Yankees Storm Their Way Into Record Books

Added by Elizabeth DiPietro on August 26, 2011.

Losing yesterday’s rain-delayed game just wasn’t an option for the Yankees.  The hapless A’s had already taken the first two games at Yankee Stadium, and the Red Sox had done the same in their series against the Rangers, giving them sole possession of first place. 

Yes, the Yankees were expected to come back with a win, given their incredible day game record this season and their desire to avoid a sweep.  But few expected them to enter the record books while doing so.

The Yankees became the first team in major league history to hit three grand slams in one game.  Robinson Cano, Russell Martin, and Curtis Granderson each connected for a salami, annihilating the A’s 22-9.

For the Yankees, the game looked as bleak as the weather at first.  Phil Hughes seemed to be channeling himself pre-disabled list, lasting only 2 2/3 innings and forfeiting six runs.  A deluge of relievers flowed along with the threat of Hurricane Irene soon after, including Cory Wade, Hector Noesi, Luis Ayala, and Boone Logan, who notched the win in the sloppily-pitched game.  A.J. Burnett is slated to start tonight against the Orioles, and the Yankees need a strong outing from him in order to give the overworked bullpen a break. 

As the clouds parted and the sun began to peek through—at one point the crowd cheered Granderson trotting in from the outfield to retrieve his sunglasses—so did the Yankee offense.  With the Yanks down 7-1 in the fourth, Martin blasted a solo home run to buoy the Yankee spirits and get the crowd, who waited patiently through an hour and a half rain delay, back into the swing of things. 

Then, in the fifth the real fun began.  With the Yankees still down 7-2, Cano came up with the bases loaded and blasted the first part of the hat trick off A’s starter Rich Harden.  Cano’s round-tripper was exactly what the Yanks needed, especially in a series where they kept wasting opportunities with runners in scoring position.

As they say, when it rains, it pours, and literally in this case.  The Yankees sent a remarkable 16 men to the plate with the bases loaded, and certainly made the most of those opportunities.  The second grand slam occurred in the sixth off the bat of Martin, his second home run of the day.  Martin went a career-high 5-for-5 with six RBI.  The blast gave the Yankees the lead 10-7, but little did anyone know, they weren’t even half done with their scoring for the day. 

And what would a Yankee comeback win this season be without Curtis Granderson?  The All-Star center fielder has been ubiquitous in Yankee rallies this year.  He put the cherry on top with the third grand slam of the day, bringing his RBI total over 100 for the first time in his career.  He currently leads the American League in RBI with 103, putting him in serious conversations for MVP.

The biggest problem the Yanks had yesterday was who to make Player of the Game.  Everyone had at least one hit except Mark Teixeira, who did have two RBI.  They are hoping that their explosive offense continues in their five-game series in Baltimore this weekend. 

YANKEE FUN FACT: Russell Martin’s five hits were the most by a Yankee catcher since Elston Howard had five hits off the Red Sox in 1959.