Tanya: Is this a rally?

Steve: When the Yankees used to play only day games, they would win games late and call it 5 o'clock lightning. This is 10 o'clock lightning. It's also the 900th pitching change.

Tanya: I'd want no part of Robinson Cano in this situation. Scuffling or not.

Steve: Agreed. But it is a double-play situation.

Tanya: You just had to bring that up.

Steve: Like I said: cynical mood.

Tanya: Pitch around him to get to A-Rod? Can you imagine?

Steve: As we said last night, how the mighty... Cano has grown out of getting himself out by chasing bad pitches...except with RISP this year. He can revert. I don't think he's going to get the chance here, though. Can you do that with no outs, though? Even with A-Rod all slumpy?

Tanya: Depends on if it works or not, I guess.

Steve: As I said, he reverts. That looked like ball four. At least it wasn't a GDP.

Tanya: I don't like the matchup with O'Day.

Steve: They have seen so much of him you'd think that familiarity would breed some success here.

Tanya: I think I might want this for him more than he wants it for him.

Steve: I think that's the human response. Most of the hostility to him is unearned...although if he strikes out here, I might change my mind. Aaaargh.

Tanya: Painful.

Steve: Up to Swish Nicker. You could walk him with the base empty here...and that proved to be unnecessary.

Tanya: Such an opportunity missed.

Steve: We'll see if it costs them, but they have a good bullpen too.

Tanya: I said I didn't see a way they would win last night without a home run. Feeling that way again tonight.

Steve: Yup. That cuts both ways, though.

Tanya: Definitely. Whoever breaks through first here will win, I think. Meaning I don't see a comeback from the Yankees if they go down a run.

Steve: Unless Jim Johnson struggles again...and Showalter abandons him. I don't know how well you remember 1995, but he bailed on a certain John Wetteland against the Mariners then...cost the Yankees in a big way. And Nix fails to grapple with the bad hop. Jeter doesn't have a lot of range, but he doesn't make a lot of mistakes.

Tanya: I never did get that ground ball right at someone I offered my kingdom for earlier. I'd like to cash that in now.

Steve: Good thing you didn't promise your kingdom for a pickoff!

To the bottom of the ninth, folks!