5/17/98: David Wells' Perfect Game

David Wells to start his ninth game of the year he's won four he's a two-button man some players leave that top button open some all the way to the top and he's got the top two buttons on that uniform shirt flying open see what he's done the rest of his pitching line this year here's the lineup that Tom Kelly has posted for the Minnesota Twins starting lineups brought to you by Bob stores great buys on brands you wear Matt Lawton leads it off Red Gate second than Paul Molitor in the third spot Marty Cordova Ron Coomer and Alex Ochoa the bottom third John Shea Xavier Valentin and Pat Mears defensively for the Yankees behind David Wells this afternoon as they close out this three-game series an infield Brosius Jeter Knobloch and Martinez Curtis wins O'Neill in the outfield plus eyelet doing the catching we highlight Chuck Knobloch because he made a couple of errors in yesterday's ballgame only the third time that he's ever made two errors in the game one of those occasions was against the Yankees last season and the Yankees are really trying to downplay his throwing problems and that is probably the best way to handle it if they draw too much attention to it probably get worse matlock takes high for a ball looking at bad lot and then each one of the games in this series he is batted within the first three spots in the order today he's leading off - timing when he's behind the plate does he's one of the more deliberate strike collars he's also one of the more respected umpires in a polo taken by players managers her ball load is two and one brought to you by NAMM national arbitration and mediation most timely cost-effective way to settle your legal disputes Richard Garcia the crew chief and second Mike Riley and John Hirschbeck round out the crew in the air left Curtis stops the race rough puts it away check out our standard cold Oh David wells lots of fast balls particularly early in the count first pitch strikes follow the fast balls and his kitty mentioned he turned it around in his last start he was struggling the first three innings from that point on he really got it together the Yankees won the game through the - it was like the fourth inning where it seemed that David said grew up south hey nothing else is working I'm just going out there and let it fly as hard as I can and he really dominated the Royals the last half of the game first pitch fastball in for a strike to print gates brent gates you may recall during his days with the Oakland Athletics who was a number one draft pick five years ago home to lots of injuries even broke his book a boat in his leg fouling the ball off his left leg and he's resurfaced with the twins very appropriate since he went to the University of Minnesota three pitch I caught a few so he'll stay alive we mentioned it University of Minnesota there have been 22 players have come out of University of Minnesota into the big lakes 11 of them at one time in their careers played for the twins in the air toward left to get Curtis over to your gym the clutch to die so they have a habit of bringing back the whole there's three after another one coming up right now hi in st. Paul Minnesota and then on to the golden gophers not accustomed to seeing that average at 255 Paul Molitor really bothered by a shoulder injury that left shoulder has prevented him from really turning on the ball like he did in past years jammed on that one tapped out to Baba he closed out young with Troy Hawkins when we come back on MSG New York Yankees baseball is brought to you by the irresistible taste it makes you say did somebody say McDonald's by American Express wherever you are whatever you're doing American Express helps you do more by your tri-state keep an equal view there's only one gene and it's only at your tri-state keep illegal deer on by nobody eats there is home entertainment trigger now you see a few empty seats up in the upper deck but they'll be filled before in another couple innings you're looking at a terrific all-around athlete out of Gary Indiana Latroy Hawkins coming off two solid wins he was Allstate in the high school and basketball and baseball back he played against the the big dog Glenn Robinson in high school but he turned to baseball and you can see the walks outnumber the strikeouts although he's coming in having won two straight that's a career high for Latroy Hawkins and he's been throwing about the best that he has been in in his career and you mentioned some of the veteran pitchers have been talking to him that you don't have to throw the ball 100 miles an hour of the wind let's take a look at the Yankee lineup today against twenty-five-year-old at Roy Hawkins Chuck Knobloch leads it off back to lineup looks the same as it does about everyday Jeter O'Neill Martinez and Bernie Williams Darryl strawberry's the D H then Curtis Posada and Brosius Knobloch delete it off mentioned the veteran pitchers Bob Tewksbury and particular long with Mike Morgan have been a good influence on young pitchers like Latroy Hawkins trying to encourage him to challenge hitters Bob Tewksbury loser yesterday is doing but to pitch quite well as defense let him down first pitch outside for a ball Tewksbury and talking about the Yankee lineup yesterday said these guys are so disciplined he said when you face the Red Sox they're free swingers are good hitters but they're free swingers they'll chase a few pitches in for strike one and one but he said the Yankee lineup those borderline pitches they just are so disciplined they take a deep in the count and he was so impressed with the day that Jeter had yesterday hit one to right to Center and a couple of left in a game in Minnesota that Brad rat he pitched another one of the starters for the twins he mentioned that the Yankees never swung at a ball in the dirt during the game that he pitch the league's leading hitter in the month of May waiting on deck go to one now this be quite a challenge for Latroy Hawkins pitching in Yankee Stadium in front of a full house against a tough lineup like this and when you don't - when you aren't known as a control pitcher about the edge - and to say that every one of his pitches fastball curve slider - changer above major league average it's just a matter of controlling them and you know getting all of them to work at the same time when hitters can sit back and wait for one pitch because you're not getting anything else over that's when you get yourself in trouble two of June you get a chance to get your arm loose in a hurry against the Yankee lineup because between Knobloch and Jeter you're going to throw about 12 to 15 pitches if you don't fold all of them in the strike zone right off the back has ever to make you work David Wells in the top half of the city only threw ten pitches for three outs right up to the first baseman catches the sinking line drive and Knobloch is retired now we saw the first baseman run Coomer make a nice play for the first down the game let's check out the rest of the Minnesota Twins defensively shaved Mears gait she saw Coomer first Valentin doing the catching Cordova Laden and Achaia in the outfield look at Alex Ochoa and one of the things he's possessed now he hasn't come on with his hitting but his defense is excellent particularly his throwing arm if we get a chance to see it today you'll see somebody stop before heading through the next base he's got a great arm and right Jeter step set late on the fastball going to shop or chow look up into the sky and saw the squid he has no sunglasses and I think we're going to see some players scamper for them the the Sun is about to break through here and brighten things up only 59 degrees what a change from yesterday there you to see the haze hanging over the stadium buddy it appears to be getting a little brighter getting late on the fastball zone the lights are on but a lot of people are home there's the hottest hitters during the month of May in the top 200 Yankees Bobby higgenson for the Tigers having a terrific year Tony Fernandez started up very cold in April I'm late on a fastball when impress Bob Tewksbury yesterday said he went over the scouting reports with Terry Steinbach and said I think you can pitch Derek Jeter a lot like Alex Rodriguez you can get you know and then he said I made up what I thought was a pretty decent pitch on the outside part Jeter took that to right field for a base hit and his city found out I can't get in on him like pitchers did last year Oh leave this finding that out 1 & 2 scatting reporter Latroy Hawkins great athlete we mentioned the fact that was Allstate high school and basketball and baseball very live on questionable control man when we say that we mean you can usually control this fastball but the other pitchers don't fall into line there's a broken bones how about like the Yankees will usually do to Elektro Hawkins is the second pass-through if he doesn't show them that he can get his off-speed pitches over that fastball is not going to be quite as effective the second time through you notice that Knobloch and Jeter have been late on it here in the first inning good swing there falls straight back markets has one of those very smooth deliveries little less herky-jerky than you'll see from David Wells or Neil waiting on deck its average as usual over 300 breaking ball Jeter takes you to right-field pack him a nice well he fouled off several fast balls got a slider out over the plate sliders just a hair slower than the fastball and he was ready for it drives it into right field for the base in the ball going away from him he goes the other way picks up the air 15 straight games in the average now up to 342 now the Yankees haven't stolen a basin how many games did you say that the last game in the Minnesota Chuck Knobloch stolen base m88 but maybe wasn't the last game in Minnesota but it was maybe eight since then they've had six six caught stealing that was the Friday night game in Minnesota there he goes with the experience catcher and emotional Acharya Harkins to that back on track maybe look like Judas spun out a little bit so he didn't have point to start he might want but he picked it up the throw by Valentin is high and Jeter is in there that breaks the string of six Yankees in a row being caught stealing and you can see the reaction of Valentina there's a guy on second no chance to get it a young pitcher six five with a kind of a long delivery and the Yankees are going to take advantage of that oh one in 100 veal Dericks tenth stolen base in the year the Yankees as a team 47 now but they have fallen into second place the Toronto Blue Jays lead the American League in stolen bases Tino Martinez to clean up hitter waiting on deck off-speed pitch this is in its g1 look at our New York Marriott Marquis pitching matchup in his career just ten innings of work with Troy Hawkins one in one and David Wells has always done well against the twins back to his days the Blue Jays and the Orioles as well and the Detroit Tigers I had a talk with Paul O'Neill in the poker room before the game and sometimes he can be really fatalistic he just I can't hit home runs anymore I just can't do it losing his pop yeah he was talking about hit that blind shot off the wall yesterday and right feeling can't get the ball up in the air I reminded him that home runs is just line drives gone wrong you're trying to you're up there trying to hit line drives you get underneath one he's hit three I mean three days in a row we hit them sometimes they come in bunches and that's how you get to your 20 good fastball and O'Neill's down on strikes quick check with Tim McClelland ask was that pitch a strike there's the Y Bob you were talking about that had a little he it looked like he added a few miles per hour and this page is almost in the middle of the blade and all the others late can't get to him and I don't think you see Paul O'Neill strike out many times on a pitch like that it makes some sort of contact as almost as if he was looking for something else Tino Martinez second in the league - Juan Gonzalez in the RBI race I was looking at that this morning in the Gonzales now has picked it halfway around the path way around the board all Wanda Tina very quietly in the top 10 in batting average you think a tino is an RBI man but his average at 333 a top tip inside edge 1 & 1 yeah this looks like the pass through the order where the veteran Yankee hitters are going to see let's just see if we can gauge that fastball and then if he doesn't get the other stuff over see if they can jump on in the second time that'll be their approach day off tomorrow then the Orioles come into town for some really good matchup Steve if Mike Mussina can pitch after being hit by a line drive suffering a broken nose there's still some hope that he might be able to take his regular turn it'll be David Cone and Mike Mussina on Tuesday night pancham's wants another side start with our new yarn Harriet's Yankee scorecard show at seven and of course the Orioles in here for three games Jimmy key at scott derrickson scheduled to pitch the other two Orioles in tough situation at nine and a half games behind a game under 500 they were beaten by Rolando or Rojo of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays last night in Baltimore today after today they have a chance to be in double figures behind the Yankees plus the pitch hit to centerfield Hawkins pitches a scoreless first we head to the top of the second here at the stadium no score between the twins and the AG's third game the three-game series of me since the opening week the Yankees have not lost the series they're 11 ole and they'd split 3 verse pitch to Cordova in football Marty Cordova no home runs the twins last in the American League in home runs and he's their cleanup hitter they're looking for him to get started on the edge one and one first pitch was a cutter down today then right back over that outside corner that's moving the ball around boom boom in and out up and down and back in he did swings at John Hirschbeck this is primarily a strike calling umpiring crew that's why the Yankees had their fastest game of the year yesterday two hours of 22 minutes by Richie Garcia may have been a little stingy on Friday night Mike Riley behind the plate in yesterday's game no he's giving it he's hitting too soon he's telling Chuck Knobloch just the way I used to do it Chuck second we invite you to catch all the action when those Baltimore Orioles come to town on Tuesday night and they'll be here Wednesday and Thursday as well all 730 games not Tuesday the 19th a special pregame ceremony for the National unveiling of the dengue to the 1920s Babe Ruth Stamm tickets available now at the stadium through Ticketmaster Yankee clubhouse stores even get them on the web big slow curveball misses for ball II Ron Coomer and you might expect wells to mix his pattern up I mean Coomer has owned David wells at one time he had seven consecutive hits off of David wells there's another curve it's one and one that's the highest of any player verse wells minimum Senate vets that's like your dad pitched it to you in the backyard yeah you know and of those eight hits to our home runs and say on a hot days keeping cool but it's a little cool in that dugout hiding from someone witness protection and you can see David wells knows that Ron goomer's been tough on him because he's throwing two curveballs in a fastball out of the strike zone he's usually a little more aggressive it looks like Posadas thrown a breaking ball down there fastball hit well right field for O'Neill over and it slices foul over the stands and leave of the County to observe that Coomer hits the ball well to the opposite field in fact I believe he's leading the league in opposite field hits so he likes the ball out over the plate and he's quite capable of going the other way with authority that one kind of slices off the end of the bat that's why I tailed to the seats didn't really drive it the way you wanted now would you check your league leaders and hitting and guys that are hitting well they're the kind that used the whole field as Coomer did their cheater did the first and you pitch them outside they'll take the ball the other way especially with two strikes they're kind of cutting down their stroke anyway toughest hitter he has to deal the American League and Coomer is down on strikes to dial I always thought the toughest pitcher for me personally was a pitcher who wasn't afraid to come to the inner half with two strikes because he makes you swing them back there's no such thing as just laying the bat out there put the wood on it just driving the ball to through the middle into the opposite field David Wells quite capable of coming inside with his fastball made Coomer have to swing the bat swing it as quickly as he could just to get the bat head app struck him out Choa takes the high inside fastball you mentioned Ocho a strong throwing arm force a top prospect with the Baltimore Orioles they didn't want to give him up till they traded him to the New York Mets that did not work out for the Mets in he goes to Minnesota and rich Becker now play twins are very very happy with Alex oh joy well you can have them all the cook you get the beanie baby as well today there's a jam shot in the cloud territory now says riggings jutsu retiring all six Minnesota Yankees coming to bat when we come back at the stadium after this now look at the Macomb's dam bridge right outside the Yankee Stadium we remind you Yankee baseball brought to you in part by the new dodge see your local dodge dealer today and use the place in baseball over there there's Macomb's dam park is you see which way the heavy traffic is headed the poop dam park is in that direction just below the bridge and right there quite a few years outside of Yankee Stadium hi Hayley Krystal big time Yankee fan not like everybody he's on me yep you're on the tube Bernie Williams will lead it off career-wise against Hawkins two four six and both home both hits have been home runs they've gone to the bridge high for ball the reason I mentioned that we were talking about dugout lingo the other day and nowadays it's he went yar yeah or he went deep when I first came up they would sit in the dugout and say go to the bridge take him to the bridge and I assumed that meant that there was a ballpark somewhere where if you hit it over the wall he would go to the bridge you can identify with him - and out of burning fact you said you hit a bridge over there but maybe not the Macomb's dam doing well there where you didn't see it there but the ballpark actually if you hit one up in right field and you get it up on the bridge there and I'll admit I did it once now three and Oh and I would assume if Bernie wants to he can swing away as Darryl Strawberry waits on that that should be a good matchup for strawberry Hawkins fastball hasn't gotten his breaking ball over we could see a monster on the run today speaking of going to the bridge oh that's in for a strike did you like to hit three you know I didn't get a chance to very often because Eddie Murray was on deck they wanted me to get off so they would have me take try get over Eddie of course he got to get three at all but some hitters even if they get the sign that's hit left field Cordova got I understand that Cup I've had some problems not experience consider but Marty Cordova is in left he could see Tom Kelly say yeah it turned him spun him around running car no around left field first of all murders going to smoke this ball towards left and then for going against bottom spin cycle out there watching turn the other way and still can't get back quickly enough to make the play ball was hit very hard it's a two base hit here's the concentration on Bernie wins on the 3-1 pitch something you look forward to drive hard and he does so and here's Darryl Strawberry good fastball there but it's inside ball huh he did that yesterday with the bubble one of the tougher left fields to play is Yankee Stadium with the swirling winds and good example of that is our honor not only definitely now that Brown do you have to cover and that's why when five years ago they put me a right-field here that's that is what's ground to go you see the bat up there would lead you to believe it's carrying out toward left but it's not it's carrying to write in fasten your seat belt on this fastball if strawberry gets it really wants it like to have another one like that I think that was right in his joy zone sometimes when you you want to go to the bridge then we pay the toll first it didn't quite get it do one let's that live on Hawkins gets the fastball past strawberry it's 2 & 2 that was a better pitch than the previous one it was more towards the corner you see Javier Valentin sneaked out to the corner the pitch was a pretty good one trusting his fastball and he's got a good one Hawkins has won his last two starts beat the Orioles in his last start holding them to three earned runs and seven in so he's probably as confident as he's been at any time during his brief career Bernie Williams to advance and cordon is there to put it away one down quick enough on the heat but sometimes as a game goes along the pension thinks in his next few if he's throwing just as hard as he was in the first couple of innings but he's really not and it's hard for him to get a pass ball by that's when the hitters start to come around at second and third time through the order fastball doesn't quite have the pop but it's something you might want to look for the Yankees next passed through the order right now Hawkins has a pretty good fastball Williams takes his lead here's Chad Curtis for strike Hawkinson you mentioned that second time through the could Chad's numbers over 300 the batting average and a handful of homeruns he is throw at least two balls out of the strike zone to just about every Yankee hitter so they're getting a chance to see a lot of pitches cross-eyed wave and damn team must have been looking for the curveball looking for the local and he got the Express or I just popped out of his glove you really should go out there and talk to Hawkins let's get this together with a man on second the signs change every once a while there's a mix-up and you can see he was looking outside ball hits off the glove and bounds away watch him shift to the outside look over slider got a fastball hits the glove and it's going to be a passed ball see that's why he's upset to a PB so now with one down and Bernie Williams at third you see what the twins do they bring the right side of the infield in keep the left side back talking to Don Zimmer about that strategy what that tells Chad Curtis is you can't just hit a lazy ground ball to the right side and get the run in so it Zim used to use that deployment a great deal it forces you if you're Chad Curtis to say I got to try to pull the ball if I want to get it through the infield usually if you pull the ball you hit it with more authority there's more Jam shots and slow rollers go for the right side another reason why the infields in on that side Zico it has not been Chad's strong suit I think because he tends to be more of an anxious hitter see the infield alignment make a picture can take advantage of his anxiety more so than a lot of the Yankee veteran hitters and strong it's Curtis obviously the contact play was mounted as soon as that ball chopped high off the Mount is an athletic ability you were talking about hitting the fact to get off the man first of all he's on a hill then he has to back up make the play see Bernie Williams it's his ball gets over his head Bernie can score but you see how quickly recovers gets back looks at Bernie and then fires a seed over the first base to get Curtis that's a play if you're Bernie Williams at third base you have to make up your mind as soon as it's hitting I think if you talk to the Yankee coaching staff Bernie is it is a terrific all-around ballplayer he's not necessarily a quick reactor on plays like that he won't get that quick first step right at Derek Jeter would need instant judgment when you run it anytime you hesitate Distillery are you're not going to make it there's Posada with two down outside corner strike one here's a good match I think Poseidon it's a fastball let's get anybody on the team but Tino Martinez Posada Jeter's hitting anything right now Joe Girardi good fastball hitter and hitting eighth from the lineup you've seen the other guys go up there and I don't think Hawkins has gotten more than one or two off-speed pitches in the strike zone yet laid out a fastball I think ensuring the Yankee hitters a little more zip maybe it's partially the motion that nice easy fluid motion but most of the fast balls have been followed the opposite way they've been late there's a little fire there it is definitely a would you say temperatures down 59 today yep he's throwing in the 90s though warming it up a little another one late fouled out of play still six-five 205 pounds tall lean out of Gary Indiana seventh round draft pick of the twins back in 1991 Brosius another one of those hot may hitters in the American League is waiting on deck we looked via an attempted slider and that slipped out you see him go to his mouth the pitchers can blow on their hands today because the cool temperatures this is the toughest weather from the pitcher standpoint to get a grip on the ball we all stumbled up with a jacket on balls kind of slick with like when you read a book or turn a page today's kind of day you have to lick your fingers your little traction another off-speed pitch fouled out of play that's wanted to best fastball up it's going to be tough for Posada to catch up to it like Willie Randolph Bernie Williams mimicking Hawkins pitching motions he seeing if they can pick up anything again stays alive and again Hawkins has had to throw a lot of pitches to this Yankee lineup the first time true now the Yankees aren't really tattooing the ball and but they are a good fastball hitting team there's a lot of other teams with hitters that wouldn't miss some of these pitches and not file them all he didn't miss many especially with metal days left field line that's going to reach the seats good two-strike approach here by Posada and one of 50,000 plus by the time the afternoon is over gets a souvenir now trot wig will be along in the fourth inning with his beanie baby is one of the baby right-handers doing such a great job for the Yankee pitching staff Ramiro Mendoza coming off two consecutive solid wins got away from Valentin and the Yankees are going to get a gift from a fastball again well first of all the mix-up at second on the sides for the past fall that drove Bernie over the third and this one pitch in the dirt that his sign is a right there looked like a fastball and bouncing between the legs of Valentin and certainly far enough away for Bernie Williams to trot home of the Yankees first run there's a reaction from xxx third you can see he could take his time and there is no play at the plate fake Joe Torre is explaining to Bernie about the previous play pretty plate this is grounded the cooler Hawkins is they're becoming so the Yankees are down but not before they get one run off the troy Hawkins in the second inning Bernie Williams doubled a spot on the wild pitch we're heading to the top of the third David Wells perfect group to back on msg after this welcome back to Yankee Stadium nice brighter afternoon flowers in bloom brighter than when we started at 59 degrees about 45 minutes ago John shave the twins third baseman will step in I wish the swinging fouled out of play shaved 28 years old out of Mississippi State actually drafted by the Texas Rangers a few years ago and didn't make it with their ballclub and getting a chance to play with the twins will Clark Rafael Palmeiro out of Mississippi State inside first college baseball game I ever broadcast at will Clark Rafael Palmero Bobby Thigpen hitting fifth and Jeff Brantley was the starting pitcher they had four big leaguers blue chipper Zanetti good swing fouled straight back and again well shows you he'll be aggressive with his fastball and the difference between Wells and Hawkins here the first two innings as Wells has been consistently ahead of hitters and Hawkins has been behind check down the curve 2 & 2 tried to get him to chase shave wouldn't do it shave was getting very well down at the Pacific Coast League in Salt Lake City was hitting over 370 we got recall there is a good curveball you got strikeout number two for Wells now one thing that David Wells has is that good Danner I'm going to talk about the dot in the pitch hitters call it the dot the ball will come up stop in an area dot him dive straight for the strike zone boom in therefore call strike three it's almost as if the ball pauses in midair and then you know oh if you haven't reacted correctly you're going to have a problem here is Javier Balan gene is the second K is posted on the facade on the outfield stance ball one that's a brother of Jose Valentin shortstop for the Milwaukee Brewers Xavier does 22 years old fastball one you notice that Xavier has one home run that was his first major league home run at the Kingdome off a bill Swift that was in an afternoon game that night his brother Jose hit a home run for Milwaukee they're having quite a year National League Central you can imagine both well maybe not Jose calling all he's done it plenty of times before but Javier sure he called though black court fever inside two and one Wells has retired the first seven Mendoza retired the first 12 in yesterday's game whoo foul down the left-field line curtis gives chase and that'll reach the seats it's two and two and that doesn't bode well for the twins the fact that they're going out in order in the early going because they outscore the opposition almost two to one in the first three innings of a ballgame then after that the trend reverses so the trends have been able to jump on some teams when they do win early in the ballgame and plus what you find with David wells in the same thing of Ramiro Mendoza did yesterday not using up that pitch total curve ball pulled foul still two or two rather Yankee starters average more innings per start than any staff in the American League six and two thirds even in a rough outing on Friday night Andy Pettitte pitched seven innings Joe Torre has made fewer pitching changes than any manager in the league keeping that bullpen fresh now the cops gone for only 89 pitching changes six and two-thirds innings per start for the rotation good at-bat for Valentin's laid off a couple of curveballs over the nationally the Houston Astros have made 84 pitching changes which is the fewest in baseball but their manager Larry Dierker and of course he being a former pitcher 20 game winner for the Astros of 20 so years ago he was a guy who wanted to stay in the ball games and he told his pitching staff when he took over the club last year I'm going to let you guys stay in and work out of your own jams play again and they're doing the world they are doing you saw in your picture hideki around he understands baseball language you see him with his finger saying whoo that hurt that doesn't new Wells fastball got in on the hands of Valentin he said Justin to the sunflower seeds quite well he's starting to understand English a lot better too because he made a pitch in a game in Minnesota got him fastball count a strike three and Valentin who had back-to-back strikeouts for Wells he's retired eight in a row the best pitch in baseball is the bass ball especially well spotted boom right there see you later and no doubt about this one Valentin knew it didn't pull the trigger he's frozen talking about a deck here in Minnesota he threw a pitch that was kind of well out of the strike zone it was a cutter and when he came back to the dugout he said in English needs work it doesn't need a lot of work no itching Pat Mears averages fallen below 300 now he's in a bit of a slide so Pat Kelly or Tom Kelly has him hitting out of the nine hole and just like that the kana zone too it mirrors only 13 469 in his last 19 gauge and sensing what's going on they're pulling for Wells to have around Guidry inning three strikeouts and he'd be perfect through the first three just off the edge - and - I think what you saw with that we talked about getting the strike zone back to the way it used to be hitters would swing at that pitch if they knew you know it's too close for them to take as truck out for the first three innings he has retired all nine Minnesota Twins perfect through three Yankees leading by a run back after this New York Yankee baseball is brought to you in part by American Express wherever you are whatever you're doing American Express helps you do more cotton candy beanie babies Yankee souvenirs great day for a young fan at the ballpark if he was here all weekend he's got an umbrella and a paralytics ox to go with that first pitch to Brosius in through strength you can't beat it on a nice spring afternoon seeing the best team in Major League Baseball right now the record of 27 and 9 for the 9th place hitter hitting 325 toward third base John shades across across the guide in the core in time one day that'll bring up Chuck Knobloch for the second time now let's see what the Yankee hitters do with Hawkins the second time through the order when that block was laid on a lot of fast balls of course he was the first man to face Hawkins in the ballgame and sometimes pitchers like to make that statement everybody else on the bench is watching Knobloch being late on swings and for a strike they figure it's going to be a rough day with the basketball the challenge for a pitcher that second time through is begin to get more of your other pitches over the plate and so far Hawkins has been able to survive with the fastball looked like a slider even rolled one and one see Chuck's routine if you missed our New York Marriott scorecard show Kenny had a chance to visit with Frank Robinson about the pace of plate not necessarily the length of games at Southside 2 & 1 and he put a lot of the onus on the hitters because of this he by stepping out of the box and going through that routine the the clock on the pitcher never starts until the hitter gets ready it well left field the Cordova's right there - down in the Yankee third-round fight fans on Saturday June 6 the heavyweight championship of the world returns to Madison Square Garden the real deal Evander Holyfield it was our guest on Friday night he's set to defend his heavyweight title against 6 foot 7 inch giant Henry Aachen one day at the mecca Holyfield joins Ali Frazier Luis Dempsey and Holmes as the only heavyweight champs to defend their title at the Garden tickets for the June 6th championship bout between Holyfield knock and Wandy on sale at the Garden box office and all Ticketmaster locations slider low - cheater ball one Yankees have two hits Derek has one of them we've mentioned that he was tied for the league leading run scored with fastball we'd actually taken the lead yesterday griffey scored a run so he tied Jeter they both have 36 apiece he's fifth and batting average fourth and hits top five in multi-hit games swing their foul straight back and it's one and two O'Neal waiting on deck he was a strikeout victim Hawkins only strikeout back in the first day look like pockets drop down a little three-quarter if since that fastball in unease on the outside corner and cheaters down on strikes and very impressive ating Latroy Hawkins we played three at the stadium al Trautwig will join me in the fourth inning Yankees League that's what good pitchers do all it's won nothing welcome back to the stadium another good solid start for David Wells perfect through three speaking of perfect welcome I don't understand how do you work no it gets worse every day as a matter of fact what pitch is looking good though David Wells and Latroy Hawkins Wells has retired the minimum number of twins he'd have to face through three so he's back at the top of the order here in the fourth Matt Lawton looks at the big looper where he's gotten some big huge curve balls over the plate yeah that's the the strength of wells he's only thrown 41 pitches to the first three innings is he'll you'll use the fastball which is the best pitch in baseball to get ahead as a fastball high in outside three and oh yeah little hiccup right here with three straight pitches missing the strike zone that doesn't happen very often within it's the outside corner you and Ken we're talking about the point where a big curve ball dips and dives as you look at the toyota box store nothing down the list for the Minnesota Twins pop up to the infield Jeter fades his eyes with the glove and one out it's getting brighter and brighter and brighter here in the Bronx last inning David Wells struck out the side John shave there's that big looper Valentin fastball Mears like a cutter or change one of everything fastball for a strike that the different die but there's actually a grip point isn't there for a pitch it's like you put that mammoth spin on the ball and then there's at that point where the the spin grips the ball and it takes effect right or the aerodynamics take over it's like watching a bowling ball going down the alley spinning so faster than when it gets close to the pins it it takes that same thing with a baseball Yankees really got a gift run didn't they but that Bernie Williams double that turned into a passed ball wild pitch run fouled off well the Yankees gave up an unearned run yesterday was their first one in the month of May and that's what they've been able to in addition to all the great hitting heroics by Bernie Williams and the rest of the Yankees it's they played a mistake-free baseball for the most part another foul ball the hitters brent gates the ex member of the Oakland A's hitting 127 with a home run and eight RBIs and you did point up the long list of injuries that this guy's had in his career he's in there for one reason the base better than a 500 hitter against wells in his career if it swings out a fewer on their roster that have really handled David Wells well in their time dates for example in his career 6 for 12 that's an even 500 when he faces wells here's that big curveball strikeout for Wells that's his fifth of the ballgame he has now struck out four of the last five his face we mentioned it started among the fourth inning of David's last start where all of a sudden he said I'm just going to let it go quit trying to trick hitters here comes my best stuff see what you can do with it and he's been a much more aggressive pitcher and much more effective perfect spot for a curveball see it broke down over the plate if it breaks in or out the hitter will tend to check on it but when it breaks right over the plate you get a lot of swings Tom Kelly very attentive now we saw this last year gin with David Wells Joe Torre seemed to know the right way and the right time to challenge David Wells to be better I don't know if you can say that David's last two results and he's obviously in a groove today are the result of Joe Torre saying hey you know maybe he's not in the best shape and maybe this it may be that but it happened last season as well when the George Steinbrenner incident took place in the clubhouse Wells responded after that by really buckling down I think with this team Joe Torre will say I don't I don't mess with him a lot when the game starts I just left him play he does is managing in the clubhouse more than in the dugout ten straight strikes David Wells has thrown he wants 11 to Molitor it breaks the string one ball in two strikes Molitor the twins in the Yankees surrounded by this big beanie baby phenomenon here today in the Bronx Swan Lake gets it high in the air to left another still looking for their first hit Yankees have a one-nothing lead as wells gets another strikeout here in the fourth it's the New York Rangers offseason that's their PR chief John Rose ASCO to the left and the coach of the Rangers John mutlar to the right mutlar is a get down to business kind of guy so he would want me to tell you that this copyrighted telecast is authorized under rights granted by the Yankees and solely for the private non-commercial use of our audience any publication reproduction retransmission or other use of the pictures descriptions and accounts of this game without the express written consent of the Yankees and MSG Network is prohibited a strike to Paul O'Neill who struck out for the 19th time this season first time up against Latroy Hawkins Remiel 3 for his last 11 but overall 24 for his last 61 which was the shade below 400 when a guy gets that hot it's almost impossible to conceive of a way that he could go Oh 422 the o2 pitch and Jimmy the reputation that Latroy brings into the game is the control problems we haven't been proven out but not today what's he doing right well he's told his fastball on the strike so look at O'Neal's swing here fact call he felt a twinge in his knee had to reach so far for that when he went down and grabbed his left knee he's talking with Tom Kelly before the ballgame up much admiration tom has for Paul O'Neill as a hitter with two strikes he really covers that outside part of the plate did not one ball and two strikes to Paul O'Neill the mood is rather mellow today right now as the pitchers control the show another foul ball Willie banks quoted in a recent article in a Minneapolis newspaper talking about his experience in Minnesota which was largely a frustrating time for him said it was it was difficult for the young pitchers like he and Latroy Hawkins they didn't think that the pitching coach Dickes such gave them much confidence yeah I was surprised to read that I think Willie is a different person now that he was when he came up with the trends but hey dick such coached to pitching staffs at one world will series titles pop the fiyo meal toward the seats left side John shave coming back very light wind I think that affected the flyball one out here in the Yankee fourth there's dick such Willie said I don't think he guesses along much confidence to young pitchers there's some talented young catchers maybe with a little different background that haven't developed there I think when things don't go right you know yeah you can't just blame the coach now I would say dick such might be more of a you know one way type guy sometimes you'd like to have a coach adapt to everybody's personality and obviously he didn't mesh with Willie's personality but I don't think you can put the blame for your lack of success on the coach with one out Tino Martinez guys one to left-center and Marty Cordova pulls it in two away you know everybody comes from a different background and I guess that forces the really good coaches and managers to handle people in different ways but the bottom line is if you know the right way that you're supposed to pitch that should be how you deal with everybody here's the right way how to pitch and so I want you to do it Don Zimmer made an interesting point most of Sims are interesting before the game as a manager he said buzzie Bavasi years ago said if you want to manage here's some advice from every manager pick out two or three things you like two or three things you don't think you like and Zim was talking about things he got from sting GLE things you got from Billy Martin Kreskin Gomez and you have to do the same thing as a player when you get advice from a coach it doesn't all work for you you have to have the ability to sift through it Bernie Williams watches one - right in Brazil one way to do it live to Darryl Strawberry about four hits against Hawkins three of them home runs in that second time through the order Mark McGwire hit a 545 foot home run yesterday in st. Louis that is beyond the black the last row of the black and centerfield here at the stadium 545 feet there's a little for far less than that let's cool down by Cordova to nothing Yankees over the twins we're going to the fifth inning the pitchers own the show here today except for that one big swing from Bernie Williams David Wells returns to the mound with a lot of zeros up there it's an MSG tradition the fifth inning brought to you in part by Hoover nobody gets the dirt like Hoover nobody David wells rolling along here to the fifth inning al trout work now joined by Ken singleton the hitter will be Marty Cordova the twins left fielder who was busy last inning with a couple of put outs Bernie Williams providing the answer for New York on the scoreboard a double that turned into a run and a home run that was a lot easier over run to score they look at Bernie it is all around capabilities was great centerfield that's made nary up this year won his first Gold Glove last year I still think he's just now getting into the home run stroke she's starting to come to him six strikeouts one out in the fifth when a pitcher is going this well is David Wells has VII and allowed anybody on base as of yet the first hitter in every inning usually sets the two because he's been sitting in the dugout now he has to regain that momentum again getting back into his groove and yesterday if you noticed when Ramiro Mendoza had shut down the twins threw for Marty cordovan got in the first hit in the fifth inning leading off the inning a pitcher has to regain all it you know it's a little bit of break in between innings you have to use your warm-ups to get yourself back together again yesterday Mendoza perfect through four here Wells with one out and six strikeouts in the fifth oh we have a k shortage alert but they're resourceful they've gone to the napkins one ball and one strike - nothing Yankees were the top of the fifth on MSG they run out of case they can always use carry Carol now you've done it hahaha and Wells is a head of the counts of Ron Coomer he struck him out back in the second inning and I'll tell you what the fans who are here and it's a near capacity crowd I've grabbed hold of this strikeout thing that Wells is building here this afternoon they've got the solder we'll have to make the throw Martinez to the bag time the third strike got free and thus Posada had to make it official but it's now seven strikeouts for Wells second time he's gotten Coomer and this time he gets him to chase a pitch out of the zone when you get it ahead on the cab one at 200 and to best thing a pitcher can do is throw a pitch out of the zone and get a hit or the chase it in Coomer little overanxious he got himself out Wells has struck out six of the last eight changes speeds and that just misses ball one this is Alex Ochoa hitting and even 250 he fell back to Jorge Posada in his first at-bat two balls of a strike can you mention the fact that hotel was a big-time prospect in the Orioles organization we had a verage is in 307 295 301-309 in the minor leagues finally the Sun looks like it's ready to poke through the overcast skies two balls and a strike what's the difference when you make the leap is it the curveball I think from a hitter standpoint the pitchers have better control it takes you a while to learn what the pitchers are trying to do to you strike two as wells battles back in the count the fastball to the corner then throws a changeup Oh Cho is out in front see pictures in the minor leagues they fall behind to the one you could almost sit on a fastball every time can you get really confusing round ball Knobloch through five for the Minnesota Twins we'll go to the bottom of the fifth Yankees - and Minnesota nothing here we have two yes two fans and one they are I think twins which is perfect because the Yankees are playing Minnesota on the Delta Airlines schedule twins become the Orioles Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday coverage on MSG and then the wb11 on Thursday evening then the Red Sox come to town it's Oh at Boston sorry Friday Saturday and Sunday afternoon it's rivalry week for the New York Yankees see those middle three games on the wb11 and we'll do the final game of the Boston series here on MSG Chad Curtis starts things off for the Yankees with Troy Hawkins down to nothing but he's been pitching marvelously giving up only three hits Curtis on the season 303 and Kenny well he may not be someone who can put a ball in the black you certainly could but to get your thoughts on Mark McGwire is 545 foot home run at Busch Stadium yesterday in st. Louis if you measure it out the last row of the quote-unquote black here at Yankee Stadium is about 500 of 12 feet that's right so go about 30 more feet up on the wall it would ricochet off the scoreboard at centerfield if Mark McGwire and he did hit at the dead center yesterday if he hit that same distance home but here to stated ball started out in st. Louis and across the Mississippi now if you hit a ball 545 feet to the corners here at Yankee Stadium it would hit the top row of the lights all the way here 545 feet roughly or the back row of the bleachers here 545 feet that's if you hit from that side of the plate it's also 545 to the top row of the lights in the upper deck left field I mean that's Ruthie and stuff 4 3 on your scorecard Curtis is retired what's the furthest you ever hit one I don't know I I think I hit one at Shea stated it would over the bullpen over the back fence of the parking lot so it that was a long one that was a long time ago and now the hit one that far it had to be using a golf ball there's going to the bridge right here to Georgia water chipper had said before - Posada it's ball one wanna know now wouldn't 5:45 I'll say that to the black here was 444 furious Hawkins evens the count on the American League Hoover scoreboard Kansas City leads Boston 3 to 2 they play in the 6th inning Darren Lewis has a solo home run texas leads Cleveland 1 nothing in the 7th Anaheim leads Detroit 2 1 also in the seventh pitch to Posada is a ball 2 & 1 Tampa Bay in Baltimore knotted at 0 in the 6th can you believe the Orioles are below 500 Oakland in Chicago 2 2 in the 3rd game singing that maybe can't believe fouled straight back what's missing with the aurochs you know it's interesting they don't seem to have a fire or something that there are 13 get players maybe more maybe 14 who can become free agents so players have their thought process is different they're thinking well maybe I won't be back you think about their next contract and you can't get your thoughts together to win ballgames that's an awful lot of free agents on one team it's an oddity in the AL East here's the 2-2 to Jorge Posada tell you one thing the Yankees are doing they're given a lot of foul ball souvenirs to their fans today they are fouling off a bunch because Hawkins is throwing a pretty good fastball in the mid-90s and the hitters are late there's a souvenir beanie baby and a baseball Michael K uncovered on the internet that the average life of a baseball is 7 pitches not today another one there's only one pitch for that ball that's right today they're dying young aqua sada continues with the count to two we'll take you around the national league it is of note Carrie wood of the Chicago Cubs has eight strikeouts now in the sixth inning as they moved to the seventh six nothing he needs 15 to break the three game total of strikeouts the record held by Nolan Ryan 33 in his last two games as he tied the all-time strikeout record with 20 has got three innings ago time is everything it will be tow another fly ball this one flirting to go with the seats and in foul territory its grabbed by the shots shortstop Pat Mears two outs three twins that is shot at devilment Mears had the best angle so you can see him call that he has it and a couple of steps to go before you reach the railing at the it's out number two good solid shortstop not flashy strong arm plays the turf well in Minnesota Scott Brosius from 325 to 323 on his groundout back in the third inning grosses ten hits though in his last 24 at-bats Hawkins has been primarily first pitch fastball but he's located it fairly well and you haven't seen too many Yankee swing the bat on that first pitch they big take it that's what you don't want to happen when you hit it New York Marriott marquee matchup of the two pitchers so far the one thing you see on David Wells side of the screen zeros four and two-thirds three hits quatre two earned runs against him and Latroy Hawkins although pitching well trails to nothing let's it go and it's in there for strike three Latroy Hawkins gets the Yankees down one two three that means I'm done a Jim time comes back see on the post game Kenny thank you carry us through top of the sixth inning Yankees leading it to nothing the story has been david wells he has been perfect through five against these Minnesota Twins as the Yankees try and take the twins two out of three in this series have a day off tomorrow then the Baltimore Orioles come into town on Tuesday night as they will open up a three-game series bottom third of the order shave Valentin and Mears the face David Wells he's had a good fastball excellent curve spotted his changeup well pick up some big strikes on changeup and here's John Shea he struck out his first time and he swings it that first pitch and fouls it back I remember Kenny when doc Gooden had his no-hitter two years ago Gerald Williams made a terrific play on Alex Rodriguez second hitter of the game and there were you know a few moments like that up you know walk here they're a base runner back wells they haven't had I mean he's been so dominant there's a pitch just misses outside a ball and a strike a couple of lazy flyballs in two or three ground ball outs and the rest strikeouts Yankees have won each of his last seven stars fouled up fastball in on the hands I think one of the keys kidding I think you might agree the ability to move the ball around but you know just don't follow a set pattern where the hitters sitting on the bench can watch it go up just looking as fast ball in it goes away with it you know and then lose the change-up around good breaking ball follow two strikes on Shane swinging in the mixed well foul tipped into the glove and at strike three well that is strikeout number eight and now it's 16 in the row and there's an example what you were talking about this is a cutter he's primarily thrown fastball and curveball and that was a little cutter now a third pitch that the twins have to deal with but it's all set up by David Wells ability to throw fastball strikes early in the count and then he expands the strike zone that's the simplest formula for pitching Xavier Valentin call that own strikes and a third of it the exchanger a high for ball whether the few pitches today that had no purpose for David Wells well out of his own extry on that really the closest call he has come to allowing a baserunner you get a look at the overpowering fastball as you went to three-and-oh on Matlock came back to get him leading off the fourth Wells who beat the twins twice last year without a loss nine and five lifetime to the corner third foul strike wanted to and the neat thing about this is the fans and there's going to be over 50,000 up here they have sensed this I think them about the 3rd inning how Wells has been in and he struck out the side in the third third ball good overhand curveball again Wells gets ahead with the fastball and he has had an exceptionally sharp curve and then blended in enough of the cutters and even struck out Pat Mears with a changeup theirs was the third of the twins hitters it when they third inning when Wells struck out the side I better go with a copy-machine with that kid and get some more scotch tape there's a a little more unique version of the cave Ottawa cab level it off at a bother to strangle mirrors Wells has had a good rhythm all day long about the same amount of time between each pitch but get mirrors to chase it for one of the few times a day he's behind on the cats who in water not much to do but just sit back and watch as David wells there's wheels and deals to the twins order pitches popped in the air to centerfield cutting on his Bernie Williams and the twins go one the moment we do nothing they crowded Yankee Stadium in New York Yankees baseball is bulky apart by National Car Rental so what are you waiting for let's go well - nothing Yankees David Wells has been perfect with Troy Hawkins has been good but not good enough he's allowed two runs one in a second he wanted the fourth and Chuck Knobloch will lead it off here in the sixth the Yankees he's lied down and flied out over two pitch misses inside ball one the pass this along right quickly to Frank and Lisa Lombardo venire the proud parents of a new baby girl Alexandra seven pounds six ounces congratulations Frank is one of our cameramen here in the stadium wasn't around yesterday pitching is downloaded Knobloch two balls and no strikes well Kenny I mentioned it the Troy Hawkins into pitching well but David Wells is just how done it well against wells yeah this performance overshadowed that it's probably his best game of the year allowed just three hits and misses with that heart sinking fastball falls behind Chuck Knobloch three and oh the other thing that's really helped all the pitchers in this series is we talked about it before this is a very consistent and more of a strike calling umpiring crew they'll call the borderline pitches strikes here's a 3o pitch in there for a call strike Knobloch Jeter and O'Neal for the Yankees here in the sixth bouncing ball to the left side for the third baseman shade Hawkins fell behind three and oh and then did the grant after the third baseman knobloch back to the dugout as living League movement on that fastball that's a time to confer Faceman here's Jeter single stole a base the Yankees first steal since May the 8th man Jeter for one of three strikeouts with Latroy Hawkins in the game squares the bunt takes the pitch but it's over the corner for a call strike you can see it it's been a pitcher's day Yankees two runs on three hits no errors the twins nothing across the board we're in the sixth edit here at Yankee Stadium big beanie baby crowd it is again tail on that basketball starts happening darts back to that quarter the other thing Tim McClellan has done is as you see Valentino the beanie baby given away to all fans 14 members he is called more of the strikes just above the belt that will be called today the high strike not many umpires call that pitch the last time the junior was here a week swing and a Miss strike three so Hawkins three times in a row to the outside corner picks up strikeout number four mentioned early in the game I see what the Yankees do with Hawkins the second pass through the batting order maybe the third but the movement on that fastball and to see Derek Jeter swing like that tells you that I think this Yankee lineup has some respect for Latroy Hawkins fastball you've mentioned Tim McClelland calling the higher pitches now what he's wanted two taller umpires in the league even when he gets down on one knee his head sits up over the catcher see that and maybe that's why he paused the high strikes he sees it better ball 1 to O'Neill to his struck out and fouled that over to I think there have been about three or four pitches today that have been up between the belt and the letters that were called strikes and you don't see that very often in the 90s the center field Madlock rages over makes to catch in the Yankees go quietly here in the 6th edit so through 6 the Yankees lead it to nothing Detroit Hawkinson and pitching very good baseball but David Wells has been perfect top at a seven to nothing Yankees here's a look at the Nashville Finance Corporation Skycam Nashville Finance Corporation homeowners lower your monthly payments apply by phone batting leadoff today and Tom Kelly's Lynam two balls and no strikes yesterday's ballgame walking batted third against the knurl Mendoza and then in the opening game of the series against the Andy Pettitte he guided second we mentioned he's batted everywhere in the order except seven and night pitches hit high in the air to centerfield Bernie Williams Wow we're in the seventh that's a thank you very much if you're David Wells he's the only left-hand hitter in the lineup and sometimes as a left hand pitcher you have a little more trouble finding the strike zone you tend to look at the hitter fell behind - and OH on Matt and Jim Matt Lawton chased a borderline pitch here is Brent geese all-american at the University of Minnesota and Big Ten Player of the Year in his junior year takes a pitch low for a ball nothing across from Minnesota on our twins Toyota box score gates is a switch-hitter and how's the basketball back Ethan's accounted a ball and a strike deep breath for david wells the 1 1 pitch look like a change of Pi 2 & 1 you've probably been on teams Kenny where pitchers had a no-hitter or perfect game and you see on the bench there they're moving but nobody's getting up and walking around you tend to find a spot and the pitcher has a no-hitter going you just stay right there and you don't not that athletes are superstitious of course gates will roller foul and that will level the count of two balls and two strikes and once again two fans with the rhythmic clapping they want the strikeout well so far miss truck it's the same about who struck out that was his season-high cap dose fall at 3 & 2 like chores had his hands tucked in his jacket pocket since the first pitch of the ball here's the payoff pitch swung on Tino Martinez will handle steps on the bag a performance like this because every fan the most part has sensed what is going on since early in the ballgame and they are into it with every pitch that's only the third three ball count that Wells his head out of 20 hitters no runs no hits and no errors two outs here the seventh and a veteran Paul Molitor will come to the plate grab it out and fly down loafer ball you wonder what's going through his mind out of the man he knows he's pitching a great game throw strikes he just did the cat is one in wrong about a lot of the players talk about feeding off the crowd at Yankee Stadium the Yankee players and I think that's a big boost to him today gives him a little extra shot of adrenaline to have a performance like this in front of a full house didn't get that one reacts with everything Tim McClelland is going to have a lot of help these last three eighties there's the target oh yeah yeah there's another one of the umpires here today Molly will try to check his swing no slow and once again a borderline pitch monitor checks so it's better in pitcher against veteran hitter and if you go by the count the hitter is ahead right down start to on the corner look at that last here to the top of the there's the payoff here still running good strikeout number 10 for David Wain been retired fans New York Yankee baseball is brought to you in part by Nissan we remind you that life is a journey enjoy the ride and we are here today at Yankee Stadium bring crowd on hand with pitching matchup the Troy Hawkins and David Wells he's been was perfect here's Tino Martinez bar one kilo was fine out twice once the center and once the left Yankee scoring their runs in his second and fourth inning and lead to nothing good fastball by Hawkins ball and a strike Bernie Williams is on deck and Darryl Strawberry will follow Bernie for the Yankees here the 7th a and all riled up for the seventh-inning stretch the inside corner first round it's so easy Kenny in a game like this to lose sight of the actual score the ball game this is a two-run game Hawkins has only allowed three hits late on the fastball it fouls it back wanted to Hawkins came in having won his last two stars Toyota Yankees box score Bernie Williams on deck has been too big hitter today with a double and a home run two and two have you seen many pictures that Watson Atkins and his white and how he kind of taps the man with his right foot kind of it's almost like a dance step I think the the first picture I noticed that did that was Fergie Jenkins a bit of a tap with his right foot - hi Andy a child makes the catch that was off the end of the bag fooled me and Martinez is now flown out to each one of his what happened images over three new routine Oh a little also because that's one of the rare Hawkins has gotten older the interesting now with Bernie in that success you might see Hawkins go out of the strike zone I don't think he wants to challenge Bernie anymore he's 500 against him lifetime with three home runs the double-double ahead of Cordova in the second inning and Hobart into the right-field seats in the fourth to the corner for a called strike Joe Girardi getting loose in the bullpen I don't think we see many changes to get to this point again for two who makes the turn at first and a head for second quarter on the scores No only the fourth hit Hawkins has given up three by Bernie Williams really wasn't that bad a pitch I mean Hawkins has to be happy with putting it on the outside corner knee-high Bernie just went with it great plate coverage as he looks down he knows immediately it's down the line and he's got a good shot at to Cordova plays it as well as he can but the floors just off wrong number knees at second with one out of strawberry to the plate his fine out twice to Cordova Yankees up by two have a runner in scoring position with one out in the seventh hawking steps off and I bet about half of the fans right now Kenny are saying the only thing that could make watching a no-hitter a little bit better is his girl strawberry hit margin more Govardhan to work with two balls and no strikes and looks as though Hawkins being pretty fair for the Darryl sure Ballentine got some advice from the bench with first base open and Curtis on deck not challenged strawberry with a fastball first base open deck trad Curtis in sleeves at second three balls and no strike I think the Yankees turned him loose I'm not too sure that the trends will throw him a fastball besides more complicated with a ban on second there it is fastball in there for strike sometimes as a hitter you can outfit yourself to your victim in thinking like you're that I'm like he's not going to throw me faster I'll just sit here and wait for something off-speed don't want to be too anxious Korean War the cat goes full to 3 and 2 that was the one right there you saw Darrell shake his head you've said it before every at-bat you'll get one good pitch to drive and Darrell had his right there this ball be fouled straight back maybe it'll higher need like it Darrell tends to like it from the belt down ok down you see nothing but fast balls in this at-bat have some drips with the wind it's Woods is the third he we go it is three are you saw the wind in the ship series all over but this time in left-field Marty Cordova pleading his case with Mike Reilly but he may have been interfering with out here so you could see the swirling winds he actually has to come back through this ball reaches for it no fan interference there that just came right off the wall not even close to it you see Cordova kind of closed his eyes and wince and took his eye off the ball and you can see the fan above Marty Cordova I think what Marty is contending is that maybe on the way down the ball hit the fingertips of a fan maybe possibly made contact with the ball maybe the fan got in his line of sight and he wasn't able to make the play I watched him go for the ball and see the hands of the fan maybe those are in his line of sight while he's following the baseball when all of a sudden he sees these hands flash in front of him and he can't make the play yet unlike the stands in right-field al Trautwig was pointing out in right field there is an aisle way there where the fans cannot sit right up against the wall but in left field the fans are right there tough call from Mike Riley he's going to let Tom Kelly have his say they don't the benefit of the replays like we do but it did appear from that shot that the fan possibly could have made contact with the ball or blurred Cordova's vision from seeing the ball it's an argument they're not going to win but Tom Kelly's going to have his say anyway the strawberry that will be his second triple of the year at Bernie wins has scored all three of the Yankee runs today Marty Cordova somewhat of a rough day out in left field Bernie Williams is double over his head in a second did it one more luck Canada's Cordova goes up it's right here and that's what he sees is the back of the fans hands lost sight of the ball because as he as he comes close to the ball he kind of shied away from him that distracted him well anyway strawberry is at third the Yankees now have five hits and three runs the twins are going to be forced to bring the infield in with Chad Curtis at the plate with a chance to and another run on the board Curtis hasn't got the ball out of the infield yet today downstairs with ball one one thing Hawkins has done a pretty good job of today is keeping the fastball down and premise as we have learned over the his time of the end he's a good high fastball hitter topsis one fell in the home plate area volva destroyed we showed the last at-bat by Chad Curtis his percentage with a run around third and less than two out and it's not very high like most of the Yankees one of the reasons for it is is his anxiety he wants to swing to bat and if you're an experienced pitcher and can tease him experience like Wells is and keep it around the plate he's going to chase more bad pitches than the average Yankee hitter to do that here is one in wood swinging at us a ball and two strikes notice nobody really he's not talking to himself either there's a very low-key bench because of David Wells perfect game a ball of two strikes on Curtis infield in for the twins high fastball is fouled back there's a look at the infield setup by Minnesota V a feel playing Curtis as you see Lawton moving to step a two over towards right-center strawberry at third with one out boomer wells with a three nothing Lou hopes it will get too cool two and two here the guys got a no-hitter going and it's like he has no friends he nobody wants to go around near him and say anything they're all keeping a comfortable distance away from that's very typical when a pitcher has something like this working for ball gets away but not far enough to strawberry the score in the batter's run I think Kurtis has been able to do this year you mentioned how anxious he could be it is he's also gotten a few roxas here his on-base percentage first in the league five years in a certain field of thing said score variable score and that picks up his 24th run batted in double a triple and a single in this in it Wells not moving on the Yankee bench but courtesy with a nice patient at bat ran the comp two three two got a fastball to hit and because the infield was in was able to get that past Pat Mears the strawberry who got the triple comes home to score Curtis is on first and Jorge Posada will come to the plate inside of his grounded out to check on Curtis at first the Yankees with a win today would make a 2 out of 3 after dropping the opening game of the series then a day off tomorrow then the Orioles come to town and I would think Curtis would try to steal second base here the Yankees have tried to take advantage of Hawkins motion there's ball one there's the other line of thinking that goes through a manager's mind as you see Dan Multi and open coach Rix tell Masek in the twins bullpen as you like to have that hole but between first and second to the left-hand hitter Valentin getting the signs from his manager one ball in one strike give you an idea the confidence I think in the respect Tom Kelley has for young Latroy Hawkins in this game this is the deepest he's ever gone into a ball game in terms of number of pitches and these are the kind of days that managers like Tom Kelley say a pitcher really grows up on days like today a lot of tough situations and he's been able to pitch out of most of them against a tough ballclub there goes the runner looks like a delayed steal and Curtis is in there steal number six on the year for Chad Curtis I didn't go immediately and experience behind the plate you see Valentin has not reacted until Curtis took off after the pitch crossed home plate a perfect execution of the delayed steal a couple of hops gates a little late in covering but to throw high anyway in the Yankees after going ten days without a stolen base have two of them today akhom steps off but the whole idea on the delayed steal is catch somebody napping whether it's the catcher of the middle middle infielders any slight hesitation and as Kitty mentioned gates late getting to the bag at second 2 & 2 on Posada the Yankees off its providing enough for David Wells ads that matter him providing the thrills for the fans from this point on pitch is low yeah the one thing David Wells likes to have these extra runs but I think he'd like to see the Yankees go ahead and make out and get back out on the mound he has been in such a good rhythm and now he's going to be sitting in that dugout for good 2025 minutes full count on Posada one at Curtis at second and it hits this one down the left-field line snoot tail file into the seats I mentioned earlier the Yankees have not lost the series since the first week of the season if they win this game it will be 15 straight series if they have won in the last Yankee team to do that was the 1970 17 21 years ago swing-and-a-miss Kassadin the big swing is struck out that is out number two here in the seventh inning the fans you want to catch all the action when the Boston Red Sox come to the stadium for four games on Thursday May 28th and Friday May 29th both of those games start at 7:30 and Saturday May 30th at the at one o'clock and Sunday May 31st and 1:30 on Sunday the 31st ball fans will receive a Yankee cap compliments of dime Savings Bank tickets are available now at the stadium through Ticketmaster the Yankee clubhouse stores and on the web at WWE Raw search takes a slider outside ball one I'm long gone to that Yankee website and it is something else a lot of information and plus you can order the tickets gracias is all for two we still got a pretty good fastball Yankee hitters still kind of late on the heat the ball that I strike on groceries that's her beanie baby now I wonder if there's a lot of explanations in the stands about what David wells are doing today well I think really I mean the New York fans we know are so savvy that I mean the younger fans well I think so fouled off again by BOCES count is one of TV a lot of youngsters here today on beanie baby day and this is turned into a very special ballgame I imagined it moms and dads and grandmas and grandpas explaining it perfect game yeah you might not ever see one of in it again yeah I'm sure the kids I said what do you mean I'm going to come back to the ball a perfect game is different he's six outs away from what it makes the text well the Yankees come up here crush here the seventh in it boomer wells ready to hit the man in the top of the eighth he's been perfect thus far we'll be back stay tuned that's makes sure for all the latest news scores and highlights in the world of sports tune in to the half-hour edition of MSG Sports Desk that's tonight at 10:30 and you also want to hold on and for the national sports scene with an eye towards the hometown team watch Spock Fox Sports News tonight that's it big bang and I'm at sports news tonight on the Sports Desk and Fox Sports News they could be talking about some history made by David wells he has a perfect game through seven innings Marty Cordova leads off the top of the eighth and the first pitch low for a ball Doyle Alexander 22 years ago took a perfect game into the eighth inning the Yankees and Rico Carney of the Cleveland Indians broke that one up Wells with 10 strikeouts a lot of play 1 & 1 if David Wells could pull it off he would join some pretty as you say kenny brand-name pitchers that have no hit the Minnesota Twins I saw the first one and it was a perfect game by X Yankee catfish hunter back in 1968 fight a blue and Nolan Ryan have also no-hit the twins and one a long way off after the Yankees came up with two in the bottom of the seventh and you pointed it out early in the game getting set to face that leadoff hitter is the most important thing shortstop Jeter burgers at Fillmore Makelele Martinez in time that is 22 in a row by David Wells here's Jeter with a ground ball just missed handle it but he no you years ago there was a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills Oh Burt do Binion he was known as golden wheels Derek Jeter golden hands but you notice the slight bobble and I think everybody in the field right now who yeah feels a little pressure you know they know what's at stake little added pressure and feeling ground balls for the infielders here's Coomer he's been Wells toughest hitter in the American League coming into the game Coomer was 8 for 13 with a pair of home runs wells is retired of tonight today on a pair of strikeouts but in one back in 1991 I was fortunate enough to broadcast Dennis Martinez his perfect game at Dodger Stadium and the last app was a flyball to centerfield and all the infielders agreed that they were happy to last out with a fly ball just a good old lazy can of corn just off the inside edge two and one strike and you'll notice about all the activity on that bench has been thrown a few sunflower seeds we've seen that guy before today other would-be umpire that looks like a cutter at just missed the inside corner George Knobloch he knocks it down recovers throws him time 23 that might be the hardest hit ball today knocks again has makes the accurate throw number two a finish you won't see many fans sitting down for these last four outs Alex Ochoa popped up ground it up ball in he pitch one they know what's going on they're probably feeling more pressure actually than David Wells cuz he's in action all the time they're just they're just waiting hoping like you said hit a pop up outside two and one Joe Torre has not taken his hands out of that jacket pocket I don't think Mel stottlemyre is moved nor Don Zimmer popped up right side Tino Martinez says he has it and feet 50,000 back at the stadium with some special happenings David Wells a perfect game through eight innings as we head to the Yankee half they lead it four to nothing and there haven't been a lot of tough chances Kenny but this is probably a good choice for whoever think up for the game one thing you're taught as an infielder to knock down the hard shots that's exactly what Chuck Knobloch is going to do off the ball on the bat of Ron Coomer then roll part number way Birka Gorman to beat a tad and Knobloch to make the play as he recovers trips and that's the Hoover pickup of the game two ground balls and a fly ball that is the first inning since the second inning that David Wells has not picked up a strikeout looking at the new twins pitcher six foot 6 inch Dan Multi and with Troy Hawkins with a very very solid pitching performance here 7 innings allowing the Yankees four runs and six hits take one thing for Hawkins today control was pretty good didn't walk anybody struck out for as he looking melted and if David Wells had one wish right now even though four runs does not always seem like a comfortable margin he would like to see the Yankees go out 1 2 3 and get out there and see if he can pull this off Knobloch old for three against his former mates he has flied the left pop to short flied to Center no runs and no hits David Wells perfect through eight innings and he will face obviously the bottom third of the twins order in the top of the ninth we talked about fans leave me early I don't think anybody's left to go I'll tease first bitching for a strike I would say the ball that was hit to chuck by Ron Coomer is the closest thing the twins have had to a hit a lot of lazy flyballs to Bernie Williams in the other leg the outfielder in the air again that'll be four times that Knobloch has hit the ball in the air Cordova's there and there's run down David Wells has had three three ball counts he went to three and OH on Matt Wotton came back with two three and one on hor Maori who has come back from Oliver here's Jeter has hit safely and 15 straight but all the hitting statistics and hitting numbers for the Yankees secondary today to the pitching gem by David Wells breaking ball in row swings is John Hirschbeck David Wells has had two three hitters in his career and a year ago he retired the first 16 Texas Rangers - and our garbage eater yep they're going to get out of his way right if that's the that's the seat he's had and he is straight right there a lot of room to either side of him too I mean those guys scattered before hopping bounce garbage tree and old ochita that Chuck Knobloch yeah plenty of room there at Scott Brosius little talking to anybody attendants just a touch under fifty thousand a forty nine thousand eight hundred twenty on hand Athenian at the same time see what could be the second perfect game ever pitched in Yankee Stadium the other one obviously for you the Indy fans know is Don Larson 1956 perfect game in the World Series Jeter draws a one-out walk Jeter drives the first walk of the game I'm Tom Kelley is going to break up the rhythm of this game right now and make a pitching change Paul O'Neil Tino Martinez do up next in Tom Kelley will go to his bullpen and bring in a left-hander while this move could work one of two ways a little more time for David Wells to rest or the fact that he wants to get back out here to hurt Greg Swindell comes in to take over pitching for the twins back at the stadium after this exciting day at the stadium David Wells has a perfecto through eight innings Greg Swindell will take over the pitching now for the trends in the bottom of the eighth inning a reminder the homestand continues after a day off tomorrow the Baltimore Orioles come to town Tuesday Wednesday Thursday all night games at 7:30 Tuesday the 19th a special pregame ceremony baylon failed the decade of the 1920s Babe Ruth commemorative stamp tickets available and the stadium through Ticketmaster Yankee clubhouse stores on the web www.ridedms.com has ever pitched one Tom Larsen's of course is great World Series game no perfect game during the regular season has ever been pitched at Yankee Stadium Jeter looked like he had thoughts are going fonebell peeps impulse the bottom third for the twins would be John shave Valentin and a hitter who has been their best all-around hitter all year Patton years he was in quite a slump adding out of the number nine hole the day when you look at Tom Kelly's bench about the only veteran hitter he could bring off the bench as a right hander would be Terry Steinbach well I would think that the Yankees will see him David Wells was O'Neill fouls out on a play the last regular season perfect game pitched in 1994 this much my surprise to me Anki fans was by actually Anki kenny rogers when he was a member of the texas rangers and you mentioned the one that you had a chance to broadcast in 1991 by Dennis Martinez and ten years ago Tom browning the crafty left-hander of the Cincinnati Reds trying to stay as relaxed as he can at breaking ball in for strike on its own too though Neil Paul's had a tough day Hawkins made some offer good pitches on it I remember correctly back in 91 that poker game he only had five strikeouts the fielders were tested particularly Larry Walker who played first base that big lot of tongue plays at first wells I was 10 all outside and it's one of judo noon fives ten caves for Wells and that's a look at the season averages the three twins hitters do up in the mountain - the twins pictures they've made some good pitches on this is a pitch that looks like it's going to be a strike event he'll end up out of the zone a little Neil chases good pitch by the left-handed veteran Greg Swindell looks like he's found a home at a bull fair notice not a lot of productive numbers from the Yankee lineup it's been the Bernie Williams show Bernie has three hits paired doubles in a home run and he scored three of the four runs he waits on deck there's Tino Martinez steps in breaking ball low ball one and you know as much of a Yankee fan David Wells as he posted you know the story of him buying the Babe Ruth cap and wearing it for a while and one of his starts and you see the breaths getting deeper and deeper he is very aware of but historic performance this would be it already husband to go perfect to it this kind of time did it familiar and the outside yeah not inside trying to stay as calm as he can trying to keep that routine the same as it's been the first eight back in 60s had a perfect game going from third inning on I had to make one of those comfort stops run up to the clubhouse I didn't dare to move and he finally issued a two-out walk with two-out the ninth inning one baserunner anxiety should be the way neither have stolen a base this afternoon his chunk of a year looks like he's yeah he's actually broken out in the smile and his talking to someone on the Yankee bench that doesn't mean they answered him the way that caught the bat fouled out of play that's one and two to tino looking at last pitch target is blown away you can see if it's nowhere near the target and Dino tried to swing out of the way in the barn at the back jitter at first he drew a one out walked the only work of the ball game just off the edge two and two Frank Robinson even here yesterday it had coffee funk clubs about speeding up games somebody was lifted it glass two days the pitchers the answers and the umpires were listed there throwing strikes and they're calling strikes popped up foul that will reach the seats in the comma hold at 2 & 2 and in the way the pictures have been working to exciting ball games back to back yesterday Ramiro Mendoza will see Yankees held on to win that with five to two and today boomer Wells a little nervous stretching and moving around on the bench again Tino stays alive spoiling some pretty good off-speed breaking balls making Swindell work just a little bit harder Jeter takes his lead you know his lead has been a lot shorter than what he's really thinking about stealing yeah if he were I think with Tino in the batter's box he's going to let him have a rip that you could tell the fans they they want this inning to get over with - they're anticipating the top of the ninth as is David wells that's gone full it looked like a fastball to him to set up a breaking ball away Berni waits on deck and he can't wait to get up there he's got three hits of the day's ballgame responsible for three of those four Yankee runs popped up right side cooler near the stands puts it away so we are heading to the top of the ninth stay with us david wells will try to pitch the first regular season perfect game in Yankee history we'll have it for you when we come back on MLS June their feet at the stadium as David wells prepares to start the ninth inning we welcome all of you that have joined us nationally on ESPN these fans had sensed a perfect game since the third inning with well struck out the side he'll face John shade and the first pitch low for a ball he has struck out ten he has gone to a three ball count four times and has been in total command the entire game and each inning is a key no matter what type of David Fisher Shane chases a high fastball on the count is even at a ball in his strike we said it would be the first regular season perfect game in Yankee Stadium history let's go back to October of 1956 when Don Larsen got Dale Mitchell looking at a called strike in the 1956 World Series by June lives desperate with the rally catsup your toy has platon shade stays alive curveball is still has a lot of fight to afternoon it will expand Camas even at two and two I wonder if Joe Torre has ever sat through an entire big-league game with his hands in his pockets for about 2 hours and 40 minutes that has been the position he has been in since the first pitch of the ball game which stays alive closest thing the twins have had to a hit was a sharp ground ball by Ron Coomer Knobloch knocked down throughout for the second out of the 8th inning popped up to short right-field two outs away from the perfect game don't move them Billy Crystal picked a good day to come to the ballpark his Hollywood stars have a flair for the dramatic don't think Tom Kelley will not go to his bench rookie Xavier Valentin a little football thrown a fastball in the middle of the plate today everything has either been for the inside corner or the outside corner and it's one into my strikes the 11th strikeout Wales is down to one for the 15 last pitch is not supposed to be his bride I saw Posada mention bounce the curveball Valentin fit instructor gold movement on the strike how nervous is cassava behind home plate he's making the call my duck right field near the line he puts it away stay perfect game the forgetting on when David Welsh struck out decide I think any that fans had a sense that something special was happening in the seventh inning and he monitors his tough as he come I know he's not having a great year but when he got Molitor out struck him out in the seventh I thought maybe he's going to do it the Yankees scored two in the bottom of the seventh and David grounds had to sit for about 20 minutes the fitting was the only inning since the second that he did not strike out that was healing you talked about when he went to three and one when I saw Dennis Martinez perfect game in 1991 I'd never see another one but I've been fortunate enough to see one at Dodger Stadium and now the Yankee Stadium that you saw David Cone has looked at another looking to last out of the game David wells all the fans are sticking around that's the last neo catches judge was back it's a done deal he's headed in the direction of Fargo meal and it's over the fifteenth regular season perfect game in major league history and the first ever at Yankee Stadium what a day for what a wonderful crowd almost looks like in Texas a few starts later they carry him off the field here at Yankee Stadium a magical moment for David Wells and the Yankees particularly for David because of his his love for the Yankees talked about him wearing bait loose cap last year this is his 100 Dean pitch of the game and that puts them in the record books has pitched a perfect game during the regular season at Yankee Stadium until the name May 17 1998 David Wells is in the record books that's David Cone urging him to take the curtain call which he did obviously a lot to talk about in our postgame festivities here at the stadium talked about Kenny the fans leaving early most of them today are staying around even after the game is over Yankees went at four to nothing Bernie Williams the hitting star with a home run the couple doubles so stay with us lots to talk about here at the stadium David Wells pitched a perfect game you

Channel: MLB Vault

Views: 170,992

Keywords: Major League Baseball, ニューヨーク, メジャー, ミネソタ・ツインズ, Baseball's Best Classic Games, メジャーリーグ, New York Yankees, ツインズ, 野球, ヤンキース, 大リーグ, 野球速報, Minnesota Twins, ミネソタ, ニューヨーク・ヤンキース, David Wells

Id: gfREpwb6mPM

Length: 138min 9sec (8289 seconds)

Published: Thu Oct 07 2010

Reddit Comments

[u/renegade_yankee]

I read somewhere he was actually hungover from the night before on the day he pitched his perfect game lol

[u/damnatio_memoriae]

TIL David Wells had 0.85 BB/9 in 2003. Holy shit.

[u/Ryan_Extra]

This guy is the reason I do not button my top button on my jersey.

[u/cliffsis]

And he was drunk as fuck

[u/jaybay321]

I was there that day, that game was boring as shit until the 7th when people realized he was perfect. It’s one of those things you aren’t allowed to talk about because you don’t wanna jinx it.

[u/shwooom]

5/17/98*

[u/damnatio_memoriae]

First of all

beanie babies day

1998 checks out.

Second. Somebody needs to gif this immediately:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfREpwb6mPM&t=2h0m52s

[u/[deleted]]

That moment hes being carried off the field and he takes his hat off to the crowd. Holy shit, that is amazing. That's right out of a movie.