Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi has been
guiding his team through its American League Division Series with the
Baltimore Orioles with a heavy heart, as it was revealed Thursday that the
skipper's 81-year-old father passed away over the weekend.
Jerry Girardi died Saturday in his hometown of East Peoria, IL following a
long battle with Alzheimer's disease. The younger Girardi has been in the
dugout for all three of the Yankees' games in the ALDS, which began Sunday,
and will do so again for Thursday's Game 4.
Joe Girardi has yet to publicly comment on his father's death, but may do so
during the pregame press conference scheduled for this afternoon.
New York took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five ALDS with a dramatic 3-2, 12-
inning win on Wednesday, with Joe Girardi making a gutsy late decision that
proved critical to the game's outcome.
With the Yankees down by a 2-1 score with one out in the bottom of the ninth
inning, he removed star third baseman Alex Rodriguez -- mired in a 1-for-12
series slump that included seven strikeouts -- in favor of pinch-hitter Raul
Ibanez. The veteran outfielder promptly hit a game-tying home run off Orioles
closer Jim Johnson, then connected for another solo blast in the 12th that
gave New York the victory.
The Sports Network