Lillibridge gets save with his defense
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez (13) reacts after Chicago White Sox right fielder Brent Lillibridge (not pictured) catches his fly ball in the bottom of the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium. (April 26, 2011) Credit: Christopher Pasatieri
Brent Lillibridge slammed the outfield grass with his hand and shouted in triumph, knowing he had just pulled off the unthinkable. But as he jogged from the outfield grass and into a swarm of high-fives from his teammates, his smile had nothing to do with his own heroics.
"I did something individually to win the game but in the end, winning here was what we wanted to do," said the 27-year-old, whose two jaw-dropping plays in the ninth sealed a 3-2 victory for the Chicago White Sox at the Stadium Tuesday night. "And more importantly, one of my best friends got the win because of it. So the pump was basically 'Yes!' for Gavin."
Starter Gavin Floyd surrendered just four hits, and Lillibridge's stunning defense further humbled the Yankees. With the White Sox clinging to a 3-2 lead in the ninth, Derek Jeter dribbled the ball to third base and reached safely. Curtis Granderson then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Jeter to second and Mark Teixeira walked to put two on for Alex Rodriguez.
Manager Ozzie Guillen yanked reliever Matt Thornton in favor of Sergio Santos, but Rodriguez connected on a 94-mph fastball, anyway, driving it deep to rightfield. Lillibridge, however, raced to the wall, extended his glove and caught the ball before slamming into the wall.
"We were playing doubles, so it wasn't going to get over my head, that's for sure," said the utility guy who entered as a pinch runner in the eighth. "It was either going to go over the fence or I was going to take a chance on the fence. And it worked out that way."
He had no idea that his toughest play of the night was yet to come. With Robinson Cano up next, Guillen went to the mound to talk to Santos. "The last guy that I wanted to see at the plate was Cano," the manager said. "That's why I went to the mound. [I said] 'I don't care what you do, just be careful with him."
It looked like a Yankees win was imminent when Cano lined an 87-mph slider to rightfield. But Lillibridge made a diving one-handed grab to end the game.
The White Sox dugout erupted in excitement as players raced up the steps to congratulate Lillibridge. "Finally I found my closer . . . Lillibridge," Guillen said.
"I've never seen anything like it," catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "It was an amazing way to end the game. A great baseball game. To make those two plays, on that stage, in that situation, is incredible."
