Yankees, Chamberlain get the Joba Done

I’m not going to pour too much into this one. The Indians came out tonight and did what I expected them to do. They lost the game 8-4, but it wasn’t exactly in the fashion that I expected them to do it. They buuilt up an early 3 run lead with big hits from Trot Nixon and Peralta. Jake Westbrook wilted down the stretch of this game, and Johnny Damon again got the huge hit that has made him such a great player in the postseason.

You had to figure the Yankees would find a way to send it to a game 4. The Indians are a young team, even if they are dangerous. That is a lot asking this team to go into Yankee Stadium, with all those ghosts representing the Bronx Bombers. Before the game the storyline was whether or not Joe Torre was going to be fired. The Boss George Steinbrenner sat deep in the throws of Yankee Stadium, hidden from controversy as his troops took the field against the Indians with everything against them. They responded and fought for the job of their leader Torre. This was a tough, tough game for the Indians to win.

I just kept thinking the same thing. Why us? Why are we the only series of the 4 divisional series that wasn’t a sweep? I kept thinking about when we were beating the Seattle Mariners in 2001 in game 3 with an already 2 game lead in the divisional series. The Mariners rallied to knock us out and win 3 in a row. I hope that this is not what happens here.

We’re now going to ask Paul Byrd to win game 4, which is a tough task. I really want to see us come out and put on a good fight and finish off this bunch that has us beaten in experience.

Hats off to Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera who were lights out. You also have to give Phil Hughes a ton of credit, as he might be the man who can be credited with saving the Yankees season.

There is so much to touch on from this game. Was this the last time we see Roger Clemens pitch? The whole Torre storyline. We don’t have to wait long as tomorrow night there will be another war at 7:30, same place. Let’s hope there is no Sinatra blaring on the Yankee Stadium speakers tomorrow night.

[Box Score]