Game 136 Wrap-Up: BAL 7 NYY 3

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A sweep of the Orioles would have been a sweet way to end last week.  The Yankees climbed over them in the standings with their Saturday win, putting no teams between them and the final Wild Card spot.  They had a month to play, 4 games to make up on the Oakland A's, and Andy Pettitte on the mound yesterday looking to keep his good vibes going and finish off the sweep.  Andy did his job, at least the best version of his job he can do as a pitcher in his 40s, but an absolute and complete meltdown by the bullpen snatched defeat from what looked like the sure jaws of victory.

Game Notes:

- Pettitte had to work around a few singles here and there, including 2 to start the top of the 3rd.  He had his slider working pretty well though, and his 4-seamer velocity was sitting low 90s.  He was able to retire the 1-2-3 hitters in order to keep the game scoreless in the 3rd and through the first 4 innings.

- The lineup gave him his first bit of support in the top of the 3rd, when Brett Gardner led off with a double and came home on an Alfonso Soriano single.

- They chipped in even more in the next inning when a pair of walks sandwiched around an Eduardo Nunez double loaded the bases.  Gardner walked to force in another run and Derek Jeter plated one with a sac fly to make it 3-0 against Wei-Yin Chen.

- Pettitte worked briskly through the 5th and 6th, and started the 7th at 86 pitches.  He only needed 7 to put 2 men on base with no outs, and that was the end of his day and his chance to get the victory.

- Here's how it went after Andy left: Shawn Kelley in, RBI single, 3-run homer.  Boone Logan in, single, walk.  Joba Chamberlain in (WHYYYYYYY??!?!?!?!?!), pop out, 3-run homer.  In the span of 6 batters and 20 pitches, the game turned from a 3-0 lead to a 7-3 deficit.  Disgusting performance by all 3 involved and brutal decision by Joe to go to Joba in that spot instead of D-Rob.  Guess Preston Claiborne shouldn't have been sent down after all, eh?

- The Yankees stopped scoring runs after Chen left the game.  Nunez singled to lead off the 6th and they put 2 on in the 8th, but that was as close as they got to scoring anymore.  Tough way to lose.


F*ck Yeahs:

- Gardner: 2-4, 2 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3 LOB.  Set the table for 1 run and cleared it for another.  Nice day all around at the top of the order for BG.

- Pettitte: 6+ IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 K.  The runs were charged to him after he left the game, which is the risk you run being a pitcher who's only good for 80-90 pitches.  Andy was plenty good for his first 6 innings yesterday, and he deserved better.

Oh Nos:

- Joba: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.  The line looks good because runs were charged to Logan and he pitched a scoreless 8th, but anybody who watched him would tell you he sucked.  The pitch that Adam Jones hit for the final 3-run dagger in the 7th was a horribly hanging slider.  Why he was even in a 1-run game is beyond me.

- Robinson Cano: 0-5, 3 K, 4 LOB.  Whoof.

- Kelley: 0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K.  Threw 4 pitches and gave up the lead.  Didn't record an out.

Next Up:

The Yanks will stay home to celebrate Labor Day today and welcome the White Sox to town.  After being skipped over yesterday, Phil Hughes gets the start today against former Yankee farmhand Jose Quintana.