Posada gets first triple since '08 season

Don't call Jorge Posada a slow-footed catcher. Not after last night.

Though it may not be time for Posada to supplant Derek Jeter or Brett Gardner as the Yankees' primary leadoff hitter, the 39-year-old hit his first triple in more than two years in the first inning of a 9-3 win over Oakland.

"It was awesome. I loved it," Gardner said. "He was running hard the whole way and it took a perfect play to get him at third, and he just got in there."

But the hit was also significant for another reason. Posada's two-out triple drove in Nick Swisher, the 1,014th RBI of his career, which passed Bob Meusel for 11th place on the Yankees' all-time RBI list. He has 50 RBIs this year.

Posada, who was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, wasn't in the clubhouse after the game, but that doesn't mean there was a lack of analysis about his feat: enter Swisher.

"Who cares about the 11th place? I don't think there's any stopping him anytime soon," Swisher said. "So it's a great honor and a great accolade for Georgie, but I don't think this is the end of it. So I think you need to talk to me when he shuts it down and he's up there around five or six [on the list]."

The triple was Posada's first since April 26, 2008, against Cleveland, and only the 10th of his career.

Posada drove Vin Mazzaro's first pitch of the at-bat, a 90-mph fastball, deep to the leftfield corner. He picked up speed around second base, but the throw to third beat him. However, Kevin Kouzmanoff lost the ball while tagging Posada, and he was called safe.

"As soon as he rounded second, I was like, 'Man I better start running, 'cause if he gets tagged out at third, I'm not gonna score,' " Swisher said. "He's just done such a tremendous job for us all year long. I mean he's part of the 'Core Four,' man. If it wasn't for guys like Jorge Posada, the Yankees wouldn't be who they are."

Despite his age, Posada appears more fleet of foot than normal this season. He has three stolen bases, tying a career high set in 2006. That's more stolen bases than Robinson Cano (2) or Nick Swisher (1) have this year, and just one feer than Alex Rodriguez.

"When you see a guy without a lot of speed, with our speed, it's hard," backup catcher Francisco Cervelli said. "When we've got a chance to steal or run to third base, we're gonna do it.

"I'm lucky to be here with this kind of catcher and I always thank God for letting me play here."

Right alongside the Yankees' newest speedster.