QUICK HITTER: Some Impressive Numbers

*With the win tonight, the Yankees moved to 23 games over .500
for the first time since they finished the 2007 season at 26 games over.
*At 26-21, the Yankees are one of only two teams in the A.L. with a winning record on the road.
*The Bombers have the best run differential in the league at +84.

After
a very rough outing from Jonathan Albaladejo, there was at least a
little danger of the ninth inning turning interesting for the Yankees.

All
those fears ended quickly when Johnny Damon hit the 200th home run of
his career — a three-run shot that extended the Yankee lead to 11-3
and put the Rays out for the night. Johnny’s bomb came after the Rays
intentionally walked Derek Jeter to set up a lefty/lefty matchup.

Damon,
of course, was thrilled, saying he never thought 200 home runs was
something he never expected to accomplish when he began his career. But
after the game, he wanted to talk most about this Yankee team, which
has now won 10 of their last 11, 23 of their last 29 and 46 of their
last 67 games.

“This whole team, our chemistry is unbelievable,”
said Damon. “It’s the best since I’ve been here, and the best I’ve been
around in baseball. It’s awesome.”

With the homer, Damon becomes
only the second active major leaguer with 200 HR’s and 300 stolen
bases. Former Yankee Bobby Abreu is the other. Derek Jeter is seven
stolen bases away from becoming the third, while Alex Rodriguez is 11
SB’s shy.

ROBERTSON HIT HARD AGAIN
David
Robertson got a big strike out to end the eighth inning and a big
threat for the Rays, but was hit very hard in the ninth inning.

Robertson
allowed two hits and only one run, on a long solo homer, but was a nice
leaping catch from Johnny Damon at the wall in left field away from
giving up much more.