05/05: Bad First Inning, Quiet Offense Doom Yankees to 7-3 Loss to Sox
Posted by: Patrick
Tuesday night's game against the Red Sox was pretty frustrating. To start, Joba got out of the box very poorly. Single, runner steals second, single, RBI single, 3 run HR, single. It was 4-0 Yankees, real fast. He got out of the inning, striking nobody out.
The funny thing about that is that Joba was on fire from this point forward, allowing just one more hit and striking out 12 (yes, twelve) in the next four and 2/3. So, he retired 14 more batters and struck out 12 of them. Averaged out over a whole game, that's 19 K's. Not saying he would have kept up that pace, but still.
Johnny Damon brought the Yankees to within a run, with a three run shot in the third, scoring Derek Jeter and Jose Molina. Unfortunately, that was the closest they would get.
Every relief pitcher not named Alfredo or Mariano pitched in this one. Jose Veras and Phil Coke each pitched 2/3 scoreless. Jonathan Albaladejo came out to pitch the eighth and, to lead off the inning, Ramiro Pena misplayed what should have been a routine play, allowing Jason Bay to reach on an error. And then Bay stole second.
Mike Lowell grounded out, moving back to third and the Yankees elected to intentionally walk J.D. Drew. Albaladejo then hit Jeff Bailey to load the bases. Jason Varitek hit a sac fly that allowed Bay to score. If Pena had made the play, the inning would have been over with no runs scored. But, it wasn't. Former Yankee Nick Green took full advantage of the extra out, driving Drew in with an RBI single.
Letting Green go could prove to be a bigger mistake than when the Red Sox traded Ruth to the Yankees. Or, at least, when the Yankees released Clay Bellinger. Edwar Ramirez got the final out of the eighth.
Mark Melancon was called out to the 9th and could not throw strikes. He walked Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Bay to start the inning and then threw 2 straight balls to Mike Lowell. That was it for him, as David Robertson came in and turned that 2-0 count into a strikeout against Lowell. After a J.D. Drew fly out, however, Robertson walked Bailey, bringing home a run. And that's where the game would end. Red Sox win, 7-4.
Melky Cabrera had a good day, going 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and moving his average up to .344. Jeter and Damon each had 2 hits.
The Yankees begin a two game set with the Rays tomorrow at 7:05 PM ET. A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.40) will face Andy Sonnanstine (1-3, 6.75).
Recap records: Patrick: 8–3, Seamus: 4–7, Andrew: 1–3.
Additional reporting by Seamus Molloy.
The funny thing about that is that Joba was on fire from this point forward, allowing just one more hit and striking out 12 (yes, twelve) in the next four and 2/3. So, he retired 14 more batters and struck out 12 of them. Averaged out over a whole game, that's 19 K's. Not saying he would have kept up that pace, but still.
Johnny Damon brought the Yankees to within a run, with a three run shot in the third, scoring Derek Jeter and Jose Molina. Unfortunately, that was the closest they would get.
Every relief pitcher not named Alfredo or Mariano pitched in this one. Jose Veras and Phil Coke each pitched 2/3 scoreless. Jonathan Albaladejo came out to pitch the eighth and, to lead off the inning, Ramiro Pena misplayed what should have been a routine play, allowing Jason Bay to reach on an error. And then Bay stole second.
Mike Lowell grounded out, moving back to third and the Yankees elected to intentionally walk J.D. Drew. Albaladejo then hit Jeff Bailey to load the bases. Jason Varitek hit a sac fly that allowed Bay to score. If Pena had made the play, the inning would have been over with no runs scored. But, it wasn't. Former Yankee Nick Green took full advantage of the extra out, driving Drew in with an RBI single.
Letting Green go could prove to be a bigger mistake than when the Red Sox traded Ruth to the Yankees. Or, at least, when the Yankees released Clay Bellinger. Edwar Ramirez got the final out of the eighth.
Mark Melancon was called out to the 9th and could not throw strikes. He walked Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Bay to start the inning and then threw 2 straight balls to Mike Lowell. That was it for him, as David Robertson came in and turned that 2-0 count into a strikeout against Lowell. After a J.D. Drew fly out, however, Robertson walked Bailey, bringing home a run. And that's where the game would end. Red Sox win, 7-4.
Melky Cabrera had a good day, going 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and moving his average up to .344. Jeter and Damon each had 2 hits.
The Yankees begin a two game set with the Rays tomorrow at 7:05 PM ET. A.J. Burnett (2-0, 5.40) will face Andy Sonnanstine (1-3, 6.75).
Recap records: Patrick: 8–3, Seamus: 4–7, Andrew: 1–3.
Additional reporting by Seamus Molloy.
