It was fitting that Derek Jeter played a pivotal role in the Yankees' first win in their new stadium. The shortstop powered a Jensen Lewis offering over the right field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Yankees a 6-5 lead, and provide Mariano Rivera with his first trip to the new mound. It wasn't all that smooth, Rivera allowed two hits, but he struck out Grady Sizemore and Mark DeRosa to nail down the victory.
Jeter's solo shot was one of five the Yankees hit on Friday. It's a small sample size, but 23 runs and nine homers in the first two days (17 in four if you include the Cubs exhbitions) may be a sign that this Yankee Stadium will be a hitter's delight. Not that quite as many people were delighted on Friday as they were on Thursday.
The ESPN.com box score lists the attendance at 45,101, but Michael Kay quoted a figure in the 41,000 range during the YES Network broadcast of the game. That's 7,000 fewer people than on Opening Day, and, judging from the empty seats that accompanied many of the shots, all of the missing souls occupied field level seats during Thursday's game. We're two games in, so no sweeping conclusions, but it's a troubling sign that only 3/4 of the Stadium was full during game number two of the new home.
Joba Chamberlain may be the only person who is happy by the development. His control abandoned him on Friday, he walked five and needed 93 pitches to get through four and two-thirds innings. He gave up all five Indians runs, which isn't good but the scoreless effort from the bullpen was appreciated after Thursday's meltdown.
Josh Alper is a writer living in New York City and is a contributor to FanHouse.com and ProFootballTalk.com in addition to his duties for NBCNewYork.com.
