Versatile Granderson: 16th HR, sac bunt

Let the long-ball battle begin.

Curtis Granderson hit his 16th home run of the season Sunday, two shy of major-league leader Jose Bautista, who, as luck would have it, will play in the Bronx Monday night when the Blue Jays and Yankees begin a three-game series.

Granderson has 30 home runs in 328 at-bats dating to Aug. 14, but he said he isn't getting caught up in the home run hype. "Someone asked me today, 'Are you excited to go up against Bautista?' He's the home run hitter, not me," he said.

Granderson put the Yankees up 1-0 in the first inning with his home run. But he continually denies being a bona fide home run hitter, which is why he wasn't surprised when Joe Girardi gave him the sacrifice-bunt sign in the seventh with the score tied at 3-3 and runners on first and second.

"[I had] no problem at all," Granderson said after bunting toward third and advancing both runners. "I bat second, I'm known for being able to get sacrifices down, I've been doing that my whole career. Definitely not a surprise by any means."

Girardi grew testy when questioned about his decision to take the bat out of Granderson's hands, saying: "I'm not real big on talking about what we're doing strategywise. Strategy and pitch selection is near and dear to my heart, and I'm not trying to be mean, but we needed a couple runs."

After more probing, Girardi explained that Granderson's brief history against lefty Tim Byrdak (0-for-2 with a walk) was the main reason for the call.

"I just felt like you're getting the winning run 90 feet away," Girardi said. "And Grandy has swung the bat extremely well off lefthanders, but sometimes when you don't see guys a lot, you just move the line."

Extra bases

Chris Dickerson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in his first plate appearances since suffering a mild concussion when he was hit in the helmet by a pitch Wednesday in Baltimore.