The New York Yankees capped off their last opening home series at Yankee Stadium by taking two out of three from the Toronto Blue Jays with a 3-2 victory.

Both teams played well, and the Yankees won with small ball, timely hitting, and strong pitching performances from Phil Hughes and the bullpen. Hughes, at 21 years of age, became the youngest Yankee to start one of the first three games of the season since Waite Hoyt in 1920.

He pitched very effectively for six innings, allowing only one run in the fourth and fifth innings. Hughes pitched more than well enough to give his team a chance to win, and said afterwards: “We had a game plan. I had to go out there and execute, and I did for the most part.”

'Hughes, at 21 years of age, became the youngest Yankee to start one of the first three games of the season since Waite Hoyt in 1920'


The Blue Jays’ Dustin McGowan was equally effective through six innings until Johnny Damon displayed his catalytic prowess by leading off with a double, and then scoring on a wild pitch. But Derek Jeter tied up the game at two, scoring on a sac fly by Jason Giambi.

Joba Chamberlain came in to pitch a scoreless eighth innings with the game still tied 2-2, and ended up earning the win. Asked how he seemingly hasn’t missed a beat since last season, Chamberlain responded: “You just gotta maintain and be confident.”  In the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees used National League style “small ball” to take the lead and hand the ball to Mariano Rivera.

After a Bobby Abreu single, Damon reached first base on a bunt attempt when Jay’s reliever Brian Wolfe, made a fielding error on the play. Then Derek Jeter, one of the best bunters and situational hitters in the game, laid down a perfect bunt to move the runners over to second and third.

Jeter was called out at first base, but the replay appeared to show that he beat it out. Bobby Abreu then drove in what would turned out to be the winning run with a single to make the score 3-2 Yankees. When asked if he felt pressure in that at-bat Abreu responded: “No I don’t feel pressure. I just try to relax, and do my job. If anyone should feel pressure in that situation it’s the pitcher.”

Vernon Wells reached third base with two outs in the ninth, but the unflappable, reliable Rivera struck out Aaron Hill to strand Wells at third and move the Yankees to 2-1 in the young season. Manager Joe Girardi was impressed with the bullpen’s performance. “The bullpen was great, came in and shut the door . . . ” he concluded.