three-run homer with two outs in the 10th inning to give the New York
Yankees a 5-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Cano hit a 2-2 pitch from Randy
Williams (0-1) into New York's bullpen in right-center, delighting what
was left of a soggy crowd at Yankee Stadium. Williams retired the first
two batters he faced before walking Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher on
four pitches apiece to set up Cano's first game-ending homer.
Brian Bruney (4-0) worked a perfect
10th inning for the win. Cano was batting just .176 with two outs and
runners in scoring position this season before his clutch hit.
Derek Jeter hit his second leadoff
homer this week and Johnny Damon also connected for AL East-leading New
York, which won the opener of the three-game set despite leaving nine
runners on base.
Mark Buehrle pitched six effective
innings for the White Sox but remained winless in seven starts since
his perfect game against Tampa Bay on July 23. The All-Star lefty is
0-4 with a 5.77 ERA over the lackluster stretch.
Sliding Chicago has lost five of six to fall five games behind AL Central-leading Detroit, which beat Tampa Bay 6-2.
The White Sox rallied in the seventh
against CC Sabathia, who tied a season high with 10 strikeouts and was
in line to become the first pitcher in the majors to reach 16 wins
before he tired in his last inning. Alex Rios doubled in a run and
Gordon Beckham lined a two-out RBI single into right to tie it at 2.
Ramon Castro tried to score on
Beckham's hit but Nick Swisher cut him down at the plate for the final
out. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez also made two nice plays in the
inning, throwing Carlos Quentin out at home on Castro's grounder and
diving to his right to keep Jayson Nix's hit in the infield.
Sabathia received a no-decision after
winning his previous 11 August starts. The big left-hander still
finished up this month with a 5-0 record and a 2.64 ERA.
Jeter hit a 1-2 pitch from Buehrle
over the wall in left-center for his 22nd career leadoff homer and
first since Sunday's 8-4 win at Boston. It was his 17th homer this
season and career No. 223, passing Don Mattingly for 10th on the club's
list.
Damon started the third with his
23rd homer, roping an 0-1 pitch over the right-field wall. He finished
with two hits and is batting .440 (11 for 25) in his last seven games.
Notes
White Sox manager Ozzie
Guillen said before the game he still hadn't decided on a starter for
Saturday. The top candidates are RHPs D.J. Carrasco and former Yankee
Jose Contreras. … Yankees C Jorge Posada (bruised left ring finger)
was out of the lineup but manager Joe Girardi said he was feeling
better and could be available off the bench. Posada hasn't played since
he took a foul ball off his glove hand during a 9-2 victory over the
Rangers on Wednesday night. … Tennis star and defending U.S. Open
singles champion Serena Williams threw out the ceremonial first pitch,
working from the rubber and tossing the ball way over the head of
catcher Jose Molina. The U.S. Open starts Monday.