Game 35 Wrap-Up: MIL 5 NYY 4

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CC Sabathia pitched the best baseball of his career in the summer of 2008, when he was traded to Milwaukee and almost single-handedly pitched the Brewers into the playoffs.  I had just moved out to Wisconsin that summer and I can tell you that the city was absolutely in love with the guy.  He hit the free agent market that offseason and signed with the Yankees.  Fast forward to 2014, when the big guy is pitching the worst baseball of his career and making his first return back to Milwaukee.  CC got a standing ovation yesterday at the beginning of the game and it was all downhill from there as the Yanks failed to secure a comeback win.

Game Notes:

- It didn't take long for things to go south for CC.  He gave up a DEEEEEEEP home run to Carlos Gomez to lead off the bottom of the 1st, I mean really deep.  The ball hit off the windows of the stadium club in left field, at least halfway up.  Longest home run I've ever seen at Miller Park.

- The lineup would mount a 2-out rally for him in the top of the 3rd to take the lead.  Jacoby Ellsbury was awarded first base on catcher's interference, he scored on Brett Gardner's triple, and Gardner came around on a single by Carlos Beltran to make it 2-1 Yanks.

- And then the wheels really came off.  With 2 outs in the bottom of the 3rd, Brendan Ryan booted a ball at shortstop to put a runner on.  CC then gave up a 2-run home run to Jonathan Lucroy and a solo shot to Aramis Ramirez on the next pitch to make it 4-2 Milwaukee.  Hanger City on weak fastballs.  Same old story.

- To their credit, the Yanks fought back.  Mark Teixeira popped a solo HR to left in the 6th and Alfonso Soriano scored Kelly Johnson with a pinch hit single in the 7th to tie the game back up at 4.

- The shorthanded bullpen couldn't hold the lead though.  Joe went with Alfredo Aceves in the 7th and he couldn't retire Rickie Weeks with 2 outs.  Weeks snuck a ribbie single through for the go-ahead run and the Milwaukee bullpen held on in the final 2 innings.  Worth noting that Beltran misplayed a ball in right that ended up as a double 2 batters before Weeks.

F*ck Yeahs:

- Teix: 2-4, 1 HR, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 LOB.  Still swinging a hot bat in the cleanup spot.

- Dellin Betances: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.  Came in for CC with the bases loaded and 1 out in the 6th and proceeded to strike out the 2 hitters he faced, including Gomez, on 7 pitches.  Absolutely filthy.

Oh Nos:

- Brian McCann: 1-4, 2 K, 1 LOB.  Still doing nothing in the middle of the order.  Looks lost at the plate right now.

- CC: 5.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 4 K.  There's no silver linings to try and find anymore.  He makes the same mistakes with the same lifeless fastballs every time out and hitters destroy him when he does.  If he can't throw his 4-seamer on the corners and his sinker down, he's going to get killed.  Simple as that.

Next Up:

The rubber game of this series is later this afternoon.  Starting pitchers are David Phelps and Matt Garza.