The Captain Delivers At New Stadium

YANKEE 6

INDIANS 5

There is a reason why Derek Jeter is Mr. Yankee. He always comes through in the big moments at the biggest times in Yankee history. That storyline did not change at all today, as Jeter hit a solo home run to right field in the eighth to give the Yankees their first ever victory in New Yankee Stadium.

As for the game it was a slug fest. In the opening moments of the game, Mark DeRosa hit an opposite field home run to right, off Joba Chamberlain, to give the Indians a quick 1-0 lead. Unlike Thursday's debacle, the Yankees did not shrink under the pressure. Johnny Damon and Mark Texieria went deep for their first Yankee Stadium homers to give New York a 2-1 lead in the third inning.

The seesaw continued throughout the afternoon. Chamberlain walked Travis Hafner and Shin Shoo-Choo then surrendered Ben Francisco drove in Hafner for the tying run with a single to center. Cleveland didn't enjoy the tie for very long; Melky Cabrera homered to right to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

In the fifth, the Indians would grab the lead right back. DeRosa's single to left brought in Asdrubal Cabrera to tie it up. Later, Victor Martinez's sacrifice fly to left drove in Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko's double brought DeRosa home to give the Indians a 5-3 lead. All five runs were charged to Chamberlain, whose command, again, waned the longer he pitched. Think he wouldn't be better served in the bullpen? It's time, folks, Joba just can't last longer than four or five innings as a starter without seeing his nasty 97 mph stuff dissipate. A move to the pen is needed badly.

Still, the Yankees found a way to get Chamberlain off of the hook. Robinson Cano's homer and a throwing error by Vinnie Chulk tied the game in seventh inning. BOX SCORE.

This set the stage for Jeter, who blasted a home run to right with two out in the eighth inning. Mariano Rivera came in and worked his way out of trouble to get his third save of the year. So, now the champagne bottles can be broken; the Yankees have finally won at their new home with many more victories to come.