Simon's first save

Alfredo Simon was brought into tonight's game with a three-run lead and instructions to get the last three outs. Nothing to it. It's only the Yankees, and his first major league game since Tommy John surgery. Simon got a called third strike on Curtis Granderson. His fastballs were clocked at 96, 97 and 96 mph. Nick Swisher grounded a broken-bat single into center field. Four fastballs were clocked at 97 mph, another at 96. Nick Johnson worked the count to 3-1, taking some close pitches along the way, before walking with the count full and bringing pitching coach Rick Kranitz from the dugout. Simon's fastball again topped out at 97 mph, and he also hit 96 multiple times. Derek Jeter, representing the tying run, fell behind 0-2 on two 97 mph fastballs. Simon just missed with a 90 mph slider - plate umpire Wally Bell didn't do him any favors this inning - and Jeter fouled off another 97 mph fastball. On the next pitch, Jeter swung through a 91 mph slider. Brett Gardner fell behind 0-2, taking a splitter for the second strike, and sent a routine grounder to short that Cesar Izturis overran as a run scored. The ball took a small hop at the end that Izturis didn't anticipate. Mark Teixeira, at the plate as the potential go-ahead run and batting .116, grounded the first pitch (a 96 mph fastball) into right field. Still two outs, and the lead's down to one run. The tying run's on third. Will Ohman is warming in the bullpen. Alex Rodriguez swung at the first pitch, a 96 mph fastball, and grounded to second. Julio Lugo almost flipped the ball over Izturis' head, but the Orioles got the final out. That's one career save for Alfredo Simon, in his seventh major league appearance. Nothing to it.