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 The 39-year-old star was in obvious pain after turning in another
impressive performance while leading the Yankees to a 6-3 win over
the Seattle Mariners.
Rest easy, Yankee Nation. It was only an ice cream headache.
After giving the Mariners headaches for a good part of his 18-year
career, Jeter delivered one final dose of pain at Safeco Field on
Thursday night. The future Hall of Famer finished off a remarkable
final series in Seattle by going 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs
as the Yankees completed their first three-game sweep of the season.
Over the three-game series, Jeter went 7-for-12 with four runs and
the two RBIs for the Yankees (34-31).
For his efforts, Jeter was given a standing ovation as he jogged off
the field following his final at-bat in the top of the ninth inning.
"It's kind of awkward when it's the middle of the game and the
game's not over," Jeter said of the ovation. "But the fans have been
great. Seattle's always been special to me because this is where I
started (in a 1995 major league debut). The fans have always been
good to me here."
Jeter singled on each of his first three at-bats, accounting for
four runs in the process, as the Yankees jumped out to a 6-1 lead
through four innings. He scored in the first and third innings
before driving in two runs with a one-out single in the fourth.
Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury hit a two-run homer in the
first inning, while left fielder Alfonso Soriano drove in two runs
with a third-inning double. Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to
16 games but came out of the game after six innings due to right hip
soreness.
Both Ellsbury and manager Joe Girardi said afterward that the injury
is not expected to keep the center fielder out of Friday's game at
Oakland.
"I'm not concerned," said Ellsbury, who aggravated the existing
injury when he hit the wall on a fifth-inning catch and felt it
tighten up during an at-bat in the top of the sixth. "I expect to be
in there (Friday)."
New York starter Chase Whitley (2-0) went 7 2/3 innings and allowed
two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks. Closer David
Robertson struck out the last two batters for his 16th save of the
season.
Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano, a former Yankee, singled in
the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. Mariners
first baseman Logan Morrison drove hit a solo homer in the second
inning and an RBI double in the ninth.
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The Mariners had three well-hit balls caught near the top of the
fence, with Yankees outfielders Ellsbury, Brett Gardner and Ichiro
Suzuki all stealing extra-base hits against the wall.
The Mariners (34-32) were swept at home for the first time this
season. They had won eight of nine games entering the series with
the Yankees.
"It's not the end of the world," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon
said. "I just told my team: 'It's tough, but we'll be back
tomorrow.' That's baseball; it happens. We've been through it
before, and we'll be ready (Friday)."
Seattle starter Roenis Elias (5-5) gave up six runs on six hits in 3
1/3 innings.
"He didn't have command of his pitches tonight," McClendon said. "It
was a tough night for him all around."
NOTES: The Mariners placed OF Michael Saunders (shoulder) on the
15-day disabled list and recalled 1B/DH Jesus Montero from Triple-A
Tacoma. Montero was not in the lineup for Thursday's game against
the Yankees, an organization in which he began his career as a
rising prospect. Montero was traded to Seattle for RHP Michael
Pineda in January 2012 -- a deal that has yet to pan out for either
player. ... Yankees LF Alfonso Soriano was in the lineup for the
first time in four games Thursday, and he went 1-for-5 with two
RBIs. ... Yankees SS Derek Jeter needs three doubles to tie Lou
Gehrig's franchise record of 534. ... Rap star Macklemore threw out
the first pitch Thursday, when the team handed out 30,000 bobblehead
dolls in his likeness.
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