Game Recap

After allowing two runs in the first inning, A.J. Burnett (1-0) rebounded to pitch six scoreless innings as New York topped Tampa Bay, 7-3, Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field. The Yankees completed their season-opening road trip with a 4-2 record. They also improved to 11-4 in their last 15 games against Tampa Bay.

Brett Gardner had another great game in the New York Yankees' 10-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays yesterday.

The only thing Gardner could not do was catch Kelly Shoppach's base hit to left field with two outs in the eighth inning that broke up C.C. Sabathia's bid for his first career no hitter.

It may have been academic anyway, since manager Joe Girardi has said since that Sabathia would not have gone back out for the ninth inning even with the no hitter still in place.

For the third consecutive game in the four game Phillies-Astros series, the Philadelphia Phillies once again were triumphant in the end with the help of a few key players.

Up through the first two innings the Phillies held a one point lead over the Astros when Jason Werth hit a sacrafice pop up to center field, bringing in Ryan Howard to take the lead.

Then a spark in the top of the third after Astros pitcher Brandon Lyon walked Ryan Howard, which moved[Jimmy Rollins to home plate, Placido Polanco to third and Chase Utley to second.

“Now this is what it’s like when worlds collide”

-Powerman 5000

That’s a fitting line from a mediocre band that I normally don’t like enough to be quoting.

I actually don’t like them at all, but I remembered hearing that line in a song growing up. I googled it, and here we are with that for the introduction to an article.

I spent last night drinking at a house where seemingly everyone was in a death metal band but me. And that’s not even the reference for which the lyric was included.

CC Sabathia (1-0) was four outs away from pitching the 12th no-hitter in Yankees history. But with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Kelly Shoppach, who was Sabathia’s teammate in Cleveland from 2006-08, singled to left to end the no-hit bid. While Sabathia was nearly flawless on the mound, New York pounded out 10 runs on 14 hits in a 10-0 shutout Saturday afternoon at Tropicana Field.

He just couldn't wait to get out there.

Manager Joe Girardi appeared to be out of the dugout before Kelly Shoppach's line drive single to left hit the turf in front of Brett Gardner with two outs in the eighth inning.

It was the Rays' first hit of the afternoon off CC Sabathia and with the big lefty at 111 pitches in his second start of the season, Girardi basically sprinted onto the field to pull his pitcher from the game with an 8-0 lead.

Caption: KC RF Rick Ankiel was left holding just his bat handle after his eighth inning showdown with Sox fireballer Daniel Bard. Unfortunately, Ankiel flared a base hit into left-center field on this swing to deliver the game-tying and game-winning runs in KC's 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Red Sox.

It was a great night for St. Louis on Friday as the Cardinals defeated the Brewers 5-4 with a little help from an unlikely source.

Nick Stavinoha.

Being placed in a high pressured situation with two outs in the ninth inning, the Texas native blasted a two-run, pinch-hit home run that gave the Cardinals the lead.

It was his first plate appearance of the season.

Everybody dreams about it when they are a kid. In the ninth inning down by a certain amount of runs and one swing of the bat can win the game.

It was a dream that Stavinoha cherished.

New day, new insider. Fantasy Baseball Insiders’ sixth game of the season was the season opener at Comerica Park on Friday featuring the Tigers and the visiting Indians.

Previous Fantasy Baseball Insiders Tonight updates:

Javier Vasquez (0-1) allowed eight runs on eight hits in five and two-third innings as Tampa Bay rolled to a 9-3 win, Friday night, at Tropicana Field.

Vasquez was making his first Yankees start since Game Four of the 2004 ALDS, at Minnesota.