ANAHEIM, Calif. — Johnny Damon forgot to show up for the ALDS, but he’s managed to find his way in the ALCS.
Displaying the swing that made him such a success playing at hitter’s paradise, Yankee Stadium, Damon last night belted his second homer in as many games, providing icing on the cake in the Yankees’ 10-1 rout of the Angels.
Damon’s shot into the right-field seats in the eighth gave the Yanks a six-run lead. A day earlier, he hit a solo homer just inside the right-field foul pole at Angel Stadium.
Damon is 6-for-21 (.286) in the ALCS after going 1-for-12 (.083) against the Twins in the ALDS. That included a four-strikeout performance in Game 3 at the Metrodome.
VACCARO: ALEX REWRITING LEGACY
SHERMAN: CC PROVES HE’S A MONEY PITCHER
WORLD SERIES TICKETS ON SALE TODAY
INDIANS TO INTERVIEW MATTINGLY
But Damon is no longer a Yankees concern. Mark Teixeira is another story.
Good thing Teixeira is making the plays at first base, or he really could be hearing about his .111 postseason batting average. His lone RBI is the result of the 11th-inning home run he hit at the Stadium to win Game 2 of the ALDS.
Teixeira isn’t alone, of course. Robinson Cano and Nick Swisher have been MIA at the plate for the Yankees, but the biggest things are expected from Teixeira, if for no other reason than his $180 million price tag.
“There are a lot of ways you can win a ballgame — it just doesn’t always have to be with your bat,” manager Joe Girardi said. “Tex has saved us defensively during this series a number of times.”
Though the Yankees lost Game 3 on Monday, it was Teixeira on full display in the 10th inning, with Mariano Rivera on the mound and the winning run at third base. Teixeira first made a put-out, holding the runner at third, before gloving Torii Hunter’s grounder and throwing home for the force after the Angels had loaded the bases. Teixeira then snagged Vladimir Guerrero’s grounder and stepped on first base for the final out.