CELEBRATING JOY OF SIX ON NADY'S DAY

By Jay Greenberg
New York Post
http://www.nypost.com
August 4, 2008

The odds of the Yankees coming back from 5-0 against John Lackey? One hundred-to-one? Five hundred-to-one?

The odds of coming back yesterday had Brett Gardner been in left field? Infinitesimal.

Nevertheless, the endless day forecast by Yanks starter Darrell Rasner against Angels starter John Lackey did not turn out to be nearly the length that Xavier Nady (two-run double and seventh-inning three-run homer to break a 5-5 tie) continues to restore to a depleted Yankees lineup.

It will be a long time, too, before you again see the Angels, who own baseball's best winning blueprint, drop fly balls (Gary Matthews Jr. before Nady's bomb); throw the ball into left field on steal attempts (Jeff Mathis); and botch double plays (Chone Figgins and Erick Aybar) during an astonishing eighth-inning meltdown.

Off the hook came Joe Girardi for having allowed Edwar Ramirez , who had loaded the bases with the Yankees up 8-5, to face Mark Teixeira in the top of the eighth. Mariano Rivera (back) was unavailable and Damaso Marte, who was being saved for lefty Garret Anderson, had lost five of six previous battles to the Angels' switch-hitting dynamo. So Teixeira was allowed to hit a grand slam off - what else? - a Ramirez changeup, putting the Angels up, 9-8.

All was forgiven at the end of the rousing 14-9 win, even Bobby Abreu for earlier getting thrown out at third before Derek Jeter could cross the plate with what would have been a seventh Nady RBI.

NEW YORK - JULY 30: Xavier Nady #22 of the New York Yankees bats against the Baltimore Orioles on July 30, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Well, perhaps unforgiven remains Mets GM Omar Minaya, who traded Nady to Pittsburgh for the pitching-personality-conflicted Oliver Perez, but Yankees fans thank Minaya, as well as Pittsburgh. Their team went off to Texas and 16 of the next 19 on the road having salvaged not only a split from the American League's best team, but also maybe their credibility as a team that can hang in the tough race ahead despite rotation problems.

"This win shows us no lead and no pitching staff should be able to stop us night-in and night-out like they have been doing," said Johnny Damon. "We know we can come back against a Lackey.

"That (Jose) Arredondo is dirty, too. Scot Shields. Those are tough pitchers."

Who now face six more games against a Yankees team jacked up by another power threat, this one coming in blessedly cold from the mass hysteria that too often has paralyzed pinstripe bats with runners in scoring position.

"[Nady] can hit anywhere in the middle of the order," said Girardi. "He has power, he's good in RBI situations and [has] been clutch all year in Pittsburgh and here."

In Pittsburgh, nobody knew it. Asked about the feeling of being back on the baseball map, taking curtain calls from 54,204 persons, Nady smiled and said, "There is more traffic (getting to games) here."

NEW YORK - AUGUST 03: Xavier Nady #22 of the New York Yankees watches his three-run home run in front of Jeff Mathis #5 the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on August 3, 2008 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Right, and until now the Yankees were suffering too much gridlock on the bases for lack of another guy who could clear them.

"I was one of the happiest ones here when we got the trade because I have seen him over the years being a pain in the butt," said Damon. "He's a great player, quietly doing his job."

Or not so quietly doing it yesterday, turning around the most unexpected win of the season. This one had more twists and turns than Yanks GM Brian Cashman performed on Pirates GM Neal Huntingdon's arm to get him to deal Marte and Nady for three serviceable arms and outfield prospect Jose Tabata.

Tabata, a year ago an untouchable five-tool talent and this year a head case, is the X-factor in the trade. Still not much of a price to pay, a delirious Stadium felt yesterday, for its new X-Man.

jay.greenberg@nypost.com