(REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine)| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| TEX | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 16 | 0 | |
| NYY | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 0 |
WP - Kevin Millwood (10-8)
LP - Joba Chamberlain (8-4)
Trialing 10-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth the Yankees started to put together what looked like it would end up being an amazing comeback in the Bronx. Six straight batters reached to start the inning and the Yankees had cut the lead to 10-9, and still had runners on first and second with nobody out. But then came the at-bat that completely turned the inning around.
Nick Swisher came to the plate and Joe Girardi gave him the bunt sign. He's not known as a bunter, but he's been successful a few times already this year. Rangers' closer Frank Francisco missed high with the first pitch, but then on the second pitch Swisher popped the bunt up for the first out. A lot of people I've spoken to think he should have had Swisher swing away, and if I was the manager I probably would have. Francisco was getting hammered and Swisher has the ability to either work a walk or end the game right there with a long ball. Plus, seeing Francisco miss as badly as he did on the first pitch would have been enough to tell me to give him the swing sign.
That said, I'm not going to completely kill Girardi for the move. It's was something I expected and it's pretty much a 50-50 call. You do want to get the tying and winning runs in scoring position, and if he let's Swisher swing and he grounds into a double play, we're all sitting here killing him for not bunting. Like Swisher said after the game, “I just didn’t get it down. That’s it.”
Still, the Yankees had two more outs to work with and Melky Cabrera at the plate. He lined a rocket up the middle, but the Rangers had him played perfectly. Elvis Andrus, who had a teriffic game, caught the liner and then just beat pinch-runner Jerry Hairston Jr. back to second to double him up and end the game.
Give the Yanks credit for the way they fought back and made it close. They continue to show that they won't go down without a fight, and that will help them a lot if they hold on to this lead and make the postseason.
Someone who deserves no credit is Joba Chamberlain. He was simply awful tonight. After the Yankees handed him a 4-0 lead after the first -- on a two-run double by Hideki Matsui and a two-run homer off the bat of Jorge Posada -- he quickly gave two runs right back. After retiring the first two men in the top of the second inning he allowed a single to Ivan Rodriguez, walked Chris Davis, and then allowed a two-run double by Andrus.
Then after throwing a scoreless third, he let the game slip away in the fourth. Once again he retired the first two batters of the inning, and once again couldn't get that final out. Rodriguez walked, Davis singled, and Andrus drove is Pudge with an RBI single for the first run of the inning. Then, Julio Borbon drove in Davis with another single, which was followed by two more RBI singles from Michael Young and Josh Hamilton. By the time the inning was over Joba had allowed five runs and the Rangers led 7-4.
In four innings Joba allowed 7 runs - all coming with two out - on 9 hits, walked 3, and struck out 5. Of the 96 pitches, yes 96 pitches in four innings, only 55 found the strike zone. You can blame the long layoff all you want, but not me, he was just bad. It was the same stuff we've seen for most of the year, too many deep counts, an inability to put hitters away, and no rhythm whatsoever on the mound.
Robinson Cano cut the lead to 7-5 with a solo homer in the bottom of the inning, his 20th of the season. Which, tied the 1961 Yankees' team record for most players with 20+ homers on one team.
Now this is where Girardi kinda pissed me off. With the Yankees down by just two runs, at home, with five innings to play, he calls on Chad Gaudin. To me, this was almost like waiving the white flag. The second batter Gaudin faced was Nelson Cruz and he took him deep for a solo homer to extend the Rangers lead back to three. Gaudin stayed in for and threw a scoreless sixth. Then in the seventh, Gaudin did his best Joba impression. After getting the first two men out (You know where this is going, don't you?) he walked Borbon, and then allowed another bomb, a two-run shot by Young to extend the Rangers lead to 10-5. Of the Rangers ten runs, nine came after they had nobody on and two out. Yankees pitchers also walked six batters with two out. As for Gaudin, I know Girardi didn't want to burn out his pen, but didn't he want to win?
The Yanks didn't score again until the ninth, mainly because of Neftali Feliz and his 100 MPH fastball. Perez allowed just one hit and struck out two in two innings in relief. He was very very impressive.
Damaso Marte pitched an inning and a third in relief and looked pretty good. He allowed just one walk and struck out two. He's been good since coming off the DL so maybe he can become useful down the stretch.
Boston won their game tonight against the White Sox so the lead in the AL East is now down to six. They also maintained their 1.5 game lead over the Rangers in the wild card.
The Yanks look to rebound tomorrow night in the Bronx with Andy Pettitte on the mound. And he will be matched up against Rangers' southpaw Derek Holland.
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Jeter, SS | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .334 |
| Damon, LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .286 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .286 |
| Rodriguez, A, 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .267 |
| Matsui, H, DH | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .268 |
| Posada, C | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .277 |
| 1-Hairston, J, PR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .259 |
| Cano, 2B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .315 |
| Swisher, RF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .245 |
| Cabrera, Me, CF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .267 |
| Totals | 37 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 14 | |
1-Ran for Posada in the 9th. | ||||||||
BATTING 2B: Matsui, H (20, Millwood), Jeter (23, Millwood). HR: Posada (16, 1st inning off Millwood, 1 on, 2 out), Cano (20, 4th inning off Millwood, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 3; Damon; Rodriguez, A 2; Matsui, H 3; Posada 5; Cano 5; Cabrera, Me. RBI: Matsui, H 3 (71), Posada 3 (60), Cano 3 (65). 2-out RBI: Matsui, H 2; Posada 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Teixeira; Cano; Damon. Team RISP: 5-for-10. Team LOB: 9. BASERUNNING CS: Jeter (5, 2nd base by Millwood/Rodriguez, I). FIELDING DP: (Jeter-Cano-Teixeira). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Chamberlain (L, 8-4) | 4.0 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4.34 |
| Gaudin | 3.2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5.01 |
| Marte, D | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 11.05 |
Pitches-strikes: Chamberlain 96-55, Gaudin 65-39, Marte, D 21-9.
RANGERS STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Elvis Andrus (3-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R)
HONORABLE MENTION: Michael Young (2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R)
GOAT OF THE GAME: Joba Chamberlain (awful)
Tomorrow's Game
Yankees vs. Rangers
Game Time: 8:05 p.m. TV/Radio: YES, ESPN2, WCBS
LHP Andy Pettitte (10-6, 4.25) vs. LHP Derek Holland (7-7, 4.72)
LHP Andy Pettitte (10-6, 4.25) vs. LHP Derek Holland (7-7, 4.72)
7 Comments:
oh MAN SO CLOSE!
First off: Joba. Oh Joba. Where is this guy's control? He sort of got nickled and dimed to death, didn't really smoke the ball off him, but the problem is that both rallies that Texas had started with two out walks. I don't get it. He goes 3 balls or at the very least gets behind on WAY to many hitters. Even when he gets a couple strikes, instead of wasting a pitch and coming right back at the hitter, he wastes another pitch. And then another. And suddenly it's 3-2. I don't get it. It's mindboggling and maddening.
And you know the debate will keep coming that they're screwing Joba up with all the limits, that the extra rest screwed him up, that he belongs in the bullpen, yadda yadda. I personally feel that it's all nonsense, and the real problem is that Joba throws way way way way way too many balls. His ball strike ratios directly mirror his successful vs. unsuccessful outings. And I don't think it's a case of regular rest vs. long rest, and he's had plenty of awful outings on normal rest.
As for the Swisher bunt... in my opinion, it's the right move. However, even before Swish came up I was pleading to pinch hit Ramiro Pena to bunt with his good speed and a chance to put more pressure on the defense etc... and then I realized he's not on the team. CRAP. Of all the times to pop up the bunt.
It's obviously not the end of the world, thankfully we did our job on the road trip and in Boston and have a lot of wiggle room. It's just very frustrating to see Joba screwing around with weak hitters and nibbling. There was one time on a 3-2 pitch to Pudge with two outs and the bases empty and on that 3-2 pitch Posada was setting up on the black on the outside corner, and Joba proceeded to miss the target outside by a few inches, ball 4. Why? Whoever was responsible for Posada not sticking his glove in the middle of the plate needs to wake up there. To me, it's after that kind of walk that Girardi himself needs to go out there and discuss things. Two out, bases empty walks to what are now washed up hitters are not acceptable.
Swisher has to get the bunt down. Maybe Joe needs to spend some time working on bunting especially Damon nad Swisher.Also, Did you see how the rangers run hard on every play? I see melky, cano and others jogging all the time. We need to play better than that.
Should Swisher have bunted or not? This is a very interesting debate. According to the book, it was the right play. And if Swisher had executed, Texas would probably have walked Melky to give themselves a chance of the double play. Bases loaded with one out and Jeter at the plate was what Girardi was scheming. However, I think you have to take the circumstances into account. The Rangers couldn't get an out for love nor money. Swisher, already in a 1-0 count, is not a great bunter but has one of the best eyes on the team and, more often than not, works the count full. If you don't bunt, you have three chances to drive in the tying run and the possibility of a walk-off win. I think those facts suggests this was the WRONG time to bunt. Having said that, Girardi has made more good decisions than bad this season and deserves a pass. At the end of the day, it was Swisher's inability to lay down the bunt and Melky grounding into a double play that cost us the game. If we had lost 10-5, the conversation today would have been solely about Joba's dreadful outing (and, remember, his best outing to date came after an extended rest following the AllStar break). The fact that we came so close yet so far to pulling off another miraculous come-from-behind win makes the defeat that much more frustrating. This result was another reminder that the division race is far from over. Don't expect the Sox and Rays to do the Yanks any favors in the coming weeks. They're both power-packed teams capable of putting together long winning streaks. The Yanks, and especially their front four pitchers, must keep doing the business. Let's hope Andy P can bounce back from a rough outing against Boston tonight, especially as I will be there to see him do it. Keep the faith!
It's clear that the Yankees need to bring in people to the organization who really know pitching. The way young pitching has been handled and their almost regressive development is becoming a joke for an organization that seems to have stumbled on the rest of the ingredients for a winner. Is every young starting prospect going to be groomed for a stellar bullpen role? Time the examine why the young guys succeed in the pen and not in the rotation.
I agree with Danny. A solid pitching coach could make this team unstoppable. I think Eiland is a great minor league coach, average major league coach.
-G
I think the fact that Joba, for example, has seemed to regress is more about the pitch selection and aggressiveness than anything else. Joba used to have a "go right at the hitter" approach, or at least he SHOULD. Now, it seems that his approach is to try and get every single batter that comes up to strike out.
Chris, I completely agree. He's throwing too many breaking balls, and when he's ahead of a hitter he seems afraid to challenge them. This is when he needs a guy like Roger Clemens in his ear telling him to just go at people.
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