Yankees' bullpen has really come together

KANSAS CITY

There were the pair of big hits by Marcus Thames and one by Derek Jeter that helped lead an improbable charge from five runs down against Cliff Lee.

And of course, there was Mariano being Mariano, with one of his best Houdini acts of the season in the ninth, stranding Elvis Andrus at third after a leadoff triple in the ninth.

All of that, and more, from Wednesday's come-from-behind victory over the Rangers contributed to overshadowing what was every bit as big a part in the win: 42/3 innings of shutout ball by the bullpen, after Javier Vazquez gave up six runs in 41/3 innings, that allowed the Yankees to chip away at Lee and then the Rangers' relief corps.

"The last three weeks, they've been really, really good," manager Joe Girardi said of his relievers.

That, as every Yankee fan knows, hadn't been the case the first 31/2 months of the season, though general manager Brian Cashman, pitching coach Dave Eiland and Girardi all maintained those arms would come around.

Even with Joba Chamberlain demoted from the eighth-inning setup role two weeks ago and that role being handled by committee, that has started to happen, with some old arms and new contributing, as the bullpen has enjoyed its best stretch of the season.

The unit in the last 14 days is 2-1 with an MLB-best 1.50 ERA in that time. Extending that to 30 days, the bullpen is 4-1 with a 2.46 ERA, fourth-best in the majors.

"We've had a legitimate lefthander down there now in Boone Logan, Robby has come around and is pitching really well," Eiland said before Wednesday's game in Texas. "Joba has been better as late , and the addition of Kerry Wood gives us another power arm down there with experience. And of course you have [Chad] Gaudin and [Sergio] Mitre to fill the long role, so we're pretty comfortable with it."

The most important element of the group's performance of late, Eiland said, has been Logan and Robertson.

"That's been the key because you have a good right-left combo late in the game," he said.

Robertson has battled back from a horrendous start, lowering his ERA that was 14.21 on May 5 to 3.95. The righthander entered last night having not allowed a run since getting tagged for four July 2 against the Blue Jays and hasn't allowed a hit since July 21 against the Angels, a span of eight appearances.

This is Logan's third stint with the team, necessitated by the injury to Damaso Marte. He came up from Triple-A July 17 and hasn't allowed a run since July 18 against Tampa Bay. In six appearances this month, comprising four innings, Logan hasn't allowed a hit.

Logan said confidence in his fastball, which consistently hits the mid-90s, has keyed his resurgence.

"Seems like I'm 0-and-1 every hitter," Logan said.

It's the manifestation of a mechanical tweak Eiland started working with him on during spring training, only recently taking hold.

"He's gotten more comfortable with it where he's staying taller over the rubber and getting the angle on his pitches, and that's helped his command," Eiland said. "It's helped his command of his fastball, slider and changeup, and with that his confidence, which is as big a part of it as anything."

And of course there's Rivera, who executed one of his best high-wire acts of the season Wednesday, freezing Andrus at third as the tying run after he had led off the bottom of the ninth with a triple.

"I'm thinking we're in a tough spot here but if anyone can do it Mo can," Girardi said.

For the first extended stretch of the season, Rivera hasn't been alone in doing it.