As Darrell Rasner suffered 3 unearned runs in the 1st (due to an error by Jeter), I confess I had flashbacks to the first 25 games of 2005, when everything broke in the wrong direction in the Yankees Universe.

Those fears were thankfully unrealized. After the alarming 1st inning, Rasner and the stalwart Yankees bullpen held the A's to 2 hits and 0 runs over the next 12 innings. In order:

Rasner: 5.1 innings, 5H, 3R
Henn: 0.2 innings, 1H, 0R
Proctor: 1.2 innings, 0H, 0R
Myers: 0.1 innings, 0H, 0R
Vizcaino: 1 inning, 0H, 0R
Farnsworth: 1 inning, 1H, 0R, 2K
Rivera: 1 inning, 0H, 0R
Bruney: 2 innings, 0H, 0R, 2K

That's right: The ENTIRE bullpen deserves credit for this very satisfying win. Given the increased media/blogosphere dissatisfaction with Farnsworth's high ERA and command issues, he deserves recognition for buckling his chinstrap and performing well last night, fanning 2 in one inning's work.

I still don't understand how the Yankees blatantly stole a power arm like Bruney.

On the offensive side: Alex continued his blazing April start with one run on one powerful swing in the 5th, cutting the Oakland lead to 3-1. Melky singled in Cano in the same inning as the Yankees scrambled back into the game...and then the 7th saw Posada score Cano all the way from 1st on a hit and run, tie game.

The game went on, and on, and on: until the top 13th, when the slumping DH launched a no-doubt HR into deep right-center...4-3 Yankees. Bruney closed out the bottom half and the team overcame 4 errors and 3 unearned runs.

Giambi on the spot.