Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tomko Silences Yanks Bats in Opener

(AP Photo/Ben Margot)


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
R H E
NYY 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 7 0
OAK 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 X
3 6 0

WP - Brett Tomko (2-2)
LP - A.J. Burnett (10-6)
SV - Andrew Bailey (18)

Not really much to say about this one. A.J. Burnett started for the Yankees and pitched well. In 8 innings he allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. All three runs and four of the hits came in Burnett's only bad inning, the fourth. After a ground out to start the inning, things gotta a little out of hand. Double, RBI single, single, ground out, balk to score a run, RBI double to make it 3-0 A's.

Burnett deserves credit for settling down, and eventually finishing the game. The outing should have been good enough for a win, especially with this offense, but Brett Tomko pitched the game of his life and that didn't happen.

It was truly a pathetic performance from the Yankees bats tonight. The only guy who deserves any kind of a pass is Derek Jeter. He continued his hot road trip with another three-hit game.

There was really only one major scoring opportunity for the Yanks tonight. With the game still scoreless in the top of third Ramiro Pena led off with a single. Derek Jeter, who had three hits on the night, then followed with a singled of his own to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Johnny Damon then just missed an RBI double when he lined out to Ryan Sweeney in right for the first out. Mark Teixeira then walked to load the bases for Alex Rodriguez. Tomko's first pitch to Rodriguez was a low slider, probably a ball, that Alex swung at and grounded right back to the mound. Tomko fired home for the first out, then Kurt Suzuki fired to first for the inning-ending 1-2-3 double play. That would pretty much be it for the Yanks offense tonight.

After Tomko left the game the A's bullpen picked up right where he left off. Craig Breslow, Brad Ziegler and Andrew Bailey combined to pitch four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk.

Boston was off tonight so the Yankees lead in the division has been cut to seven games.

CC Sabathia is on the mound for the Yanks tomorrow as he looks to stop this mini two-game losing streak. He will be facing Oakland left-hander Vin Mazzaro. First pitch is set for 10:05 p.m.


AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Jeter, DH 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 .327
Damon, LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 4 .281
Teixeira, 1B 3 0 1 0 1 0 1 .285
Rodriguez, A, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 .256
Posada, C 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 .273
Cano, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .318
Swisher, RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 1 .242
Cabrera, Me, CF 4 0 0 0 0 0 2 .266
Pena, R, SS 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 .277
a-Hairston, J, PH-SS 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 .257
Totals 33 0 7 0 2 4 16

a-Flied out for Pena, R in the 7th.

BATTING
2B: Teixeira (33, Tomko), Swisher (22, Breslow).
TB: Jeter 3; Teixeira 2; Posada; Swisher 2; Pena, R.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Rodriguez, A; Hairston, J; Posada.
GIDP: Rodriguez, A.
Team RISP: 0-for-6.
Team LOB: 8.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Damon (Sweeney, R at 1st base).
DP: (Damon-Pena, R-Cano).
Pickoffs: Burnett, A (Pennington at 1st base).


IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Burnett, A (L, 10-6) 8.0 6 3 3 2 5 0 3.69

Pitches-strikes: Burnett, A 99-66.

ATHLETICS STATS

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brett Tomko (W, 5 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K)

HONORABLE MENTION: Scott Hariston (2-for-3, R)

GOATS OF THE GAME: Any Yankee that swung the bat not named Derek Jeter.

Tomorrow's Game

Yankees @ Athletics
Game Time: 10:05 p.m. TV/Radio: YES, WCBS
LHP CC Sabathia (13-7, 3.64) vs. RHP Vin Mazzaro (4-8, 5.54)

10 Comments:

bigb said...

Tomko is probably on cloud 9 right about now. I would be if I were released by the Yankees and than shut them out a month later. Pathetic!!! No excuse!!!

Teejay said...

What a shame Burnett got the loss. I thought he pitched great he had really good command. He mixed in his changeup too tonight. He threw a couple really nice changeups to Cust. I think he should mix in that pitch a little more often. Burnett pitches a complete game and gives up only 3 runs the yanks need to win that game.

Whats up with him and Posada? Second game in a row they had a cross up, tonight it lead to a run because Burnett balked.

Anonymous said...

This was a game where the yankees offense needed to manufacture runs. That is a really big ballpark they cant rely on homeruns.

Also I heard Damon and Girardi say they hit some balls hard. That is a lame excuse. Oakland hit some balls hard of Burnett that were outs too. This is major league baseball every team will have some hard hit outs.

The division is not locked up there is still plenty of games left for the red sox to comeback. The yankees cant be in cruise control yet.

James Miller said...

greg, your goats of the game have been hilarious lately. I request a full post in montage form dedicated to them in chronological order. lol

Brian Danuff said...

Well, 2 straight losses is never great, but it's nothing to complain about. We still have a 7 game lead in the East, and with CC Sabathia on the hill today, we got a good chance to come out of here with a win.

JoeV said...

Bret Tomko? Bret Tomko? Why are the Yankees the only team that can't hit scrub pitchers. I realize that the first game after a long flight is hard to win, but Bret Tomko? Sheesh. It's games like these that make me nervous about the division even with a big lead over the Sox. There are alot of Bret Tomkos out there waiting for us.

Scotty B said...

Once I heard Tomko was pitching this game I knew this was gonna happen. He wasn't thrilled after the release and this was some payback for him. He pitched very well.

Anonymous said...

Why would ARod swing at the first darn pitch. Doesn't this just abandon their typical strategy of making pitchers work? Get deeper in the count. He is frustrating at times.

JP said...

People need to chill out, when was the last time we dropped 2 in a row? June? The Yankees have been playing stellar baseball, they're going to go on a mimi-slump sooner or later, better now then in late September and October.

Anonymous said...

if i see posada swing at the first pitch one more time i'm going to throw something. hard.