Game Five ALCS: Homeward Bound

This is why you don't get overconfident and count the Yankees out until the last out is recorded and our fourth game is won.

The series now shifts back to Arlington on Friday night, Colby Lewis against Phil Hughes, round 2.

If I had known that we'd get 11 hits off of Sabathia in 6 innings, I'd think we'd be in good shape.  But CC kept the Rangers from cashing in on their opportunities more times than not, and CJ Wilson was not good.

Wilson was all over the place from the very start of the game.  He retired the side in order in the first, but fell behind in the count to each hitter.  Walks, homeruns, and iffy defense led to him giving up 6 runs in a short outing.

It was as if the two starters had switched roles from Game One in Texas.  CJ had similar control issues to what CC dealt with in that game.  But CJ could not be bailed out by a miracle offensive inning late in the game.

It will be interesting to see if Nelson Cruz is available to go in Game Six after tomorrow's off day.  He left the game with tightness in his left hamstring, an injury that plagued him multiple times this year.

I hate that the Yankees feel they have life now.  Hughes and Pettitte are very good pitchers and capable of holding us down, even at home.  Lewis has been about a five or six inning pitcher all post season.  We may be looking to Cliff Lee to save our bacon again on Saturday night at the Ballpark.

I also hate travel days after a loss.  Waiting about 48 hours between tonight's last pitch and Friday's first pitch is not going to help my anxiousness.  I want to win this so bad. 

I have acquired a Rangers/Yankees internal self defense mechanism over the last 15 years that you've all seen displayed in my writing, which causes me to limit how much I get my hopes up, but I admit that I've looked ahead to potential World Series matchups and dreams of an AL pennant flying above the Ballpark.  I don't know if my heart can take having those dreams dashed away by the Bombers again.

Anybody got any good ideas for killing time and trying not to think about baseball until the next one?  If so, post it in the comments.