07/11: Errors + Bad Pitching + Missed Opportunities = Yankees Lose to Angels, 10-6
Posted by: Patrick
Through the fourth inning on Friday night, everything looked peachy. Yankees had four runs on the board (2 of them scored by Derek Jeter), thanks to an RBI double by Alex Rodriguez and RBI singles by Nick Swisher and Johnny Damon.
Meanwhile, a somewhat rough second inning aside, Joba was getting results as he held the Angels to 1 run on 5 hits.
After an A-Rod homer gave Joba a four run lead in the top half of the frame, the bottom of the fifth is where it all started to blow up. Chone Figgins lead off with a single and proceeded to steal second. After a Maicer Izturis foul out, Bobby Abreu brought Figgins around with a single. He, too, stole second. An A-Rod throwing error put Juan Rivera on first base. Kendry Morales cleared the bases with a three run home run. After a Mike Napoli double, Joe Girardi had seen enough. Mark Melancon relieved Joba and retired the final two batters of the inning without further incident.
The Angels tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth, making it 7-5, Angels. To start the game, Jeter had been given a day off in the field, acting as the team's designated hitter and Jorge Posada had simply been given the day off. But, in the top of the 7th, things would get switched around.
Mark Teixeira singled to lead off the inning, but A-Rod struck out and Nick Swisher flied out and it looked like Teixeira would be stranded. But, Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera came through with back to back singles to bring the first baseman home.
Jorge Posada's day off was over as Girardi elected to bring him in to pinch hit for Cody Ransom with the runners on first and second with two outs. Jorge worked a walk and it was time for another pinch hitter as Hideki Matsui came in to replace Jose Molina. Matsui flied out to end the innings.
Since Ransom had started the game at shortstop, Girardi elected to move Jeter to the position, giving up the DH, where he was 4 for 4 with a double and a run. Jorge stayed in the game to play catcher. Both would have a memorable experience in the field.
After Morales grounded out, Napoli reached when Jeter dropped a pop up. Wow, talk about a rare thing. It would prove costly. Gary Matthews Jr. grounded out for the second out and Girardi brought in Brian Bruney. After issuing a walk to Jeff Mathis, who was hitting .198 coming into the game, Bruney allowed a three run home run to their ninth hitter, Erick Aybar. It was just his third home run of the season, in 66 games, and the seventh of his 277 game career.
There would be more drama, though, for the final out. Figgins hit a foul pop, not far away from home plate. After hitting it, he took four steps backward - right into Posada, who managed to stay on his feet. The two were momentarily entangled and, in trying to steady himself, Figgins grabbed Jorge's waist, making contact with his left arm. When trying to push him away, Posada's glove became dislodged and it appeared that, rather than trying to catch the ball with his fingers only partially in his glove - he simply knocked it off and caught the ball barehanded, with a batting glove on his left hand.
After the catch, Jorge was not pleased that umpire C.B. Bucknor did not call interference on the play. Initially starring at Figgins, he took it up directly with Bucknor. I can't say that I blame him. It's not that Figgins did anything intentionally, but be backed right into Posada and could have caused him to lose his footing. If Posada dropped the ball, you'd hope that Bucknor would have called it, but who knows. MLB.com has video. At any rate, a messy 7th was over and the Yankees were down, 10-6.
Outside of an A-Rod single in the ninth, the team couldn't muster a single hit and that is where the score would end.
It was a weird game, let's just say. The Yankees had more hits (14 to 13) and more walks (4 for 2), but scored 4 less runs. Beyond Jeter's 4 for 5, A-Rod had a big day, going 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Robinson Cano had a 2 hit day, as well. Every Yankee starter reached base, except for Cody Ransom, but Posada, who replaced him as a pinch hitter, did reach base. Missed opportunities.
After the game, Jeter took responsibility for the pop up. "I just dropped it," he told Peter Abraham. "I used two hands, too."
"It’s probably the easiest play you can make - Jorge caught one with no glove," Jeter said to Tyler Kepner. "When [Luis] Castillo dropped it, I told you it can happen to anyone. It’s just one of those things. I have no clue." For his part, a smiling Posada said, "I wasn't showing him up."
We'll try to do better today with the 8-4 Andy Pettitte taking on the 9-3 Jared Weaver at 4:10 PM ET. The game will be on Fox.
Recap records: Patrick: 25–13, Seamus: 20–15, Andrew: 6–7.
Meanwhile, a somewhat rough second inning aside, Joba was getting results as he held the Angels to 1 run on 5 hits.
After an A-Rod homer gave Joba a four run lead in the top half of the frame, the bottom of the fifth is where it all started to blow up. Chone Figgins lead off with a single and proceeded to steal second. After a Maicer Izturis foul out, Bobby Abreu brought Figgins around with a single. He, too, stole second. An A-Rod throwing error put Juan Rivera on first base. Kendry Morales cleared the bases with a three run home run. After a Mike Napoli double, Joe Girardi had seen enough. Mark Melancon relieved Joba and retired the final two batters of the inning without further incident.
The Angels tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth, making it 7-5, Angels. To start the game, Jeter had been given a day off in the field, acting as the team's designated hitter and Jorge Posada had simply been given the day off. But, in the top of the 7th, things would get switched around.
Mark Teixeira singled to lead off the inning, but A-Rod struck out and Nick Swisher flied out and it looked like Teixeira would be stranded. But, Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera came through with back to back singles to bring the first baseman home.
Jorge Posada's day off was over as Girardi elected to bring him in to pinch hit for Cody Ransom with the runners on first and second with two outs. Jorge worked a walk and it was time for another pinch hitter as Hideki Matsui came in to replace Jose Molina. Matsui flied out to end the innings.
Since Ransom had started the game at shortstop, Girardi elected to move Jeter to the position, giving up the DH, where he was 4 for 4 with a double and a run. Jorge stayed in the game to play catcher. Both would have a memorable experience in the field.
After Morales grounded out, Napoli reached when Jeter dropped a pop up. Wow, talk about a rare thing. It would prove costly. Gary Matthews Jr. grounded out for the second out and Girardi brought in Brian Bruney. After issuing a walk to Jeff Mathis, who was hitting .198 coming into the game, Bruney allowed a three run home run to their ninth hitter, Erick Aybar. It was just his third home run of the season, in 66 games, and the seventh of his 277 game career.
There would be more drama, though, for the final out. Figgins hit a foul pop, not far away from home plate. After hitting it, he took four steps backward - right into Posada, who managed to stay on his feet. The two were momentarily entangled and, in trying to steady himself, Figgins grabbed Jorge's waist, making contact with his left arm. When trying to push him away, Posada's glove became dislodged and it appeared that, rather than trying to catch the ball with his fingers only partially in his glove - he simply knocked it off and caught the ball barehanded, with a batting glove on his left hand.
After the catch, Jorge was not pleased that umpire C.B. Bucknor did not call interference on the play. Initially starring at Figgins, he took it up directly with Bucknor. I can't say that I blame him. It's not that Figgins did anything intentionally, but be backed right into Posada and could have caused him to lose his footing. If Posada dropped the ball, you'd hope that Bucknor would have called it, but who knows. MLB.com has video. At any rate, a messy 7th was over and the Yankees were down, 10-6.
Outside of an A-Rod single in the ninth, the team couldn't muster a single hit and that is where the score would end.
It was a weird game, let's just say. The Yankees had more hits (14 to 13) and more walks (4 for 2), but scored 4 less runs. Beyond Jeter's 4 for 5, A-Rod had a big day, going 3 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI. Robinson Cano had a 2 hit day, as well. Every Yankee starter reached base, except for Cody Ransom, but Posada, who replaced him as a pinch hitter, did reach base. Missed opportunities.
After the game, Jeter took responsibility for the pop up. "I just dropped it," he told Peter Abraham. "I used two hands, too."
"It’s probably the easiest play you can make - Jorge caught one with no glove," Jeter said to Tyler Kepner. "When [Luis] Castillo dropped it, I told you it can happen to anyone. It’s just one of those things. I have no clue." For his part, a smiling Posada said, "I wasn't showing him up."
We'll try to do better today with the 8-4 Andy Pettitte taking on the 9-3 Jared Weaver at 4:10 PM ET. The game will be on Fox.
Recap records: Patrick: 25–13, Seamus: 20–15, Andrew: 6–7.
