Game 100 Wrap-Up: NYY 5 TEX 4

(Phil be bummin'.  Courtesy of the AP)

Blowing leads sucks.  Always has, always will.  It sucks even more when it happens this season because the Yankee offense is so weak it really can't be counted on to make a comeback.  Comeback wins are awesome, especially when they're on the road and in the 9th inning.  The Yankees haven't gotten to experience too many of those games this season due to the aforementioned offensive weakness.  Well Yankee fans got a little taste of both last night, in one of those games that makes you want to fold the tent on the season and one of those wins that leave you with just a little bit of hope that somehow this group can turn it around and make one more run.

Game Notes:

- Nice little 2-run inning for the Yankees in the top of the 3rd, started by Melky Mesa and Austin Romine's back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning.  Ichiro chipped in with an RBI single for the other run.

- They tacked on another in the 4th with some of the smallest smallball you can play.  Leadoff double by Vernon Wells, moved to 3rd on a sac fly, scores on a fielder's choice.  Yankee baseball, ladies and gentlemen!

- Phil Hughes avoided early trouble with a pair of inning-ending double plays and was generally OK through 5 innings.  He put a few guys on here and there but made pitches to get out of trouble.  That's usually a good sign with him.

- Whatever was working for him through 5 fell apart in the bottom of the 6th.  After a Brent Lillibridge error, Hughes gave up an RBI double to Adrian Beltre and an RBI single to Elvis Andrus on pitches left up in the zone, and then just like that his night was over.

- Hughes was only at 80 pitches, but Joe didn't like what he saw and went to Boone  Logan to face Mitch Moreland.  Nobody liked what they saw after Moreland hit the second pitch he saw from Logan for a 2-run homer to give the Rangers the lead.  Really no explanation or justification for Joe's decision there.  He blew it.

- Somehow, someway, after being retired 15 batters straight since the 4th, the Yankee offense managed to come back in the top of the 9th.  Wells got it started with a walk, moved to second on a Joe Nathan wild pitch, and scored on an Eduardo Nunez RBI triple to tie it.  Lillibridge followed up with a single and it was Mo time.

- Strikeout, strikeout, groundout.  12 pitches, 8 strikes.  Day at the office.


F*ck Yeahs:

- Nunez: 2-4, 1 3B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 LOB.  Lillbridge drove in the winner, but it was Nunez who had the hit of the night with his triple off Nathan.  He missed with a pitch and Nunez didn't waste it.  Huge hit.

- Mo: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  32 on the year now.  He's got a 1.73 ERA.  Why is this man retiring??

Oh Nos:

- Lobinson Canoverbay: 0-4, 2 K, 3 LOB.  The W becomes even more impressive when you consider this stinko from the 3-4 hitters.

- Joe: I know Hughes wasn't overpowering last night, but I really don't know what Joe was doing with the quick hook.  He had 2 outs, he was in the bottom of the order, and the only runner was first base.  There was a little wiggle room there to finish the inning and Moreland hadn't dominated Hughes in his first 2 PA.  Classic case of the matchup binder winning out over the game itself.

Next Up:

The Yankees are 1-1 in the series against pitchers coming off the DL.  Tonight they'll face the new guy in town when Matt Garza makes his first start as a Ranger.  He'll be opposed by Andy Pettitte.