(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| NYY | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0 | |
| LAA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 5 | 9 | 2 |
WP - John Lackey (4-4)
LP - CC Sabathia (8-6)
SV - Brian Fuentes (26)
For three straight days a Yankee starter has pitched well for the first three innings of the game. And for three straight days each of those starters fell apart in the fourth and/or fifth innings. What this means I'm not quite sure, but it bothers me. Once through the order and all of a sudden the Angels batters own Yankee pitching.
This afternoon in Anaheim it was CC Sabathia who allowed two hits and a walk over the first three, only to implode in the fourth, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk. A 1-0 Yankee lead turned into a 4-1 deficit. Sabathia would last until the seventh, when he allowed the Angels fifth run on a two-out triple by Chone Figgins, and then an RBI single to Maicer Izturis. It wasn't as bad as Pettitte or Chamberlain, but 5 runs on 9 hits and three walks is still bad. He threw 114 pitches, 71 for strikes. I still think Joe Girardi should have gone with Phil Hughes once the Angels got a runner on, but that is still no excuse for the way CC pitched today.
Speaking of Hughes, he did come into the game, AFTER the Angels extended their lead from 4-2 to 5-2. He pitched 1.1 scoreless, walked two, and struck out one.
For the third straight day the Yankees blew a lead, although today it was just 1-0 and not the four-run leads of Friday and Saturday. But like the previous two games the offense fought back after falling behind. Angels' starter John Lackey was very good today, holding the Yanks to just two runs over seven innings, but with Jorge Posada's RBI single off Lackey in the seventh. Then they scored two more in the eighth on an RBI single by Melky Cabrera and a sac-fly by Posada. Those runs cut the Angels lead to 4-2 and then 5-4, but in both innings the Yankees squandered golden opportunities to either tie the game or take the lead.
With the Angels up 4-2 the Yanks had the bases loaded and nobody out in the seventh with Mark Texieira and Alex Rodriguez coming to the plate. You'd think they'd at least get one run in, but no, Lackey buckled down to strike out Texieira and get A-Rod to ground into an inning-ending double play.
An inning later the Yankees had runners on first and second with one out and Nick Swisher at the plate, he was pinch-hitting for Brett Gardner. Swisher lined a ball that was ticketed for center field, but Angels' reliever Darren Oliver stuck his glove down and snared the ball, and then threw to first to double off Cabrera.
Like I said yesterday, it doesn't matter how well the Yankees are playing, they can't beat the Angels, especially in Anaheim. This year, they also can't beat Boston, anywhere. Combined against those two teams they are an embarrassing 2-and-12. That they've played so poorly against these two top tier teams concerns me. Don't get me wrong, they've had a very good first half, but eventually they're going to have to figure out how to beat the better teams in the league, especially if they want to go anywhere in October.
The Yanks now have four days off for the all-star break. They open a three-game series against the first place Tigers on Friday in The Bronx.
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Gardner, CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .282 |
| b-Swisher, PH-LF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .237 |
| Jeter, SS | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .321 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .275 |
| Rodriguez, A, 3B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .256 |
| Matsui, H, DH | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .265 |
| Cano, 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .308 |
| Hinske, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .263 |
| Cabrera, Me, LF-CF | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .285 |
| Molina, J, C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .271 |
| a-Posada, PH-C | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .285 |
| Totals | 33 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 23 | |
a-Singled for Molina, J in the 7th. b-Hit into a double play for Gardner in the 8th. | ||||||||
BATTING 2B: Cabrera, Me (14, Lackey). TB: Gardner; Jeter 2; Teixeira; Cano; Cabrera, Me 3; Posada. RBI: Jeter (37), Posada 2 (40), Cabrera, Me (34). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hinske. SF: Posada. GIDP: Teixeira; Rodriguez, A. Team RISP: 3-for-9. Team LOB: 9. FIELDING DP: 2 (Rodriguez, A-Cano-Teixeira 2). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Sabathia (L, 8-6) | 6.2 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3.86 |
| Hughes, P | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3.91 |
ANGELS STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: John Lacky (W, 7 IP, 6 H, 2, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)
HONORABLE MENTION: Bobby Abreu (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R)
Tomorrow's Game
off day - all-star break
13 Comments:
The problem with the Angels is when they have a big inning it’s a really big inning. The Yankee pitchers become unraveled when Angels runners get on base because they know their going to do something. This may sound stupid, but the pitchers should have said the hell with the base runners and just focused on getting the guy at the plate out, and let the defense worry about the base runners. And if they score, so be it. A 1 or 2 run inning is better than a 4, 5, or 7 run inning. The fact that they can’t beat the Angels or Red Sox scares the heck out of me when it comes to the prospect of October baseball because they will in all probability face one or perhaps even both these teams (if they are so lucky as to advance out of the first round) in October.
I remember the Red Sox were dominated by the Angels in the regular season then swept them in the playoffs. I think one big series win against the Sox this season will boost ther confidence
I hate to say it but we're never gonna beat those teams unless cashman makes some changes to this team so we can compete better against them both. Can we get a pitcher like Dan Haren without giving up either Phil or Joba? And then there are GM's out there who want to stick it to the Yankees.
I don't want to say we suck against top teams, but I often feel like we beat ourselves in those games. I mean, We had 2, 4-0 leads on back to back days and our pitching and defense lapsed us and it was given up. Yesterday was a similar situation. We had an early lead, CC got in a little trouble and gave up some runs.
Although we've been lack-luster against good teams I feel like with this series we have more positive to take out, We had early leads, we hit their pitching, we just beat ourselves. We did more in 3 games against the Angels then we did against the Sox, and have to use that as a starting point.
despite what certain Yankee fans, not including myself, might say in denial of reality, regarding not resigning Abreu. I miss him, and I wish he was still on the team. Offensively he was and still is a great situational hitter, and he hits good pitching. Defensively, he fits right in with out other retarded outfielders so any stupid Bill James +/- numbers are irrelevant. In my opinion he is a better RF than Swisher who is our everyday. $5M? it's a little curious.
phil hughes has got to become the #4 s/b 3 starter. Pettite and Joba are just too inconsistant (regardless of Pettite's numbers. Jobba to the # 5 starter and see if that lights a fire in him.
good point, maybe no big trade is necessary if Phil can step in and take the #3 or #4 spot in the rotation. And maybe, just maybe, put Joba back in the bullpen !
The way things worked out the Yankees were very wise not to offer Abreu arbitration. He's not a 16 million dollar a year player anymore. Plus the Yankees had Nady, and then were also stuck with Swisher by the time Abreu decided he wasn't going to get what he expected and settled for 5 million. Had he been ready to settle for five million before the Yanks traded for Swisher they probably would have resigned him.
Abreu is actually also having a solid year in the field based on UZR.
check out boston's schedule after the all star break, its so easy (toronto, oakland again 4 times again in boston, +baltimore!) UGH
Regardless of the Sox or Rays or Angels or Rangers, the Yankees have to keep winning themselves. Prior to the Angels series they were playing great baseball. They just need to get back on that roll as soon as the second half begins.
Aceves going back to the pen will also be a big help, like I've said a thousand times he and his versatility are the piece that puts that whole pen together.
Heard Molina say on the radio this morning that it "didn't matter" that the Yanks were swept by the Angels. Well, Jose, it matters to us - the fans. A terrible series ended with a truly awful defeat. My response would be to send Molina and Swisher down to the minors and recall Cervelli and Pena. I'll wager that they think every game matters when they play.
Bruce, the players can't react to these things like we do so I have no problem with Molina's comments.
I'm sure they feel the game matters, but they cannot make more of it than it is. Remember they don't live and die with every game like we do, nor should they.
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