Yankees deep-six Athletics
Cabrera's homer wins it in 14th
NEW YORK - Melky Cabrera turned on a fastball and sent it soaring into the right-field stands, down an entryway in the bleachers that sparked remaining fans to sprint for the sought-after souvenir.
After all the homers at the new Yankee Stadium over the past week, the first homestand in the $1.5 billion ballpark just had to end with a home run. And not just any homer, but the first game-ending shot in the stadium's brief history.
Cabrera's 14th-inning drive, the fifth home run of the game, concluded a 4-hour-57-minute marathon yesterday, a 9-7 Yankees win over the Oakland Athletics. It was the 26th home run at the stadium, one more than the previous record for the first six games at a major league venue. That had been established at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in 1955, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"I understand everybody's making a big deal out of home runs," said Yankees captain Derek Jeter. "Melky's ball would have been out of anywhere. It's not like there's cheap home runs being hit."
The switch-hitting Cabrera connected from both sides of the plate, also homering in the second batting righthanded against Brett Anderson after a drive by Hideki Matsui. Jeter also homered for the Yankees, whose four homers raised their homestand total to 14.
"The last one would have gone out anywhere," Oakland manager Bob Geren said.
Beaten out by Brett Gardner for New York's center-field job during spring training, Cabrera is 4 for 16 with four homers and six RBIs in the new home. He flung his batting helmet a few steps before crossing the plate and getting mobbed by teammates.
"The manager showed enough confidence that he puts me in when he has to," Cabrera said through a translator. "Anywhere the manager wants to use me, I'm going to be ready."
New York's latest outburst obscured another shaky outing from CC Sabathia, 1-1 with a 4.81 ERA in four starts since signing a $161 million, seven-year contract to join the Yankees as a free agent. New York won four of six on the homestand, getting outscored 32-6 in the two losses to Cleveland and winning the remaining games by a combined 27-18.
There were 481 pitches, of which 225 were thrown by New York. Jose Veras (1-1), the seventh Yankees pitcher, had career highs of 46 pitches and 3 1/3 innings.
"We had some interesting games, to say the least," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
