We Got Them Back!

Ponson, Yanks hit back in Round 2

Righty leads Bombers over Mets to split two-site doubleheader

By Samantha Newman / MLB.com

NEW YORK — The Yankees didn’t have much time to feel the sting of Friday afternoon’s loss to the Mets. A sense of embarrassment flowed through the clubhouse after their crosstown rivals delivered a 15-run performance in front of the Bomber’s home crowd.But the Yankees left that feeling behind, as they hopped on a bus shortly after their 15-6 loss at Yankee Stadium to head to Shea Stadium for the second half of the Subway Series doubleheader.

And the Yankees responded with an impressive pitching performance and a load of their own offensive firepower, rolling to a 9-0 shutout to bounce back from the afternoon defeat.

“You understand that every game is not going to go the way you want it to,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “Sometimes you’re going to get beat bad, but you have to be able to respond. This game is over the long haul — it’s not one game or two games. You’ve got to be able to grind it out.”

The Yankees got back on track behind a new addition to the roster. Right-hander Sidney Ponson took the mound in the nightcap and blanked the Mets through six innings, giving up just five hits.

Ponson got into trouble early when he loaded the bases twice in the second and third innings. But Ponson maintained his composure to escape both jams. From that point on, he appeared more relaxed and comfortable, and Ponson retired the final six batters he faced.

“He threw a lot of strikes down in the zone with his sinker, and he got some big groundouts and a strikeout when he needed a strikeout,” Girardi said. “He gave us everything we needed today.”

Ponson earned a 4-1 record and a 3.88 ERA in nine starts for the Texas Rangers earlier this season, but he was designated for assignment on June 6 because of off-the-field incidents. The Yankees signed him to a Minor League contract on June 18 and tapped him for the Game 2 start against the Mets.

It was his first start since June 4, but Ponson said throwing 78 pitches at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre helped him get some of the rust off.

The righty arrived at Yankee Stadium on Friday in time to see most of Game 1. And even though he was scheduled to start the second round of the doubleheader, Ponson chose to stay with his new teammates and ride the bus rather than come straight to Shea.

“What am I going to sit here by myself for?” Ponson responded when asked why he made the trip to the Bronx. “Over there, at least I can watch a game, have people to talk to, just get acquainted with everybody.”

While he was getting familiar with the team, Ponson saw starting pitchers from both clubs struggle and falter, but he said watching the Yankees fall may have helped him perform well in his own outing.

“I’ve been in that situation before,” he said. “You get your behind handed to you in the first game, and in the second, you come out in the second game, and I guess it helps you concentrate even a little bit better.”

And while Ponson’s performance held the Mets off the scoreboard, the Yankees showed off their own skills at the plate, connecting for 11 hits.

Second baseman Robinson Cano provided the spark when he drove in the first run in the fourth on a ground ball, and the offense rolled from there. Cano picked up three RBIs, and Bobby Abreu went 4-for-4 as part of the onslaught.

Derek Jeter added two more RBIs and a double in the sixth inning, extending his hitting streak to 15 games.

The Yankees provided more than enough run support for their starting pitcher, and while Girardi said no decision has been made regarding Ponson’s spot in the lineup for the long term, the righty may have earned a second start in the rotation.

If he were to make his next scheduled start, Ponson will see his former team when he throws against the Rangers.

But no matter whom he makes his next appearance against, Ponson’s start on Friday helped the Yankees draw even for the day after a rough start. The New York clubs traded wins and notched 15 total runs apiece to kick off the weekend.

Source: New York Yankees

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Updated: Monday, June 30th.