Dinked And Dunked To Death

(Photo courtesy of The AP)

It's not often that Mo gets beat, as we've all come to learn over the last 15 years.  And when he does, it's not often because teams are smacking the ball off of him.  Last night was no exception, as a couple of cheap, well-placed hits set the Rangers up with 2 on and no outs in the 10th and then Daniel Murphy put some good wood on a 3-2 fastball to end things.

Now Mo definitely wasn't on top of his game last night.  The count was 3-0 on Murphy and after battling back he threw a 3-2 pitch that got way too much of the plate.  But he wasn't at his worst either, and when you get beat with your best on the mound, that at least takes some of the sting out of the loss.  That and the fact that it's Mo and you know he won't have any lingering effects from this outing the next time he steps out there.  Dude probably won't give up a run for a month after last night.

P.S.- Could somebody have gotten a clutch hit last night?  For fuck's sake.  I know the Swish and Cervy hits were big, and A-Rod's homer was huge in the 8th, but it seemed like the Yankees were set up with runners on all night and they just couldn't get anything done.  A hit here and a hit there and this game never even makes it to the 10th.  I don't know whether to tip my cap to the Ranger bullpen or spit my gum at the Yankee hitters (cough, cough: Berkman, Gardner, Jeter).

Of course, when you're starting lineup is missing half its regular members, things like that will tend to happen.  Teix should be back today, and hopefully Cano takes enough Flintstones vitamins to get over his cold and get back in his spot in the middle of the order.