YANKEE NOTES
TORONTO – Shawn Chacon and several outstanding defensive plays took third base coach Luis Sojo off the hook yesterday when the Yankees squeaked past the Blue Jays 1-0 at Rogers Center.
With a chance to pad their slim lead in the sixth, Sojo waved Hideki Matsui home from first on Jorge Posada’s double off the right-center field wall with one out.
Second baseman Aaron Hill’s relay throw to the plate beat Matsui by such a wide margin that he didn’t even attempt a slide or try to knock over catcher Gregg Zaun.
“I think Looie got too aggressive in sending Matsui, especially on turf because the ball gets there quicker,” Joe Torre said. “We dodged a bullet.”
Since Jason Giambi was thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double in the fifth, it was the second consecutive inning the Yankees made an out on the bases.
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Thirty minutes before putting on an impressive power display in batting practice, Alex Rodriguez didn’t know what to expect from his bruised left forearm that took a 97-mph fastball Friday night.
“It is what it is,” A-Rod said following a session in the indoor cage.
Rodriguez pumped balls into the top decks of Rogers Centre and received a standing ovation from Yankee fans near the first-base dugout when he was done.
But the thunder didn’t carry into the game as A-Rod went 0-for-4 and fanned three times.
“It’s a little stiff,” he said after the victory.
Rodriguez was hit in the seventh inning Friday night by Dustin McGowan.
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Mike Mussina reported no problem with his right elbow one day after a 122-pitch bullpen session. “He said he felt fine, that means Thursday,” Torre said of Mussina’s return to the rotation. Mussina has been out since Aug. 29 with an inflamed right elbow. . . . With Bernie Williams and Posada returning to the lineup yesterday, Torre returned Robinson Cano to the ninth spot despite Cano driving in 12 runs in the previous three games and 10 in the past two when he hit three homers. . . . Seeing improvement, Torre said Gary Sheffield could return to right field when the Yankees play the Orioles tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium. Sheffield has been the DH for the past five games due to a strained left thigh. He had a single in three at-bats yesterday and was hit in the right foot by a pitch. . . . Jaret Wright (5-2, 5.37 ERA) faces LHP Ted Lilly (8-10, 5.61) today.