A-Rod’s 49th HR helps Yankees hold off Royals
Chamberlain extends scoreless innings streak in front of elated father
 | Harlan Chamberlain watches his son, Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain, throw against the Royals. Chamberlain, who was disabled by polio as a child, watched his son play as a Yankee for the first time on Friday. |
Ed Zurga / AP |
 | Video: Baseball from NBC Sports |
 |
 | Slide show |
 | Week in Sports Pictures Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more. more photos |
Special feature |
 Reuters |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Joba Chamberlain came trotting out of the bullpen to start the seventh inning, and tears came streaming down Harlan Chamberlain’s weather-beaten face.
When his son’s first pitch registered 99 mph on the radar gun, the older man whooped with glee and pointed toward the scoreboard yelling, “Ninety-nine! Ninety-nine!”
Joba did not disappoint his disabled father, who was seeing him pitch in the major leagues for the first time.
On an emotional moment Friday night that seemed to resonate through the entire New York Yankees team, Joba worked two scoreless innings to preserving a one-run lead in a 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
“I imagined it. But to see it come to reality and fruition is totally amazing,” Harlan said as he watched his son give up two hits and run his scoreless streak since he joined the Yankees to 14 1-3 innings over 11 games since making his debut on Aug. 7.
Disabled by polio when he was just 9 months old, the elder Chamberlain made the three-hour drive from his home in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday, along with many other family members.
“To work as hard as he has and to be on this stage, it’s such a blessing,” he said.
The 54-year-old Chamberlain, who is confined to a motorized scooter and lacks full use of his left arm, pumped his right hand into the air when left fielder Johnny Damon ran down Billy Butler’s drive with one on and two outs in the eighth.
“Surrounded by loved ones — it just makes it that much more enjoyable,” he said through tears.
Before the game, Joba said the love and respect is mutual.
“If I can be half the man and half the father he was, I’ll be very, very happy and have a great life,” he said.
Afterward, Joba said he’d been able to concentrate on the game and shut out every sight, sound and emotion but one.
“I heard my sister,” he said. “For some reason, that’s one of those voices where you’re just like, ‘Oh, gosh. There she is.’ I wasn’t even trying to hear it. That’s one of those high-pitched voices you hate to hear.”
He was pumped with adrenaline, he said, “but it was a good adrenaline.”
And he was not surprised that his dad broke into tears at the sight of his son in a Yankees uniform.
“No, not at all. Not one bit. He’s as proud a father as anybody can be,’ he said. “It’s good. I’m glad to have him here. At least I got to pitch.”
Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada homered for New York, which is three games in front of Detroit in the AL wild-card race and four ahead of Seattle.
Rodriguez, limited to a designated hitter role Wednesday after spraining his ankle the previous night, returned to third base and homered for the sixth time in nine games, raising his major league-leading total to 49.
Ian Kennedy, another rookie, allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings. Last weekend, he beat Tampa Bay in his major league debut.
Kyle Farnsworth (2-1) pitched one hitless inning for the win, and Mariano Rivera got three outs for his 24th save in 27 chances.
New York, which went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners, went ahead in the seventh when Derek Jeter singled with two outs and Bobby Abreu doubled off Neal Musser (0-1).
Rodriguez homered off Gil Meche in the second inning, moving past Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews with his 513th home run and gave him sole possession of 17th place. He also broke his own team record for home runs by a right-handed batter.
“It’s certainly been a magical season,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve felt it since spring training, and I just have to keep the ride going.”
One out later, Posada hit his 19th homer and 11th home run in 23 at-bats.
Seven of the first 11 Royals reached against Kennedy, a 21-year-old right-hander. But then he retired the next seven in a row until Joey Gathright singled with two out in the fourth. Gathright was then thrown out trying to steal second.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM BASEBALL |
 Baseball Section Front |
| Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links