Vazquez gets one out and a win in relief

Before last night, Javier Vazquez's last relief appearance as a Yankee against the Red Sox didn't go so well. It was in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS, and Vazquez gave up Johnny Damon's grand slam and two-run homer, pretty much sealing the biggest postseason collapse in baseball history.

Fast-forward six years and Vazquez was called into the ninth inning of last night's Yankees-Red Sox game. Placed in the bullpen by manager Joe Girardi as an emergency-only long man, Vazquez came in with two men on, two outs and the Yankees down by two runs.

It wasn't long relief and it wasn't an emergency. Girardi wanted Vazquez to keep the game where it was so the Yankees would have a chance in the bottom of the ninth.

Vazquez did just that by striking out Kevin Youkilis on four pitches. When the Yankees rallied with four runs in the bottom of the ninth, Vazquez picked up his second win of a very trying season.

"Baseball - it's a funny game," Vazquez said. "What can I say? To get a win as a reliever, that's kind of funny."

The first six weeks of Vazquez's second stint as a Yankee haven't been rib-tickling at all for him. As a starter, he's 1-4 with an 8.10 ERA; he's been skipped twice from starting assignments, including what would have been his turn in this series. His next outing will be Friday at Citi Field against the Mets.

"I want to make this clear," Girardi said. "He was not skipped because . Our bullpen is a mess. I needed a long guy today . . . I tried not to use him today because I want to pitch him on Friday. For me, right now, he can still pitch Friday."

Why did Girardi go to Vazquez? He had vowed to not use righthanders David Robertson or Joba Chamberlain, so Vazquez and Mariano Rivera were the only pitchers left to face Youkilis with the Red Sox leading 9-7. Vazquez struck him out on a slider.

"I really don't know what I'm doing out there as a reliever," he said. "But I just tried to make good pitches against him. He's a great hitter."

Vazquez pitched in relief one other time against Boston, when he was with the White Sox on July 9, 2006. He got the win by throwing 12/3 scoreless innings in a game Chicago won in 19 innings.