Bombers get boost from Wang, Wright
BY PETER BOTTE
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
A chorus of boos was the final tune sung by fans departing the Stadium
last night after the home run served up by third-string closer Scott Proctor
cost the Yankees a chance at a doubleheader sweep.
But that memory couldn't diminish the appreciative standing ovations
earned by both of the starting pitchers used by the Yankees in their
day-night split against the Tigers. Chien-Ming Wang further thrust himself
into the race for the AL Cy Young following a 2-0 combined shutout in
the opener. And Jaret Wright started building a case for a potential
postseason start with his longest outing of the season, before
Craig Monroe's ninth-inning homer off Proctor cost him his chance
for his 10th victory.
"He wasn't messing around," Joe Torre said of Wright, who left with a
3-2 lead with one out in the seventh. "I was very pleased. He threw a
lot of quality strikes."
Wright's 6-1/3 innings marked the first time he has seen the seventh
inning since Sept. 13 of last season.
"I just tried to attack the strike zone more," Wright said. "Just
going out there for the seventh - when I haven't been out there
all year - was a good feeling."
Perhaps Wang's latest gem in the opener was contagious. The Tigers
managed only three hits against him over 7-2/3 innings, bouncing into
13 ground-ball outs to boost Wang's season total to an AL-leading 331.
"I kept waiting for a ball to be hit to me and finally in the (eighth)
inning I got one," Johnny Damon said. "It was a pretty easy day for me."
As it was yet again for Wang, who is one of just three 16-game winners
(16-5) this season following his eighth victory in nine decisions.
Toronto's Roy Halladay and Chicago's Jon Garland, who defeated Tampa Bay
last night, are both 16-4. On a Yankees staff boasting Mariano Rivera,
Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina, Wang suddenly has emerged as a legitimate
candidate for the AL Cy Young Award. "I never think like that," said Wang,
who worked on seven days' rest. "I never look at the stats, just pitch."
Pitching coach Ron Guidry believes Wang, who also improved to 10-2 at
the Stadium this season, "has just as good a chance (to win the award)
as anyone with what he's done."
Originally published on August 31, 2006
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/story/448292p-377407c.html
※ 編輯: yyhong68 來自: 140.109.23.211 (08/31 16:36)