I'm Loving It? (Ramirez vs. Towers)

MAY 31, 2009 (Moosic, PA) - Gotta give credit where it's due.  The player of the game was undoubtedly one Darnell McDonald.

Crabman in the on-deck circle. I think tattoo on his neck says "Braveheart." Either that, or "Brendanukkah." One or the other.

Drew Stubbs is too cool for school in his shades:

Danny Dorn warms up in left field:

On the mound for the SWB Yankees was Josh "Control" Towers:

Towers was once despised in Yankeeland.  Now he is a Yankee. Go figure.

Ramon Ramirez started for the Bats:

The Baby Bombers drew first blood, in the bottom of the first.  Todd Linden walked, stole 2B, then came home on a Shelley Duncan single.  Safe!

Drew Stubbs was batting second again.  He went 2 for 5.

Bats fans didn't have to wait long for the three-run homer.  Michael Griffin provided one in the top  of the 2nd.

The scoreboard had a section of dead pixels in it.  Batting practice home run, maybe?

Ramon Ramirez:

He was not exactly lights-out.  Luckily, Towers was worse.

Eric Duncan, once the Yankees' hottest prospect, was robbed by Darnell McDonald.

Crabman made a diving, tumbling catch, turning what looked like a sure double into an out.

McDonald followed it up with a two-run homer in the 3rd:

Left fielder John Rodriguez watches it go:

Josh Towers started the 4th by giving up a double to Luis Bolivar:

Austin Jackson and Shelley Duncan try to field it off the wall:

Bolivar scored on a Danny Richar single. 

Darnell hit a double:

That plated Richar.

Yankees fans were wondering why a stud like Darnell wasn't at least a fourth outfielder somewhere in the bigs.

But Ramirez  let the Yankees back in, by giving up five singles and a walk in the fourth.

Dorn fields a ball in front of the Yankees bullpen:

Rick Sweet takes the ball from Ramirez:

Ramirez heads to the showers.

He pitched 3.2 innings, with 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned runs, 4 walks and 3 Ks.

Robert Manual took over.

Josh Towers was also pulled at 3.2 innings, and Paul Bush came in.

The Yankees are very excited about Bush.  They signed him out of the independent leagues.  He went 3.1 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, and 5 Ks.

Shelley Duncan led off the 5th.

He fouled it to left, where it dropped in between Dorn and Griffin:

Dorn got the error.

I was worried that the Bats would pay for that mistake, but Shelley Duncan ended up grounding out.  He went only 1 for 4 in this game, and his only hit was just a single.

Brian Peterson was 0 for 4, with four Ks.

I guess that's why he's mostly the first base coach.  Probably got the start in this game because it was a day game after a night game and/or the Sunday lineup.

Michael Griffin is not afraid to get his uniform dirty:

Drew Stubbs, sticking out his tongue again.

Pedro Viola pitched 1.2 innings.

Drew Stubbs sets up underneath a fly ball.

Josh Roenicke got the last two outs.

Bats win, 7-5.