GOING LONG-ORIA

Tonight the Yankees faced the Tampa Bay Rays in a Divisional Match up they absolutely had to have. Adding icing to the revenge cake was the chance to finally beat Matt Moore. Now would be the time, as Moore was showing weakness.

It didn’t start well. In the second, Tampa chipped away at Andy Pettitte, who seemed to have less command than usual. The Rays knocked RBI singles and sac flies in the second to make it 3-0 Tampa. Evan Longoria would knock a homer the next inning to get it to 4-0 Rays, his second RBI of the night.

Then a whole lot of nothing until the sixth. Brignac got a single after 18 futile at bats. Gardner walked. Nix walked. And the Yankees had something cooking.

With the bases loaded for Robinson Cano, Matt Moore faltered. One wild pitch later and Brignac scored. Life breathed into the Stadium. Two successive sacrifices by Cano and Hafner brought the score to 4-3. Unfortunately, Wells, as has been his wont of late, ended the inning with a limp ground out.

In the eighth inning, Longoria struck yet again, with a two run dinger this time. Yunel Escobar followed that with a two run dinger of his own, putting the Rays firmly in the driver’s seat at 8-3.

In the ninth, Zoilo Almonte replaced Wells and got his first MLB hit. That was pretty much the only bright spot in the back half of the game. Evan Longoria beat the Yankees all by himself.

So. Opinions? Nothing fit for print if you want candid honesty. I watched this game with my infant son, and were it not for his presence there would have been a lot of swearing and stomping around the house.

The Yankees needed this win, but fell short again. They had that rally in the sixth but then quit after that. The wheels are long off this automobile. The patched meant to hold the team together for the first couple of months have fallen away. Management desperately needs to make a move.

A season starting with such miraculous hope is already sinking away into the depths. Hiroki Kuroda is pitching well. Brett Gardner is hitting well. That’s it, Yankee fans. Expect some major moves very soon.

Here’s a picture of my kid to make you feel better.

 Final: Rays: 8 - Yankees: 3


Chad R. MacDonald
BYB Writer
Facebook: New York Yankees the Home of Champions
My Blog: ChadRants


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.