Funny how Derek Jeter impersonations achieve that:
NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez turned Kei Igawa’s forgettable debut into a day he’ll long remember.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two outs and the Yankees trailing by a run. Just the type of pressure situation Rodriguez failed at during the last two Octobers. Nearly the same circumstances as two nights earlier, when he popped out and tossed his bat to the ground in disgust.
This time, A-Rod wound up getting shoved back onto the field by Derek Jeter for a curtain call.
Down to his last strike, Rodriguez came through in the most dramatic way, sending a soaring drive into the center-field bleachers, Yankee Stadium’s famed black seats. His grand slam off Chris Ray, A-Rod’s second home run Saturday, gave the Yankees a memorable 10-7 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
“It felt awesome,†Rodriguez said in the clubhouse, still smiling, the ball perched on a shelf in his locker. “I was so excited, I felt like a fool running around the bases, like it was Little League.â€
“Somehow, I knew it was going to come to down to me. Even with two outs and nobody on,†Rodriguez said. “Somehow or another, it always ends up with me somewhere.â€
Robinson Cano singled, Jeter walked and Bobby Abreu was hit on a knee by a pitch.
Rodriguez then connected on a 1-2 fastball. As soon as he hit it, he knew it was gone, and what remained of a crowd announced at 50,510 on a 39-degree afternoon went wild.
“It’s something about New York, that I love it here,†Rodriguez said. “There’s just energy. It’s crazy, one way or another. Every night is always exciting.â€
Contract extension, anyone?
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