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Posada powers Yankees past Reds

Jun 22, 2011 - 10:40 PM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Jorge Posada hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning, lifting the New York Yankees to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opening game of a doubleheader.

The shot made a winner of Freddy Garcia (6-6), who limited the Reds to two unearned runs, three hits and a walk in seven innings. He also struck out four to help New York pick up its fourth consecutive victory.

Garcia's runs allowed were unearned because of Ramiro Pena, who started at third base and committed three errors. But the mistakes didn't end up costing the Yankees, who will go for the three-game sweep in Wednesday's second contest. The doubleheader was necessary after Tuesday's contest was postponed because of rain.

Mike Leake (6-4) allowed the Yankees' four runs in six innings and took the loss, the Reds' fourth in five games.

New York scored the decisive runs after Robinson Cano singled with one away in the sixth. Leake then hung a first-pitch breaking ball to Posada, who sent it over the right field fence.

"It's just the wrong pitch in that situation," Leake said. "I wish I could take it back."

With the Yankees in the midst of a six-game interleague road trip, Posada hasn't played much lately. He had made only three plate appearances since the trip began Friday, but started at first base Wednesday and came through with the crucial hit.

"It was a big lift for us," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. "We've been able to get him some at-bats, but it's tough when you play all these games in a row on the road interleague."

Cincinnati had several chances to cut into its deficit, including in the bottom of the sixth, when Jay Bruce doubled off the wall in right. But he ran too far off second base when Scott Rolen followed with a liner to left. Brett Gardner made the catch and threw to second for the inning-ending double play.

Then, in the seventh, Pena committed his third error by allowing a Drew Stubbs grounder to leak through his legs. But he helped get the Yankees out of the inning by starting a double play during the next at-bat, and making a nice play on Ryan Hanigan's sharply hit grounder to end the inning.

David Robertson then pitched a scoreless eighth for the Yankees, and Mariano Rivera worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 19th save.

Posada's homer was a quick scoring blow in a game that had been defined by close plays.

New York used one to keep Cincinnati off the scoreboard in the second inning, when Stubbs drove a ball to the gap in right-center. But Nick Swisher tracked it down and made the catch before crashing into the wall.

A few close plays then got the Yankees on the board during the third inning, when Gardner reached on a one-out infield single and moved to third on Curtis Granderson's base hit.

Swisher then hit the ball to first baseman Joey Votto, who fielded the ball and stepped on the bag. The play happened quickly enough that Votto decided to try to get the speedy Gardner at home, but his throw was high, and Gardner slid in safely.

Cano followed with a grounder through the left side for a 2-0 lead.

But the Reds tied the game in the fifth. Their rally got started after Stubbs reached on a throwing error by Pena to lead off the inning and advanced to third on Edgar Renteria's single.

Hanigan then sent a grounder to third and Pena attempted to get Stubbs at home, but his throw bounced well short of catcher Francisco Cervelli, who couldn't hang on.

The play got the Reds on the board and left runners on first and second, and a sacrifice bunt by Leake put them in scoring position. Fred Lewis lofted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Renteria and make it a 2-2 contest.

Game Notes

The Yankees improved to 20-4 in day games, the best record in baseball...They also have a 20-12 road record...Cano extended his hitting streak to 10 games...Brandon Phillips had two hits to lead the Reds, who were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.