Javier Vazquez: Good Enough for First Win

(This was supposed to be posted this morning, but I was having computer issues so I'll make this pretty short)

It wasn't a great start for Javier Vazquez, but like the title says it was good enough for him to pick up his first win of the season.

In 5.1 innings, Vazquez allowed three runs on six hits, walked three, and struck out six.

He looked very sharp over the first four but two mistakes, both of which left the yard, ended up hurting him in the fifth and sixth.

The first was a solo homer by Travis Buck, and then an inning later he gave up a two-run shot to Kurt Suzuki.

Vazquez was hurt in the sixth by a mis-communication by Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano on a ball that dropped in between them in short center field. Had that play been made Javy may have gotten out of that inning without allowing any further damage, but we'll never know.

Instead, the next batter he faced was Suzuki, and he hit the homer.

Luckily for the Yanks, but that time in the game they had already put up six runs thanks to another nice effort from the offense.

They forced A's starter Gio Gonzalez, to throw 97 pitches in just 4.1 innings, and drew five walks against him. Like many pitchers the Yankees have and will face this year, he was seen beating up the dugout bench after leaving the game.

They scored three in the first to take an early lead.

The runs were scored on an RBI single by Jorge Posada and a two-run single by Nick Swisher. All the damage in the inning came with two outs, and the rally was helped along by what should have been an error on Daric Barton on Posada's "single."

Robinson Cano also had a key at-bat in the inning, drawing a two-out walk to load the bases. It would turn out to be one of three walks on the night for Cano.

After Gonzalez left the game in the fifth, reliever Craig Breslow came in to allow a three-run homer to Alex Rodriguez to make it 6-0.

The Yanks would add one more in the seventh on an RBI force out hit by Posada.

Boone Logan replaced Vazquez in the sixth and pitched pretty well in his first relief outing of the season for the Yanks. He ran into some trouble in his second inning of work and loaded the bases with two outs.

Joba Chamberlain came in to clean up the mess and struck out Kevin Kouzmanoff to end the threat. Joba stayed on to pitch a scoreless eighth.

In 1.1 inning Joba struck out three, and did not allow a base runner.

After Damaso Marte walked the only batter he faced to start the ninth, Mariano Rivera came in to close out the 7-3 victory for the Yanks.

They've now won five in a row, and will look to make it six later tonight with Phil Hughes on the mound.

For Oakland, right-hander Ben Sheets will get the ball. First pitch is set for 10:05 p.m. and the game will be on YES.

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