost weight and was down to 206 pounds, his
lightest in six years. He has been slowed by calf and back injuries,
but looked spry last night.

“His body just looked like it was electric,” Torre said.

Electric is a term sometimes applied to Wang’s sinker, when it darts down
and away from left-handed hitters. It stayed up at times last night, but
Wang had other choices. The more pitches he can command, the more staying
power he may have.

“He’s going to be pitching in this game for a long time,” Ortiz said.
“He’s got good stuff, and he’s real smart out there when he’s trying
to do his job.”

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◆ From: 140.109.23.211
推 beast1969:老爹還以為小王受傷了Orz
推 opie:“At the beginning, I thought he was hurting..這句好笑
→ opie:老爹好口愛喔
→ opie:即使他往往對投手很殘忍
推 chrislux:因為都投軟軟的球
推 Kamelie:隊長應該回老爹『科科』
推 leddy:nytimes的新聞內容還是比較好看
推 leddy:但似乎說這場sinker的狀況不太好, 太高但還有其他球種可投