The Yankees are on the Verge of Something Wonderful

Yesterday, the Yankees played their final Opening Night at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees played an excellent game yesterday, pulling in a win to start off the beginning of (what I hope to be) a wonderful season. With 2-3 victory over the Blue Jays, Melky Cebrara was the star of the game. He homered against Blue Jays starter Roy Halladay in the sixth to tie the game, for which the crowd summoned for a curtain call. The Yankees took the lead in the seventh against Halladay when, with the bases loaded, Alex Rodriguez crossed the plate with the go-ahead run on the fielder's choice. Melky also had two outstanding plays during the game. He pounded against the wall with a leap on Lyle Overbay's deep drive in right-center field and a batter latter, made a diving catch in left-center field on Aaron Hill's low liner. Ching Ming Wang pitched a good game, limiting Toronto to two runs and six hits over seven innings before handing over the ball to Joba Chamberlain for the eighth inning. Chamberlain allowed the tying run to get as close as second base before he recorded two strikeouts to end the frame. Then , of course, you have Rivera come in to do what Rivera does best. He retired the side in the ninth recording the final out on a Scutaro groundout to second base.

This game was also the beginning of a new era. Joe Girardi managed the Yankees to a win in his first game as Yankee manager, the position previously held for 12 seasons by Joe Torre. Mariano Rivera did the honors of handing the ball to his new manager for safe-keeping. The game had everything a winning team should be playing, "well-pitched baseball at the beginning, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning, athletic and reliable defense, and lights-out from the back end of the bullpen." As Derek Jeter said after the game, "If we keep it like that, I'm sure we'll win a lot." And I agree. The Yankees are on the Verge of Something Wonderful.