YANKEES ARE ONE RUN SHORT AGAIN. WTF?

One of the nation's most respected news magazines reported in it's most recent issue that the midwestern drought in our country is worsening.  The story characterizes the situation as a "creeping disaster."  The article went on to say that droughts unfold in slow motion, day after dry day.  That sums up the Yankees circumstance right now.  Four straight losses to Oakland on the last road trip followed by a general malaise that has produced four more losses since that series with the A's.

The Yankees now stand at 3-8 over the last eleven games. Yankee pitchers have allowed 12 home runs over the last ten games.   Freddy Garcia allowed 3 runs on 9 hits in his 6 innings of work.  His line could have been even worse had the Yankees not turned three double plays behind him.  Garcia was charged with the loss and falls to 4-5, 5.10 ERA on the season.

The Yankee bullpen was almost as bad, allowing two more runs in three innings of relief.  Boone Logan pitched two-thirds of an inning.  Ironically he retired the first two batters, both right hand hitters, but allowed a walk and hit to the two left-handers he faced, giving the Orioles a 5-2 lead.  David Phelps yielded a hit and a walk in relief of Logan. 

 The Yankees had rallied with two runs in their half of the seventh with back-to-back home runs from Eric Chavez and Ichiro Suzuki.  Suzuki's home run was the 100th of his career and extended his Yankee hitting streak to seven games. 

Later on, Chad Qualls bailed the Yankees out of further trouble by retiring JJ Hardy and Chris Davis.  His effort preserved one last chance for the Yankees in the bottom of the inning.

 

The Yankees entered the ninth inning 0-34 this season when trailing after eight innings.  Despite a Nick Swisher double to lead off the ninth inning and a walk to Chavez, the Yankees could not score the tying run.  Raul Ibanez struck out, Ichiro grounded into a fielder's choice, and Russell Martin struck out.  The Yankee record fell to 0-35 when trailing after the 8th.

Joe Girardi was his usual glib, rationalizing self following the loss.  The only real concern he showed was regarding the wrist injury to Mark Teixeira.  He seemed to incur the injury diving for a ball to his left.  Teixeira's post-game comments revealed that he was actually injured in one of his at bats against the Red Sox last night.

Nevertheless, if Girardi believes that his team can continue to coast in the manner of the last eleven games, perhaps he should hearken to the words of the Judas Priest rock anthem, "You got another thing coming!"
Final score in this game Orioles 5  Yankees 4.  Could be another hot dry day tomorrow.  

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

ORDER A BYB SHIRT NOW, DROB WEARS ONE! Also, Please comment, we have DISQUS, it's easier than ever. Let me know what you think and follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and join the group Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook, just type it in.