Brett Gardner knew exactly what was coming from Royals reliever Jeff Fulchino on 3-2. Johnny Damon’s presence in the on-deck circle told him so.
“Early in the count, I was just looking to get a good pitch to hit and put some barrel on it and hit something hard. I was 0-2 after about 15 seconds and it was, ‘Oh no, not this again,’ ” said Gardner, the eventual hero in the Yanks’ 3-2 win over Kansas City yesterday at Yankee Stadium. “When he got to 3-2, I said there’s a pretty good chance I’m going get a fastball to hit because he’d rather face me than Johnny. He doesn’t want to walk me.”
So Gardner collected his second walk-off hit in his embryonic Major League career with a single to left in the 13th.
“It’s not like you’re down one run. There’s not any pressure. If you get a hit everybody loves it and if not that’s what we’ve been doing for the last eight innings anyway,” Gardner said of a game in which the Yanks blew numerous chances against a Royals team that committed three errors and issued seven walks.
Royals manager Trey Hillman on his club: “It was a matter of pitching very well. Offensively and defensively, we stunk.”. . . Derek Jeter committed his first error in 32 games with errant throw in fourth inning. . . . Cody Ransom made his Yankees debut in the seventh as a pinch runner, and was erased in a double play. He played an inning at first, then was lifted for a pinch hitter. . . . Johnny Damon was sent back to first after an apparent stolen base in fourth. The umpire ruled batter interference on Jeter’s backswing.
Joba Chamberlain threw for a second straight day – 28 pitches from 65 feet – as he preps for a return from the 15-day disabled list for right shoulder tendinitis. “It felt a lot better than I expected . . . I definitely got loose a lot quicker and it felt a lot easier,” said Chamberlain, who will take off today, then throw again tomorrow.
“We’re not going to rush this young man,” said manager Joe Girardi, who seemed hopeful Chamberlain would soon return, although no timetable is set.
Hideki Matsui also is showing good signs on the rehab trail. Matsui played in a doubleheader and batted seven times with his lone hit a homer. He had good swings and ran the bases hard for Single-A Tampa Friday as he rehabs his left knee. Matsui was scheduled to play again last night.