The words “Jorge Posada” and “triple” aren’t often mentioned in the same breath. After all, the longtime Yankees catcher had 10 triples in 6,499 regular-season and postseason at-bats.
That changed yesterday in at-bat 6,500, in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS against the Tigers.
Posada blasted a shot to deep left-center field in the ninth inning, and as he began to run the bases, Derek Jeter noticed something from the Yankees dugout.
“You could tell when he was between first and second,” Jeter said, “he wasn’t going to stop.”
Posada didn’t have to. Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson didn’t pick the ball up cleanly, and Posada rambled all the way to third with the first postseason triple of his career. It was part of a second strong ALDS game for the designated hitter.
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In yesterday’s 5-3 loss, Posada was the only Yankee to rack up two hits and he also walked. His triple was part of the Yankees’ ninth-inning rally off Tigers closer Jose Valverde. Posada also went 1-for-3 with a walk in Game 1, giving him a solid start in what almost certainly will be his final postseason in pinstripes.
Posada also had an eventful day in other ways. He played in his 122nd career playoff game, moving into second place all-time and trailing only Jeter’s 149 games.
And for the second straight postseason game, Posada caught the ceremonial first pitch. Before Game 1, he caught a pitch from Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Yesterday, he handled a toss from retired Yankees great Andy Pettitte.
“Andy’s a special man,” said Posada, who hugged his longtime teammate afterward.
In his first at-bat, Posada was overmatched, getting blown away on a 98-mph fastball from Max Scherzer. But he drew a walk in the fifth inning, then singled in the seventh, driving Scherzer out of the game.
In the ninth, after Nick Swisher welcomed Valverde with a leadoff home run, Posada slammed his drive. He initially thought he’d only get a double, but ended up on third for his first triple in 408 postseason at-bats.
Told of Jeter’s comment that he wasn’t going to stop running, Posada said, “I don’t know about that.”
Posada was never a lock to make the playoff roster, especially after being phased out as a catcher and struggling early in the season. He was batting just .169 on June 4, but from that point on, he hit .282 with eight homers, 27 RBIs and a .778 OPS in 202 at-bats. He also had the division-clinching hit, a pinch-hit two-run single on Sept. 21 against the Rays.
“I feel comfortable,” Posada said. “Taking pitches deep in the count and working the count a little bit more.”