05/31: Bullpen Lets one Get Away in Cleveland
Posted by: Seamus
The Yankees failed to capitalize on a late inning comeback but a walk-off hit by Jhonny Peralta allowed the Indians to add a game in their win column as the Yankees fell by a score of 5–4 in the third game of this four-game series. The Yankees failed to get to the .600 mark for the first time since they were 9–6 on April 22 and had their lead in the A.L. East cut to a half game after the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays this afternoon in Toronto.
Phil Hughes threw two hitless innings to start the game, but he labored a bit after that, finishing with a line of four runs on five hits in five innings of work. Chien-Ming Wang came into the game to relieve Hughes and didn't allow a run in three innings. Wang has now pitched seven straight scoreless innings and has gotten his E.R.A. down to 16.07.
The Yankees didn't get anything going offensively until the 6th inning, when Mark Teixeria hit a two-run homer to make it 4–2 Indians. Teixeira returned for an encore in the 8th, lining a two-run double off the wall to tie the game at 4.
In the 9th, the Yankees were poised to take the lead with runners on first and third with just one out, but Brett Gardner decided not to attempt to steal second despite being given the sign (he says he just didn't get a good enough jump) and Jorge Posada grounded into a double play to end the Yankees' half of the inning.
The bullpen gave the game away in the bottom of the ninth. Phil Coke walked Trevor Crowe to lead off the inning, who was promptly moved over to second with a sacrifice bunt. After David Robertson entered the game to relieve Coke and walked Ben Francisco, Jhonny Peralta lined a base hit down the left field line that scored Crowe and ended the game.
The Yankees finished the month of May with a 17–11 record (.607). They'll begin their June schedule tomorrow by finalizing their four-game series with the Indians before coming home for a series with the Rangers. Joba Chamberlain will take the mound for the Yanks and will face the Indians and Jeremy Sowers. Game starts at 7:05 and will be on ESPN for those of you outside of the NY market.
Recap records: Patrick: 14–7, Seamus: 11–10, Andrew: 4–4.
Phil Hughes threw two hitless innings to start the game, but he labored a bit after that, finishing with a line of four runs on five hits in five innings of work. Chien-Ming Wang came into the game to relieve Hughes and didn't allow a run in three innings. Wang has now pitched seven straight scoreless innings and has gotten his E.R.A. down to 16.07.
The Yankees didn't get anything going offensively until the 6th inning, when Mark Teixeria hit a two-run homer to make it 4–2 Indians. Teixeira returned for an encore in the 8th, lining a two-run double off the wall to tie the game at 4.
In the 9th, the Yankees were poised to take the lead with runners on first and third with just one out, but Brett Gardner decided not to attempt to steal second despite being given the sign (he says he just didn't get a good enough jump) and Jorge Posada grounded into a double play to end the Yankees' half of the inning.
The bullpen gave the game away in the bottom of the ninth. Phil Coke walked Trevor Crowe to lead off the inning, who was promptly moved over to second with a sacrifice bunt. After David Robertson entered the game to relieve Coke and walked Ben Francisco, Jhonny Peralta lined a base hit down the left field line that scored Crowe and ended the game.
The Yankees finished the month of May with a 17–11 record (.607). They'll begin their June schedule tomorrow by finalizing their four-game series with the Indians before coming home for a series with the Rangers. Joba Chamberlain will take the mound for the Yanks and will face the Indians and Jeremy Sowers. Game starts at 7:05 and will be on ESPN for those of you outside of the NY market.
Recap records: Patrick: 14–7, Seamus: 11–10, Andrew: 4–4.
