Not long before rookie Francisco Cervelli set off Yankee Stadium’s all too familiar scene of bouncing mobs and whipped-cream pies with his first walk-off hit, a veteran of the process made it all possible.
After scoring two runs in the first inning of last night’s 5-4 win, Yankee bats went colder than the brisk chill sweeping through The Bronx. With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Hideki Matsui stepped to the plate as the tying run, with Alex Rodriguez on first.
“You want him up at those times and you don’t worry if they bring up a lefty to face him,” Joe Girardi said. “It’s a great feeling as a manager because you know he’s going to give you a great at-bat.”
Looking to help the Yankees avoid their fourth loss in six games, Matsui fouled off two straight fastballs from Toronto left-hander Scott Downs. Matsui, who historically hits lefties as well as righties (.293 against righties, .292 against lefties), has batted 19 points lower against lefties this season.
“He’s been playing against left-handers his whole life. I can’t imagine in Japan they ever pinch hit for him when he faced a left-hander,” Girardi said. “He stays in there. When you’re an everyday player and a guy who can hit fourth in the lineup, you don’t worry if they’re left-handed or right-handed. If you make a mistake, he’s gonna put a good swing on it and he’s got a chance to do some damage.”
On the next pitch, the numbers flew out the window and the ball sailed over the right-field fence, with Matsui launching a hanging curveball to revive the crowd and make Mariano Rivera’s ninth inning appearance meaningful.
“I don’t really pay attention to the opportunity of what part of the game it is,” Matsui said through a translator. “I just look at the pitcher and what kind of strategy I need to have at the plate, what kind of plan I need to have. That’s what I really focus on.
“Personally, I don’t mind facing lefties, or righties for that matter. I know they always bring in a lefty to face me, but again, it doesn’t really make that much of a difference.”
Matsui’s 25th home run of the season tied the game at four and helped give the Yankees their 34th comeback win at home this season, tying a franchise record.
“With this team, I think it’s really possible that we continue to win like this,” Matsui said. “As long as our pitchers keep their runs down, which they have been, it’s always gonna give us a good chance to win.”
Matsui has raised his average to .280 for the first time since May 8. He has hit .425 (17-for-40) since Sept. 3, including an RBI single in the first inning.
“Regardless of what part of the game it is, I always try and maintain my confidence at the plate,” Matsui said. “Regardless of what part of the game or who I’m facing, I make sure that that’s always there.”