Mark Teixeira started the bottom of the sixth inning with a grounder into the teeth of the shift, but Omar Infante couldn't handle it in right field. Raul Ibanez hit a chopper that went over first base and into right for a double:

That brought up ...

...

... wait for it ...

Alex Rodriguez. Because of course it did. The first pitch A-Rod saw from Doug Fister with runners on second and third in the sixth was a perfect first-pitch curveball that nipped the bottom-half of the strike zone for a called strike.

The second pitch he saw was a perfect two-seamer with late movement that bore in on his hands. A-Rod swung through it.

The third pitch he saw was a nasty curve in the dirt. A-Rod waved at it. The crowd loudly voiced their desire for an offseason acquisition of Jay Bruce once more.

Three great pitches from a pitcher who hasn't been sharp with his command all night. So it goes when you're slumping. #prayers4arod

After a Nick Swisher walk loaded the bases, Curtis Granderson struck out. More boos. Russell Martin swung over a slider for yet another strikeout, and Doug Fister did it again. For the third inning of the game, Fister got out of a bases-loaded jam to keep the Yankees scoreless.

-- Grant