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Yanks Show Fight, But Fall Short
This team has guts, but it wasn't enough.
Andy Pettitte was off, Brian Bruney provided little relief and Alex Rodriguez grounded into a double play to end it as the Rangers bested the Yanks 8-6 in Arlington. This game smelled like a loss as soon as I turned on the television and the Bombers could have rolled over and died several times, but they fought back from 5-1 and 8-2 deficits to make things close. They just couldn't get over the hump. Bouncing into four double plays will do that.
The Rays and Red Sox both won so the Yankees slipped 6.5 games back of
Tampa in the AL East and 3.5 games behind Boston in the wild card hunt.
I'm feeling very fatigued and this game sapped what little strength I had left so I'll quickly round this one up.
The Good:
Richie Sexson. The Yanks were unable to get a big hit all night, but Sexson delivered in the eighth. Big Sexy stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and the Bombers down 8-2 and ripped his first homer in pinstripes. It would be as close as the Yanks would get, but maybe Sexson's dinger shows that he still has something left in the tank. Sexson finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and 4 RBIs.
The Bad:
Andy Pettitte. The Yankees really needed a quality start from the veteran lefty, but it didn't happen. Pettitte served up a two-run homer to Josh Hamilton in the first and gave up single runs in the second, fourth and sixth before exiting. It was the second straight poor performance from Pettitte. And the Yanks just can't afford to have awful starts at this point in the season. Pettitte fell to 12-9 with this: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR.
Brian Bruney. The Maltese Falcon has pitched well since returning from his foot injury on Aug. 2, but he crapped the bed Tuesday night. Bruney entered the game in the seventh with two outs, runners on the corners and the Yanks trailing 5-2. It didn't turn out well. Bruney issued a walk and then Chris Davis laced a bases-clearing double to give the Rangers an 8-2 advantage. That was bad enough, but Sexson's grand slam in the following inning made these three runs sting even more. The box score will deceive, but the people know what happened out there. Bruney's horrorshow: .1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K.
The Ugly:
By the time I get to Alabama. It's never a good sign when the name Dr. James Andrews pops up. And it just popped up. Joba Chamberlain will head down to see the Doc about his aching shoulder. The Yanks are trying to downplay the situation, but I'm not buying it. Chamberlain is already scheduled to miss his next start (Ian Kennedy will take his place Saturday against the Angels) and will most likely land on the disabled list, even if it's a minor injury. May God have mercy on us all.
The Yanks will try and snap out of this funk and give the assignment to Sidney Ponson (6-2, 4.23 ERA). Tommy Hunter (0-0, 10.80 ERA) will take the ball for Texas. Hunter is another Ranger baby, just 22-years-old, and is coming off his first career start. The Blue Jays smacked Hunter around for six runs on eight hits in five innings, but he walked away with a no-decision as the Rangers won the game 9-8. Ponson did everything anyone could have possibly asked for in his last start against the Angels. Except win. The Arubian Knight spun seven shutout innings, but picked up a no-decision in the Yanks eventual 1-0 loss. The Rangers beat up Ponson to the tune of seven runs on nine hits in five innings July 2 at The Stadium. But Sir Sid picked up a no-decision as the Yanks went on to win the game 18-7. This will be Ponson's first visit back to Texas since the Rangers released him.
Release your anger on them, Sid.
Andy Pettitte was off, Brian Bruney provided little relief and Alex Rodriguez grounded into a double play to end it as the Rangers bested the Yanks 8-6 in Arlington. This game smelled like a loss as soon as I turned on the television and the Bombers could have rolled over and died several times, but they fought back from 5-1 and 8-2 deficits to make things close. They just couldn't get over the hump. Bouncing into four double plays will do that.
The Rays and Red Sox both won so the Yankees slipped 6.5 games back of
Tampa in the AL East and 3.5 games behind Boston in the wild card hunt.I'm feeling very fatigued and this game sapped what little strength I had left so I'll quickly round this one up.
The Good:
Richie Sexson. The Yanks were unable to get a big hit all night, but Sexson delivered in the eighth. Big Sexy stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and the Bombers down 8-2 and ripped his first homer in pinstripes. It would be as close as the Yanks would get, but maybe Sexson's dinger shows that he still has something left in the tank. Sexson finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and 4 RBIs.
The Bad:
Andy Pettitte. The Yankees really needed a quality start from the veteran lefty, but it didn't happen. Pettitte served up a two-run homer to Josh Hamilton in the first and gave up single runs in the second, fourth and sixth before exiting. It was the second straight poor performance from Pettitte. And the Yanks just can't afford to have awful starts at this point in the season. Pettitte fell to 12-9 with this: 5 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR.
Brian Bruney. The Maltese Falcon has pitched well since returning from his foot injury on Aug. 2, but he crapped the bed Tuesday night. Bruney entered the game in the seventh with two outs, runners on the corners and the Yanks trailing 5-2. It didn't turn out well. Bruney issued a walk and then Chris Davis laced a bases-clearing double to give the Rangers an 8-2 advantage. That was bad enough, but Sexson's grand slam in the following inning made these three runs sting even more. The box score will deceive, but the people know what happened out there. Bruney's horrorshow: .1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K.
The Ugly:
By the time I get to Alabama. It's never a good sign when the name Dr. James Andrews pops up. And it just popped up. Joba Chamberlain will head down to see the Doc about his aching shoulder. The Yanks are trying to downplay the situation, but I'm not buying it. Chamberlain is already scheduled to miss his next start (Ian Kennedy will take his place Saturday against the Angels) and will most likely land on the disabled list, even if it's a minor injury. May God have mercy on us all.
The Yanks will try and snap out of this funk and give the assignment to Sidney Ponson (6-2, 4.23 ERA). Tommy Hunter (0-0, 10.80 ERA) will take the ball for Texas. Hunter is another Ranger baby, just 22-years-old, and is coming off his first career start. The Blue Jays smacked Hunter around for six runs on eight hits in five innings, but he walked away with a no-decision as the Rangers won the game 9-8. Ponson did everything anyone could have possibly asked for in his last start against the Angels. Except win. The Arubian Knight spun seven shutout innings, but picked up a no-decision in the Yanks eventual 1-0 loss. The Rangers beat up Ponson to the tune of seven runs on nine hits in five innings July 2 at The Stadium. But Sir Sid picked up a no-decision as the Yanks went on to win the game 18-7. This will be Ponson's first visit back to Texas since the Rangers released him.
Release your anger on them, Sid.
Why are all these young pitchers getting hurt?! I know Joba throws very hard but between him, Hughes, Kennedy and Wang, it's ridiculous. I think Nolan Ryan sitting in the stands is in better shape.
I hear ya, Phil. If Chamberlain goes out it could spell doom for the rest of the season.
Phil, that’s a good questions. I'll give you an answer, the Yankees are babying them too much and when they have to deal with a "normal" work load their arms break down. It is funny that you mention Nolan Ryan, when this series started I read that the first thing Ryan did when he became President of Texas was remove the words "Pitch Count" from everyone's vocabulary. Ryan said all a pitch count does is create a 6 inning pitcher. "Pitch count? How about Win count"
"These pitchers have to realize what their capabilities are, and build up their stamina. I remember it used to be that 300 innings was the benchmark for an ace. If you were a starter, you were expected to pitch at least 250 innings. Now, you may have one guy go 200 innings on your whole staff.
"That's why you see 12, 13 pitchers on every team.."
You're right, Vin, but it's not just the Yankees that are doing it. This is something that has infected baseball league-wide.