YANKEES WASTE CAPUANO'S QUALITY START

Another day, another chance to play the Blue Jays, and another chance to gain some ground in the American League East. It was also a chance for the Yankees to put their latest starter acquisition on the mound and put him to the test.

Chris Capuano took the hill today in his first start as a Yankee, having joined the team just this past Thursday. The Red Sox, who used him as a middle reliever, released him earlier this month. The Colorado Rockies decided he was not worth a look, and sold his contract to the Yankees. You have to wonder why a team would use a career starter as a reliever, but that is their call. Either way, the Yankees may end up looking like geniuses, because Capuano had a very good start against the Toronto Blue Jays.

He gave up only two runs over 6 innings, giving up 5 hits, walking 4, and striking out 4. He kept batters off balance, throwing off-speed breaking balls in the mid 80's and a fastball topping out at 89 mph. The most impressive thing to me was how well he got out of trouble. He loaded the bases in the first and put men in scoring position in the second and sixth innings, but he got out without surrendering a run. He kept the run scoring limited to one inning. It was a quality start, and one the Yankees should have won.

Honorable mentions go to Derek Jeter for reaching base 3 times in 5 plate appearances, and to Chase Headley for bunting to an unmanned third base, to counter the shift, and getting a single in the process. (The picture above was taken from my seat, at the game, to show you how easy it was to do this). I noticed that the third baseman was covering his normal position the next time Headley came to the plate. I hope the Yankees noticed that too

Matt Thornton let the third run score on a bloop single that the infield should have caught. Nevertheless, the Yankees still kept it to a 1-run lead until the ninth. Dan Johnson, who had not hit a home run all season, hit a 3-run home run to give the Jays a 4-run lead. Being in the ballpark, I can tell you that the place became electric when Carlos Beltran hit a 2-run home run in the bottom of the ninth. However, talking to the others there, all we could think was that it would have been a walk-off had Chase Whitley and Jeff Francis kept the top of the ninth scoreless. When you are in a pennant race as we are, trying to make up ground, losing when your pitcher gives you a quality start comes at a high price.


Final: Blue Jays 6 - Yankees 4

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row



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