Yanks Take Game Two

Betances debuts against hometown team

By: Robert Pimpsner

June 20, 2007 - The smell of the grass and the roar of the crowd was only some of the highlights of the Staten Island Yankees 2007 Home Opener.  The Staten Island Yankees opened up at home in front of a packed house, a sell out crowd of 7,171 for the first time since opening day 2001.  Dellin Betances, the tall right hander from Brooklyn, was on the mound for the Yankees making his long awaited 2007 debut.

            Betances allowed just one hit in the first inning after a lead off ground out then proceeded to strike out the final two batters to record his first strikeouts of the year.  The baby bombers would give him an early lead in the bottom of the first when DJ Hollingsworth doubled then advanced on a ground out and scored on a sacrifice fly.  The lead did not last for long as Betances would give up three runs on three hits and two walks sandwiched in between two more strikeouts.  The young right hander would pitch four innings, allowing just those three runs while striking out five

                Staten Island would then take a page out of their 2005 and 2006 predecessor's book with a come from behind win.  After Luis Nunez lead off the fourth with a single, Damon Sublett walked.  Both runners would advance on a ground out and a sacrifice fly by David Williams would put the Yankees just one run behind their cross-town rivals.  Yankee fans did not need to wait long as the very next inning the bombers would plate four to make it 6-3 and never look back.

                Philip Bartleski, Craig Heyer, and Nick Peterson combined for five shut out innings.  Peterson came on in the ninth to close the game for the bombers and pick up where he left off at the end of the 2006 season, recording his first save of the year.