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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Yankees opened the home portion of
the 2000 season in familiar fashion, with Mel Stottlemyre in the
dugout and a win over the Texas Rangers.
Tino Martinez's two-run triple in the seventh inning carried the
Yankees over Texas 8-6 Wednesday, one day after their pitching
coach began treatment for cancer.
|  | | Yankees second baseman Chuck Knoblauch completes the double play over the Rangers' David Segui. |
"It's always great to come back to Yankee Stadium, especially
after winning the World Series and with Mel back," Paul O'Neill
said. 'We knew if we hung close that late in the game we'd make
something happen."
The Yankees, who held the Rangers two runs in sweeping them out
of the playoffs the past two seasons, rallied in the seventh inning
after third baseman Wilson Delgado's throwing error had put the
Rangers ahead 6-5.
O'Neill and Bernie Williams, whose three-run homer gave the
Yankees a 4-2 lead in the fifth, led off the seventh with singles
off Mike Munoz (0-1). Martinez then hit a long drive to
right-center for his third hit of the game -- all off left-handers.
"We know we are going to face a lot of left-handers this year
so it's important to do well," Martinez said. "Last year we faced
them so rarely that it was hard to get my timing down against them.
It should be a lot easier."
Jeff Nelson (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, and Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Rivera has
converted his last 26 save opportunities.
The pomp of this year's home opener, which included the raising
of the Yankees' record 25th World Series flag, was overshadowed by
Stottlemyre's announcement Sunday that he has bone marrow cancer.
He began chemotherapy treatment two days later and was supposed
to miss the opener, before Tuesday's game was postponed.
"The best part of the cancellation yesterday was that Mel was
here," Martinez said.
Stottlemyre, who is receiving medication in his chest through a
catheter, was restricted in his duties. Bullpen coach Tony
Cloninger watched David Cone warm up and Stottlemyre did not make
any trips to the mound, even when Cone struggled his control in the
third inning.
"It was strange to be warming up before the game without Mel
watching," said Cone, who has pitched 11 of his 14 major league
seasons with Stottlemyre as his coach. "But Mel is so strong. He
was in the game. He kept telling me to be more aggressive and throw
strikes."
Stottlemyre received a loud, prolonged ovation from the crowd -- as well as the Rangers -- as he jogged onto the field during pregame introductions. He waved his hat to the crowd and appeared uncomfortable with all the attention.
The Rangers, who hit .152 in last year's playoffs, almost
spoiled the day, taking a 6-5 lead in the seventh on Delgado's
error and Tom Evans' double-play grounder.
Texas doubled its output from that three-gamer series in the
third inning, when Cone walked four batters, including David Segui
with the bases loaded. Ivan Rodriguez added an RBI single.
The Yankees went ahead 4-2 in the fifth, on an RBI single by
Derek Jeter and the homer by Williams, who had been 0-for-11
against left-handers before homering off Darren Oliver and singling
off Munoz.
Texas added three left-handers to its rotation this year to
counter the Yankees, who hit 23 points lower against lefties than
righties last year. But New York got all 13 of its hits -- including
two by O'Neill and an RBI single by Ricky Ledee -- against lefties
Oliver, Munoz and Mike Venafro.
"That's the reason we have those guys, to get left-handers
out," manager Johnny Oates said. "You make good pitches, you get
them out. We didn't make the pitches."
Cone couldn't hold the lead, though, giving up a single to Frank
Catalanotto and a walk to Gabe Kapler leading off the sixth. Jason
Grimsley came on and gave up a two-out, two-run double to Rusty
Greer that appeared to go over the right-field fence.
First-base umpire Brian Gorman ruled the ball hit the top of the
wall, and the Rangers did not argue.
"My first-base coach (Ed Napoleon) and the umpire were the
closest to it and they seemed to agree," Oates said.
Game notes
The attendance was 48,487. The game was a sellout, but some
fans exchanged their tickets for another game after Tuesday's
postponement ... There were mesh fences in front of the dugouts
after Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer was hit by a foul ball in last
year's playoffs. ... Catalanotto left in the sixth with a strained
left groin. ... There was a moment of silence before the game for
former Yankees reliever Graeme Lloyd's wife, Cindy, who died last
week. ... Yogi Berra threw out the first pitch. ... The Yankees are
33-12 against Texas since the start of the 1996 playoffs.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Texas Clubhouse
NY Yankees Clubhouse
Stottlemyre's return makes Yankees' opener a success
RECAPS
NY Yankees 8
Texas 6
Cleveland 5
Oakland 0
Boston 7
Minnesota 3
Seattle 4
Detroit 0
Chi. White Sox 7
Tampa Bay 1
Kansas City 7
Baltimore 6
Toronto 6
Anaheim 2
Chicago Cubs 11
Atlanta 4
Colorado 7
Cincinnati 5
Florida 11
Milwaukee 4
Philadelphia 8
NY Mets 5
Pittsburgh 6
Montreal 4
Houston 7
St. Louis 5
San Diego 4
Arizona 2
Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 2
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