07/06: Yankee Comeback Falls Just Short vs. Jays
Posted by: Seamus
The Yankees got the tying run to the plate in the 9th, but that's as far as they would get as they fell 7–6 to the Blue Jays, failing to complete a four-game sweep of their A.L. East rivals.
The Yankees never led in this one, and the Blue Jays were ahead ever since Rod Barajas brought in Kevin Millar with a base hit with two outs in the 2nd inning. Andy Pettitte was not particularly sharp, allowing 6 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks in 6 innings. After Brian Bruney coughed up a two-run double to Scott Rolen in the 7th, the Yankees trailed the game 7–1 (one of the runs was charged to Pettitte).
The Yankees would make a game of it though, and a two-run bottom of the 7th followed by a one-run 8th would pull the Yankees to within 7–4. The Yankees had the bases loaded in the 8th, but Nick Swisher flew out on the first pitch to end the inning.
Things got more interesting in the bottom of the 9th, when after the first two batters were retired, Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano came through with back-to-back hits to bring the tying run up to the plate. Hideki Matsui came up next with runners on second and third, and brought both runners in with a base hit to center. That brought up Eric Hinske, who homered earlier in his Yankee debut. Hinske worked the count to 3–1, but swung at what would have been ball 4 to bring the count full and then struck out swining on the following pitch.
Also of note: There was a bit of an incident in the 1st inning, when Derek Jeter was called out attempting to steal third with nobody out. Jeter, who rarely will argue a call, had a few words with umpire Marty Foster, which promptly led Joe Girardi to leave the dugout and back his star up. Girardi was ejected from the game. Jeter said the explanation he was given by Foster was that he didn't need to be tagged in order to be called out. I'm going to assume that Derek Jeter didn't just make that up, and I'm not even going to attempt to wrap my head around the absurdity of that explanation.
Anyhow, the Yankees will be embarking on a 6-game road trip to wrap up the "first half" of the season and will be in Minnesota tomorrow night to take on the Twins. CC Sabathia will try to bounce back from the rough outing he had Thursday against Seattle. The Twins will send Scott Baker to the mound. Game starts at 8:10 ET.
Recap records: Patrick: 23–12, Seamus: 19–15, Andrew: 6–7
The Yankees never led in this one, and the Blue Jays were ahead ever since Rod Barajas brought in Kevin Millar with a base hit with two outs in the 2nd inning. Andy Pettitte was not particularly sharp, allowing 6 runs on 5 hits and 5 walks in 6 innings. After Brian Bruney coughed up a two-run double to Scott Rolen in the 7th, the Yankees trailed the game 7–1 (one of the runs was charged to Pettitte).
The Yankees would make a game of it though, and a two-run bottom of the 7th followed by a one-run 8th would pull the Yankees to within 7–4. The Yankees had the bases loaded in the 8th, but Nick Swisher flew out on the first pitch to end the inning.
Things got more interesting in the bottom of the 9th, when after the first two batters were retired, Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano came through with back-to-back hits to bring the tying run up to the plate. Hideki Matsui came up next with runners on second and third, and brought both runners in with a base hit to center. That brought up Eric Hinske, who homered earlier in his Yankee debut. Hinske worked the count to 3–1, but swung at what would have been ball 4 to bring the count full and then struck out swining on the following pitch.
Also of note: There was a bit of an incident in the 1st inning, when Derek Jeter was called out attempting to steal third with nobody out. Jeter, who rarely will argue a call, had a few words with umpire Marty Foster, which promptly led Joe Girardi to leave the dugout and back his star up. Girardi was ejected from the game. Jeter said the explanation he was given by Foster was that he didn't need to be tagged in order to be called out. I'm going to assume that Derek Jeter didn't just make that up, and I'm not even going to attempt to wrap my head around the absurdity of that explanation.
Anyhow, the Yankees will be embarking on a 6-game road trip to wrap up the "first half" of the season and will be in Minnesota tomorrow night to take on the Twins. CC Sabathia will try to bounce back from the rough outing he had Thursday against Seattle. The Twins will send Scott Baker to the mound. Game starts at 8:10 ET.
Recap records: Patrick: 23–12, Seamus: 19–15, Andrew: 6–7
