Throggs Neck News: Bunny Breakfast

Throggs Neck News: Bunny Breakfast: Bunny Breakfast (Photos by Gary Quintal) State Senator Jeff Klein invited hundreds of children and their parents to his Annual...

Throggs Neck News: Bunny Breakfast

Throggs Neck News: Bunny Breakfast: Bunny Breakfast (Photos by Gary Quintal) State Senator Jeff Klein invited hundreds of children and their parents to his Annual...

Bunny Breakfast

Bunny Breakfast

(Photos by Gary Quintal)

State Senator Jeff Klein invited hundreds of children and their parents to his Annual Bunny Breakfast. There was a healthy breakfast, face painting, a giant Easter bunny, and Magician John Tudor of Simply Magic. 

Throggs Neck News: Yankees Sock it to Boston

Throggs Neck News: Yankees Sock it to Boston: Yankees Sock it to Boston Yanks Put to Rest Some Questions with Dominance of Red Sox, Ejection of Manager John Farrell By Ric...

Yankees Sock it to Boston

Yankees Sock it to Boston

Yanks Put to Rest Some Questions with Dominance of Red Sox, Ejection of Manager John Farrell

By Rich Mancuso

BRONX, NEW YORK, APRIL 14- The rivalry changed a bit when the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox met for the first time in the Bronx the past three days. The Yankees, a team with questions will take what they accomplished after their 3-2 win Sunday night taking three of four games from their rivals.

This early in the season, and with questions about a Yankees bullpen that is being tested, they conquered. Matt Thornton, David Phelps and Shawn Kelley closed the door with David Robertson on the disabled list. It was intense baseball in the Bronx and from the looks of these first four of 19-games that will be played between these division rivals, there will be more intensity.

And count on a little of everything, including spectacular defense that came from the Yankees outfield. With a decimated infield, plagued by injuries, Carlos Beltran was shifted from right-field to first base in the top of the fifth because of an injury to Francisco Cervelli.

Cervelli, will likely go on the disabled list. Sunday night, Beltran went 3-for-4 including a home run, single and a double He has been everything the Yankees wanted in their lineup, perhaps something they did not have last year when the Red Sox dominated New York.

"I didn't have a whole lot of choices tonight," said manager Joe Girardi about putting Beltran in at first for the injured Cervelli. "Just tells you the type of player he is. Willing to do anything you ask him to do.”

He added, “Very, very unselfish."

Beltran is that type of player. He was one of the four players the Yankees purchased for over $450 million to get them back to October. But, with the Yankees decimated with injuries in the infield, Beltran was pressed into service and was put in the infield for the first time in his career.

It was another dimension to this rivalry, a new one that has developed. The Red Sox don’t resemble the team that went on to win a World Series last October. And the Yankees, without Derek Jeter this night ,were pressed to do something and Beltran did not say no.

"Thank God nobody hit the baseball to me," said Beltran. He made three putouts and without Mark Teixeira, on the disabled list with a right hamstring pull, Girardi may not hesitate to put Beltran at first again.

“We have to do what it takes," Beltran said. I hope I don't have to do it again." The Yankees are doing what they have to do, 13-games into a young season. He has homered in consecutive games since May 28-29 of last season against Kansas City when he was with the Cardinals.

The Yankees scored their third run in the fourth inning. The new instant replay rule went to their benefit and caused the ejection of Boston Manager John Farrell. Cervelli was ruled safe on a bang-bang play at first. Girardi challenged.

Farrell contested the change of a call that enabled the Yankees to get what was a decisive run in what could have been an inning ending double-play. Under the new rule a play overturned is not supposed to be argued by a manager, hence the ejection. More, so the Yankees got the benefit and the rivalry got more intense.

So much of what transpired renewed a rivalry that seemed to disappear last season. Ichiro Suzuki, replacing Beltran in right, crashed into the outfield wall and made a spectacular catch that took an extra base hit away from David Ortiz in the eighth inning.

And by the eighth inning, with Mike Napoli on second, after a double to left that the Yankees’ Brett Gardner did his best to get, the Yankee Stadium crowd could be heard again, as it was when this rivalry was so intense.

Phelps, part of the mix and match late combination out of the Yankees pen walked Daniel Nava on a pitch that was low. A.J. Pierzynski got hit by a pitch that loaded the bases. Mike Carp off the bench after going behind 2-0 on the count went after a breaking ball and swung at strike three.

Then Kelley, in a role as one of the closers, sent the Red Sox packing in the ninth. It is only April, but these games are so important in a division that will be contested also with Tampa Bay.

“You know the division and wild card come down to one run,” said Girardi who always said these games are important now. However, if the Yankees want to be there in late September, they need to stay healthy. And they need good pitching as Ivan Nova got his second win in 7.1 innings. He struck out four on eight-hits and one of the Boston runs off Napoli’s third home run in the sixth.

“I thought he had a better command of his curveball tonight and that was a difference,” commented Girardi. In his last outing, Nova gave up seven runs and 10-hits in 3-2/3 innings to Baltimore.

The type of game on Sunday night that revived a rivalry in the Bronx and the Yankees, with an off Monday have a day to recuperate before welcoming the Chicago Cubs for a two-game interleague series.

Comment Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com  facebook.com/Rich Mancuso www.newyorksportsexaminer.com

Throggs Neck News: Yanks Blast Sox Off

Throggs Neck News: Yanks Blast Sox Off: Yanks Blast Sox Off Homers Give Yankees a 7-4 Victory over the Red Sox By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK APRIL 13- In a reversa...

Yanks Blast Sox Off

Yanks Blast Sox Off

Homers Give Yankees a 7-4 Victory over the Red Sox

By Howard Goldin

BRONX, NEW YORK APRIL 13- In a reversal of the circumstances of the previous night’s contest at Yankee Stadium, five Yankee four baggers drove in each of their seven runs and ensured them a Saturday matinee victory over the Boston Red Sox.

The good feeling of sitting under blue skies and mild temperatures in the 60’s was increased for the Yankee rooters in the ballpark by the success at the plate of the Yankee batters. The combination provided a pleasant Saturday afternoon outing for the 48.572 fans in the Stadium, the largest crowd of the season.

In the first frame, a two-out single by the hot hitting former star of the Red Sox, Jacoby Ellsbury, was followed by Carlos Beltran’s second home run of the 2014 campaign, which gave New York a two run lead.

A lead-off base hit by Xander Bogarts in the second led to a tied score of two as the next batter, AJ Pierzynski blasted the first pitch into the seats in right to drive in two runs.

Two innings later, Brian McCann and Alfonso Soriano connected for back-to-back homers to give New York a 4-2 advantage. The Yankees had last hit homers back-to-back on June 6, 2013 in Seattle.

Two additional Yankee runners crossed the plate in the bottom of the sixth. McCann with his second home run of the game also drove in Beltran, who had doubled to begin the inning. This was McCann’s tenth multi-homer game in his career in the majors. It was the first Yankee multi-home run game since Soriano blasted two round trippers on September 10, 2013.

Despite entering the contest with a batting average of .162, the Yankee skipper was not surprised by McCann’s home runs, “I know he’s going to hit; he’s too good a hitter not to hit.”

Yankee starter Hiroki Kuroda was removed from the game after 6.1 innings after walking two batters in the seventh. A hit batsman and a single by Mike Carp off reliever Matt Thornton allowed the last two baserunners of Kuroda’s outing to score.

Kuroda gave up six hits and four earned runs in his 6.1 inning performance. He earned his second win of the young season, but was critical of his pitching, “Overall, I wasn’t sharp. My command and precise control wasn’t there.”

Kelly Johnson began the eighth frame with a crushing blow that landed in the center field seats. Saturday’s game was the third straight in which Johnson homered. The two rookies, Yangervis Solarte and Dean Anna, followed with a single and a double respectively. They were stranded on second and third when the inning concluded after the next two batters could not move them.

The offensive onslaught was quite pleasing to the Yankee manager, “It definitely helps if you can score runs quickly. I think our offense is much more balanced than last year. I think it is much more explosive too.”

The final game of the series will be played on Sunday night. Ivan Nova will start for New York and Felix Doubront will start for Boston.