An elegantly dressed elderly woman got on the subway Sunday morning and I offered her my seat. “I appreciate the offer,” she said. “I'm getting off soon.” she said,declining. When she was getting off at Atlantic Avenue, she caught my eye, smiled and said “Thank you, young man.”
That made my day.

I was going to my final Sunday game of the season with my friend Carmen. At 34th Street, I was telling her of how tourists always seem to find me to ask directions to the Stadium. As if on cue, these three kids in Yankees jerseys came up and asked “Can we follow you to the Stadium, as another couple asked if the train stopped at 42nd Street.

We waited fifteen minutes for the D train and we were going to miss the Phil Rizzuto tribute before the game. Carmen wanted to get something to eat at one of the Spanish restaurants across from the stadium. She got me a Cuban sandwich and some salads for herself and then ordered four bottles of beer. I told her that they wouldn't let us bring in bottles. They poured the beer into six cups and put everything in a bag.

We headed to the Stadium and I'm thinking there is no way they're going to let us in with the beer. One of the scalpers saw me and smiled and “How are you, Sir?” Carmen asked me “Do you know everybody?”. We got to security, took out our cellphones and they just told us to put the cups of beer in clear bags and we were in. I couldn't believe it.

Mike Mussina was going for his 250th career win against Dustin McGowan for the Jays.
The Jays struck in the second inning with Matt Stairs singled and Aaron Hill doubled .After an infield out, Adam Lind doubled scoring Stairs and Hill and came home a moment later on a Curtis Thigpen single.

The Yankees came back in their half of the second. Hideki Matsui led off with a walk. One out later, Melky Cabrera walked. After a pop out, Jose Molina lined a single that scored Matsui. Johnny Damon singled scoring Cabrera who had advanced to third on a wild pitch and Molina scored when Derek Jeter singled tying the score.

While we were enjoying and beer, I noticed that most of the regular people didn't show for the last game. It was strange.We always tell each other where we will be sitting in the post season since we don't get our regular seats.

The score remained tied until the Yankees fifth, thanks to a great play by Melky Cabrera in the top of the fourth when he nailed Greg Zaun at the plate as he tried to score on a John McDonald single. Bobby Abreu led off the fifth with a walk. Alex Rodriguez drew another walk. One out later, Robinson Cano singled scoring Abreu with the lead run. Brian Tallet relieved and struck out Cabrera for the second out but Doug Mientkiewicz hit a little dribbler for an infield hit that scored A Rod and it was 5-3. Molina followed with a single that scored Cano and the Yanks led by three.

The Yankees added a seventh run in the seventh off of Josh Banks when Molina got his third RBI of the day by doubling home Matsui who had walked leading off.
Moose pitched great after the shaky second inning and pitched seven innings.
Luis Vizcaino came into pitch the eighth and retired the first two batters. He then walked Alex Rios and Stairs crushed a home run into the black section of center field. Some kid ran into the seats and threw ball back onto the field. Security ejected him to a chorus of boos from the fans.

Now the Jays trailed 7-5. Joe Torre stayed with Vizcaino who then gave up a single to Hill; and walked Zaun. Torre yanked Vizcaino and brought in Joba Chamberlain who entered to cheers of the crowd and walked off to more cheers when he stuck out Lind to end the threat and the inning.

In the Jays ninth, Chamberlain got Thigpen to ground out and struck out pinch hitter Lyle Overbay and Reed Johnson to end the game.

Joba's first save was Moose's 250th win. The Yankees gained a game on the Red Sox and reduced their playoff magic number as well.

We left the Stadium happy. On the way down the stairs to the subway, a woman turned to ask her husband something and punched me right in the crotch. “I'm so sorry,” she said. I gasped and couldn't even answer. We did make all our train connections and sore but pleased with the win, I made it home. The next game I go to will be in the Division Series. We'll have to see against whom the Yankees will be playing