Welcome to LIVE BLOGSVILLE!

We've got our little Hughsie taking the mound tonight, going against the 26-year-old Dustin McGowan. I assume you're all as excited as the YC to see the season debut of our youngster...

The lineup for the Yanks shall be as follows:

Johnny Damon DH
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Jason Giambi 1B
Robinson Cano 2B
Hideki Matsui LF
Jose Molina C
Melky Cabrera CF

No Jorgie again tonight due to that stiff shoulder, so it's up to Molina to catch Phillie and throw out potential base robbers. I am already sick of Giambi lunging about at first base, but he's seeing the ball well and has made one good defensive play, so I suppose I shan't complain too much.

Until he fucks up.

Ready to rumble?? Is it time to PLAY BALL yet? 45 more minutes, my impatient lovelies...


6:47pm: I really hate that the Extra Innings package won't tune into the game coverage until right before it actually starts. I would love to be able to actually watch the pre- and post-game shows... even with Michael Kay.

7:01pm: Finally! Looks like we'll be listening to Kay and Paul O'Neill again. I said it Tuesday and I'll say it again: did Paul get a perm?

7:05pm: Michael Kay to Paully: "So he [A-Rod] is better than you?"

Um.

Thank goodness Paul answered in the affirmative. That could have been awkward.

Time to play ball!

Top First:
David "Scrappy McScrapperson" Eckstein starts things off with a grounder to Jeet and an easy out, and we're off and running.

They just announced that they aren't even sending Jorgie for tests on this shoulder -- that's a positive sign. We should be seeing him again soon.

Hughsie gets Stairs to stare past some strikes (haaaaa! HILARIOUS) and just like that, he's got two quick outs.

Rios goes down looking, too! 3 up, 3 down for Hughes and he looks great.

Bottom First:
It's Damon - today at DH, Jeet, and Abreu up first as usual for McGowan.

Sweet muttonchops, McG.

After fouling off a few, Damon chases a ball outside and is out.

Sidenote: Hughsie threw just 13 pitches in the top of the inning.

Jeets bounces one slowly to Gritty McGritterson and there's two down for Bobby-o.

Bobby is out on strikes, giving McG a 1-2-3 inning as well.

Top Second:
Rios hits one to Cano, and he's out.

Hughsie is being VERY economical with his precious pitches. Frank Thomas flies out to center.

Another 1-2-3 as Overbay grounds out. Hughsie is looking 100% dialed in tonight! Am I ridiculous for already hoping for a no-hitter?

Yes.

Bottom Second:
It only took Hughes 7 pitches to get through the second, fyi.

MVP-Rod hits it hard, but it goes straight to Scutaro and he's out.

It's very distracting when that stupid "YOU ARE WATCHING A FREE PREVIEW OF MLB EXTRA INNINGS" scrolls across the bottom of the screen. It drives me batty.

Giambi does what he does best and uses that keen eye to take a walk.

Cano grounds into what I thought should have been a double play, abut they only get Giambi second and Cano is safe at first.

Strange double play: Matsui strikes out while Cano attempts to steal third - he gets there and slides under the tag, but since Matsui was blocking the catcher (which I don't think he was, but whatevs) he was called out on "player interference."

Another 1-2-3 inning. McG. is looking just as good as Hughsie.

Top Third:
Aaron hill sends one hard into right, and Abreu catches it easily.

Scooooootero follows suit with a fly out.

Aaaaand he's perfect through three. Zaun grounds out to Giambi (and he doesn't jack it up! Nice work, Big G).

Bottom Third:
Michael Kay is talking about the innings limits that Jobamania, Hughsie, and I-Ken will be following... but the Yanks are not disclosing the info. Right... cuz we won't find out as soon as they pitch?

Good god Molina is a fatass. How did I not notice this before??

What ever happened to Skippy the Bat Boy, by the way? Michael Kay's "Best Bat Boy in the League."

Fatty Fatlina singles up the middle!

McG's no-hitter ends before Phillie's.

Melky shows some restraint and patience and works himself a walk, and there are two on with no outs for Damon.

Pauly: "A lot of players don't even look at that 3rd base coach. They just don't expect a sign."

That is very stupid.

Damon sends one flyin' hard and fast to right field, but it's right to Rios... outski.

I don't see the point of showing this year's stats yet. They mean nothing; it's been two games. I'd rather see the 2007 stats.

FAILURE, Jeet! Douple play.

Well, they break up McLovin's no-hitter but don't do any damage.

Keep it up Phil! Make it four...

Top Fourth:
Doing the live blog here rather than FanHouse is nice - I don't have to tone down the Yanks bias.

On the other hand, you losers don't pay me.

Hughes is still only at 29 pitches!

Uh-oh, Scrapstein is 0-10.

I mean 1-11.

No mas no-hitter. Sigh... que triste. Grittster doubles one into left.

Stairs hits a slow grounder to Jeter and is out, but Scrapper is goes to third for an RBI chance for Mr Rios.

No mas shut-out. Sigh... que triste. Rios does what he set out to do and singles Gritstein in from third.

1-0 Jays

CANO! Bad child. Rios steals second and Molina throws a rocket to Cano, who applies the tag in plenty of time to make the out... but drops the ball (literally, not figuratively), which rolls into centerfield and sends Rios to third.

Sweeeeet breaking ball! Phil gets Wells on strikes and we've got two outs. If Hughes can get the Big Hurt out here, he'll get himself out of trouble with minimal damage.

Thomas is only 39 years old? I thought he had to be about 65 by now.

GET OUTTA HERE BH!!! Phil gets Franky looking on a 3-2 strike, but Frank thought it was ball four and headed for first. When he heard the bad news that he was out, he got all up in the ump's grill and was, obviously, ejected.

Excitement!

Bottom Fourth:
They just re-played that 3-2 pitch, and it DID look like ball four.

Hughes is up to 55 pitches already.

Nice! Abreu leads off the fourth with a single to right field. Rally time! (No rally monkey, please.)

A-Rod swings for the fences but misses my a smidge and ends up flying out. One on, one out for Giambi.

Giambi grounds one out to Hill, but no one is watching Abreu and he is able to make it over to third.

Robby flies out and the lead-off single is all for naught.

Onward to the fifth and more Hughsie!

Top Fifth:
Phil really is looking good tonight. Four strike-outs so far and no walks.

Overbay sends one to Cano for the first out of the inning.

Aaron field makes it two outs quickly by flying out to Matso Ball Soup.

So much for that no walks thing I just said - Hughes serves up a 2-out walk to Scooter.

Greg Zaun sends a double flying into right field, but luckily Abreu grabs it relatively quickly and manages to hold Scoot at third.

Michael Kay just called Eckstein "feisty." WHY DOES EVERYONE LOVE THIS ANNOYING ELF?

Goddamn Mr Gritty hits one in between A-Rod and Jeet, and A-Rod manages to dive and stop it from going into the outfield but isn't quite able to throw him out at first. That walk to Scoot turned out poorly: he just scored the second run of the game.

Stairs chops one over to Cano and the inning is finally over. The Yanks have four innings to score two runs - shouldn't be a problem, right?

Bottom Fifth:
Matso Ball loops one into left field for another lead-off single. How bout not wasting it this time, boyzos?

Molina pops one up and leaves Mats stranded at first base.

FAIL.

Cabrera hits into the ol' 4-6-3 DP to end the inning.

What happened to our timely hitting?

Top Sixth:
I HATE this new Extra Innings elevator music. I liked the original one.

Brian Bruney is up in the 'pen, fyi.

Phillie throws three straight balls but gets Rios to fly out on the fourth pitch.

Molina to the mound to have a little chat with Hughsie. He's looking a tad wild.

Wells pops one up and Cano grabs it for the second out.

Shannon Stewart, who is in for the kicked out Thomas, sends a grounder hopping to Jeter and gives Hughes another 1-2-3 inning.

He had a somewhat rough fifth, but Hughes has pitched a solid six.

Now his team needs to SCORE SOME RUNS and get him a win!!

Bottom Sixth:

The team gets another lead-off hit by Damon - por favor, don't waste it this time.

Thank you.

Love, Yankees Chick.

McG. goes inside and smacks Jeet on the shoulder. He's ok and heads to first; there are two on and nobody out for Abreu.

87 pitches thrown by McLovin.

McG. starts Abreu off with an 0-2 count, but he stays patient, fouls off a few, and works himself a walk.

Bases loaded no outs, A-Rod up! Here we go...

YANKS ON THE BOARD kiddos!

McG. throws a low pitch and Zaun fumbles it and lets it get by him, and all the runners advance while he scrambles for it. Damon goes home and the Yanks are down by just one. With runners on second and third, A-Rod can tie it up with a base hit.

Suhwiiiiiiiiinnnng-and-a-miss and A-Rod is down.

Do I hear BOOING?! What is wrong with you people?!

What the heck just happened?

Giambi ties the score on a sac fly, but Abreu tries to tag-up himself and get to third and is thrown out. Double-play, inning done.

The score IS tied up though: 2-2

Top Seventh:
Billy Traber has come out to start the seventh. Hughes had a good outing: 6 IP, 85 pitches, four strikeouts, four hits and two runs.

Traber gets Overbay and his job is done. Brian Bruney -- who they SAY has lost 20 lbs ; I don't see it, he still looks large and in charge to me -- is on his way in.

Hill sends a 3-2 pitch out to Cano for the second out of the inning.

Abreu makes a great running catch to make Scutaro the final out. He careened into the wall but came up smiling.

Bottom Seventh:
The only good thing about watching a game on TV instead of being at the stadium is not having to be subjected to Cotton Eyed Joe.

McLovin's day is done after losing control a bit in the sixth. Brian Wolfe is up to pitch to Cano, Matsui, and Molina.

Cano gives him an easy out by going after the second pitch and grounding out to second.

Jobmania's warming up!

Matsui goes after some bad pitches and strikes out for the second time of the day. Two outs now for Fatlina.

Broken bat ground out for Molina. Wolfe looked good.

Still 2-2 as we head into the top of the eighth!

Top Eighth:
It's Joba time!

HEADS UP! Zaun sends his bat sailing on a big swing.

Mo's up in the 'pen.

Down on strikes! NEXT!

Joba is so much better looking without all the gnats.

Eckstein sends a slow grounder up to Cano and there's two outs for Joba.

Stairs snags a single off Joba and gives Alex Rios a chance to put his team on top.

No problem: Joba gets him to fly out and the inning is safe and sound.

Bottom Eighth:
Wolfe is still in, and he'll face Melky, Damon, and Jeet.

NICE! Melky drives a single into right. The team has now had leadoff hits FIVE TIMES. Let's convert this one into a run, please?

Wolfe is heading out and Scott Downs is coming in to face Damon.

NICE PART DEUX! Damon lays down a perfect sac bunt to move Melky into scoring position, but Downs fumbles the ball and isn't able to get Damon at first!

2 on, no outs, tie game for Jeet.

Jeet follows with another perfect sac bunt! He's out at first but Melky and Damon move up.

Fly ball puts the Yanks ahead! Let's go Abreu!

THERE WE GO! Abreu drops one into short left and it's an RBI single! Yanks on top, 3-2.

One out now but still two on for A-Rah!

Blast. A-Rod 0-4 now tonight after going down looking.

PLLUNNNK. Giambi hit and off to first. Bases loaded for Robby.

....AAAAAND he pops out and leaves the bases loaded.

Mo will be out for the ninth and this game should be over soon...

Top Ninth:
Wells, Stewart, and Overbay are due up to face Mo.

Mo gives up a single to Wells and the tying run is aboard.

Stewart grounds out to A-Rod, but too slowly for them to turn a DP. Wells to second base; one out and an RBI opportunity for Overbay.

Overbay sends one up the middle, Jeet grabs it and he's out at first.

Yanks one out away from winning the game, but Wells is 90 feet away from tying it. It's all up to Mo and Hill.

STRIKE THREE LOOKIN'!

Yanks win it 3-2, thanks to the great pitching performances by Hughes, Traber, Bruney, Jobamania, and Mo. Joba will get his first win of the year and McLovin' is taking the loss.

What a great feeling to start the season with a winning series!!!