Missed Opportunities Doom Yankees

The big hit just never came.

Andy Pettitte struggled through five innings, Ian Kinsler reached base four times and drove in a run and Frank Francisco worked a perfect ninth for his 12th save of the season as the Rangers doubled up the Yanks 4-2 at The Stadium.  Jorge Posada drilled his second homer in as many nights and Brett Tomko pitched three innings of scoreless relief, but Scott Feldman allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings to improve to 5-0 on the year and shortstop Elvis Andrus singled twice, swiped two bases and scored a run to help Texas snap a mini two-game losing streak.

Derek Jeter went hitless in four at-bats, ending his 16-game hitting streak.

And in case you missed it, Chien-Ming Wang is back in the starting rotation.  Phil Hughes will be sent to the pen.  I'm a bit surprised by the move, but the Yankees were caught in no man's land.  The Bombers panicked when they brought Wang up from Triple A on May 23, but he's looked like his old self during his past two relief appearances.  A lot of people were ready to throw dirt on Wang because of his terrible beginning, but his track record is solid and he deserves another crack in the rotation.  Hughes has showed flashes, but he's been inconsistent.  I don't know if he'll be a force out of the bullpen, but I'm looking at it as giving Wang the benefit of the doubt rather than demoting Hughes.  I may have thought differently if Hughes was pitching light's out, but he's not.  At least, that's the way I see it. 

Let's quickly wrap up this loss.

The Good:

Jorge Posada.  It was a tough night for Jorgie behind the plate, but he put together his second consecutive multi-hit game, complete with another long ball.  Posada stroked a bullet over the right field wall in the seventh inning to pull the Yanks to within 4-2.  It was Posada's 8th round-tripper of the season.  But Posada didn't escape unscathed.  Marlon Byrd hit Posada in the ribs with his follow-through on a swing-and-a-miss in the third inning.  Posada also took a foul ball off the face mask later in the game.  They don't call them the tools of ignorance for nothing.  Posada finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.

The Bad:

Andy Pettitte.  It started out poorly for Pettitte and didn't get any better.  The crafty lefty walked the first batter he faced and it was a prelude of things to come -- the man was wild, wild, wild.  The Rangers put up a three-spot in the first inning and threatened in nearly every frame thereafter against Pettitte.  Pettitte had a shining moment in the third when he struck out the side after allowing a walk and a single to open the inning.  He was also helped out on a batter's interference call in that inning when Byrd nailed Posada in the side on his follow-through.  The Rangers pulled off a double steal on that pitch, but both runners were forced to return to their respective bases.  I don't know if I've ever seen batter's interference called without someone being called out.  But Michael Kay read from the rule book so the story checks out.  Anyway, Pettitte ended his night with a 1-2-3 fifth, but it was too little, too late.  Pettitte fell to 5-2 with this: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 6 BB, 6 K.

Alex Rodriguez.  I usually don't come down on a player who drives in a run, especially since the Yanks scored only two Wednesday night, but A-Rod had a chance to do so much more and didn't.  Rodriguez drove in the Bombers' first run with a two-out, RBI-single in the first inning to slice the Rangers' lead to 3-1.  It was a semi-big run because the Yanks got one back after the Rangers scored three runs in the top of the inning.  But he couldn't come through with the bases loaded and one out in the third.  The Yanks were down 4-1 at the time, but looked poised to make some noise.  Rodriguez killed that with a 5-5-3 double play to end the inning.  He had another chance in the sixth inning with Johnny Damon on third and one out, but went down swinging. It would have been cool if A-Rod delivered a big hit in those at-bats, but he also could have drove in two runs with two simple fly balls.  Shake it off, A-Rod.  Rodriguez finished 1 for 4 with a ribbie and 2 strikeouts.

The Ugly:

Late scratch.  Mark Teixeira missed Wednesday night's contest with a bruised ankle.  Tex sustained the injury breaking up that double play last night.  X-rays were negative.  Hopefully, it's just a one or two game thing.  Teixeira has been hitting the cover off the ball and even though it was just one game, the Yankee lineup just doesn't look the same without him.  The Bombers managed just six hits against the Rangers.

Chien-Ming Wang (0-3, 16.07 ERA) will go against Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 4.35 ERA) in the rubber game Thursday afternoon.  It will be the Wanger's first start since April 18 when he faced off against the Cleveland Indians.  If you don't remember, Wang allowed eight runs on eight hits over just 1 1/3 innings as the Tribe crushed the Bombers 22-4.  It's probably best you and Wang forget that game.  Wang is 2-1 with a 4.84 ERA in four career appearances against the Rangers.  He'll be taking CC Sabathia's turn Thursday.  McCarthy has won his past two starts (against the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics, respectively) during which he allowed just one run over 15 innings.  The big right-hander is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in three career appearances against the Bombers.  Mark Teixeira has two homers in eight career at-bats against McCarthy.

Let's see if Wang and the Yanks can get back on the winning track.