The No-hitter that wasn't: Yankee Karma Edition

The first six innings of the game were dominated by talk of the no-hitter that wasn't. After a rough start, Garza pitched a heck of game only to be overshadowed by A.J. Burnett and his first six innings of no-hit ball. The Rays bats went up against a pitching machine in A.J. Burnett. Maybe tonight's game was a bit of Karma payback for the Rays raising the banner and rubbing the Yankees' faces in it.


After the game, Joe Maddon said he's still happy with the way the team is playing. It was a special night and both starting pitchers had great games.


Here is what I noticed today:

• Credit Dewayne Staats for doing everything he could to jinx A.J. Burnett. He started early in the game talking "no-hitter" this, and "no-hitter" that. He was sending the jinx vibe from the booth.

• Matt Garza keeps form. Outside a tough beginning to the game and a mistake to the red hot Nick Swisher, he kept the Rays in the game.  That's tough when the guy in the other dugout is throwing a no hitter. Garza took momentum from Burnett by striking out Molina to end the top half of the 7th.

• Can't draw it up better than the bottom of the 7th. CC battles to get an opposite field hit to break up the no-no. Longo & Pena follow with base hits. And Pat Burrell delivers something that we didn't see a lot of last year... the sacrifice fly.  Navi's strike-out and Pena's pick-off ended the inning on a lower note.  But, it was still great to see them put it together after 6 innings of getting dominated.
  

• Yankees took advantage of what I considered a questionable ball call by the umpire score a run the same way the Rays did. Gardener should've been rung up on a breaking ball, instead he gets a pass and then gets a hit. Good job by Jeter and Teixeria to get the runner over and sacrifice him in.
  

• I though Joe Girardi had a tough decision in the bottom of the 8th. I thought Burnett was looking tired, but Girardi decided to run him out there versus the bottom of the Rays order. He came through much the way he had all night.

• Gardner the Ray Slayer! I can't believe the night that guy had. For all the talk of Nick Swisher, maybe someone should look at that guy!

• Tip your cap to the Yankees for coming back after an embarrassing loss last night. Their offense picked Burnett up when he wobbled a bit.  Any time you can tack on 4 insurance runs in the eighth inning you're doing something right.

• I hope Wheeler's performance tonight isn't cause for concern. i don't think Howell pitched that bad. But, Wheeler did not look good at all against Gardner and Jeter.