Six games against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners would seem like the perfect remedy for the high frequency of losing the Yankees have had lately, but instead they keep losing their grip on the AL East and are now starting to resemble the team in May with all the injuries and losing. The Orioles came in and yet-again took two of three on the Yankees' home turf.
Things started out innocently enough with Freddy Garcia going up against the Orioles' Miguel Gonzales. The came was tied at 1 by the top of the 5th, but an infield single followed up by a double from Mark Reynolds set the O's up for a good innings. With two successful sacrifice fly outs (something the Yankees aren't too familiar with) the Orioles were able to take a 3-1 lead. Raul Ibanez did everything himself in the bottom of the inning by just hitting a homer to cut it to 3-2. Girardi went with Boone Logan to start the 7th and for a while it seemed like a great move as he fanned the first two hitters, but then walked Omar Quintanilla and gave up a double to lefty-hitting Nick Markakis. The hit by Markakis scored Quintanilla and made Girardi go with David Phelps to face righty power-hitter J.J. Hardy. Phelps was no better as he served up a single that scored Markakis to make it 5-2 Orioles, and on the play Mark Teixeira at first base dove for the ball and ended up injuring his wrist that would force him to leave the game and sit out for the rest of the series.
The Yankees responded as they normally do, homers; solo shots from Eric Chavez and Ichiro Suzuki (his first in pinstripes) in the 7th. Still 5-4 by the bottom of the 9th, the Orioles brought out their closer Jim Johnson, who hadn't been pitching well lately. Nick Swisher led off and gave the Yankees exactly what they needed in a double to right to get on second with no outs. Ramiro Pena made his first appearance in a long time to pinch run, but he would never see home plate. Raul Ibanez struckout, Eric Chavez walked, but Ichrio made out on a fielder's choice after him. Ichiro did steal second with Pena on third to put the tying and winning runs into scoring position, but Russell Martin ended the game with an unclimatic strikeout. It was yet another one-run loss the Yanks couldn't find a way to overcome as they faced a sea of those from the A's and Boston.
It certainly looked like the team had a chip on it's shoulder by the next game as the Bombers jumped all over Orioles starter Chris Tillman for 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st after Ivan Nova quietly put them down in the top of the frame. Up 5-0 and Nova looking sharp early, the Yanks had to be thinking easy victory, but the Orioles had other plans. After getting 2 runners on, Mark Reynolds, the man who strikes out more than anyone in MLB, was down 0-2 to Nova. The last time Nova won a game was before the All-Star break, and the struggle continues as he served up a double to the free swinging Reynolds that started an O's onslaught on 7 runs, highlighted by a grand slam from Chris Davis. Nova would barely finish off the 5th before his night was done, and he was responsible for 9 earned runs on 10 hits. Chris Tillman would settle down after the tough 1st inning and 5 runs would be all the Yankees get after finally falling down 11-5 and seeing their lead in the AL East fall to 5.5 games in front of the same Orioles. If the Yankees hadn't have enough injury troubles lately, Mark Teixeira showed no structural damage in his hurt wrist, but it was determined he would sit until Friday and give it a try then. Whether its a sign or not Teixeira's wrist might be more of an issue than the team is letting on, Brian Cashman pulled a quick move before the trade deadline that sent the oft-traveled Chad Qualls to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for first baseman Casey McGehee.
In terms of some good news for a change regarding Yankee injuries, Joba Chamberlain officially rejoined the team and would make one appearance before the O's left town. Phil Hughes, along with Hiroki Kuroda, have been the Yankees two most reliable starters during the past month and this was about as close as a must-win game in early August as one could find. Same as the night before, the Yankees started the scoring early with a 2-0 lead in the first that included a solo homerun from Curtis Granderson, his 29th of the season off of lefty starter Zach Britton. Also as the night before, the Orioles scored back immediately in the top of the 2nd. Luckily for the Yankees, Hughes didn't crack like Nova did and he would hold the Orioles from there for quite a while. The anger and frustration reared it's head for the Yankees poor play lately and they went on to totally smash Orioles pitching into pieces. The Yankees put a 2-spot on the board in the 2nd and then a eye-whopping 7-spot during the next inning that made it 11-1 Yankees. In that big 3rd inning, Robinson Cano hit his 9th career grandslam. The biggest obstacle for the Yankees at that point was the rain falling from the sky which continued all game long. The weather never got too severe and Hughes was able to cross past the top of the 5th mark to make it an official game.
Joba Chamberlain was brought out to start the 7th inning and was instantly greeted to back to the majors with a homerun from J.J. Hardy. Back from 2011 Tommy John surgery and tearing his foot from his ankle playing on a trampperline with his son before the season started, the Yankee hard-thrower went 1.2 innings while giving up 2 runs and striking out nobody. His addition will prove essential with Eppley, Robertson, and Logan showing signs of fatigue lately, and the fact Brian Cashman eliminated all rumors of Mariano Rivera making a return this season. This game ended at 12-3 and Yankee fans were able to breath a sigh of relief that the four-game losing streak had come to an end.
Facing a tough road trip next week to Detroit and Toronto, the next three games against the Mariners will be pivotal for the 61-43 Yankees to pad their win column after not taking advantage of that with the O's....
Things started out innocently enough with Freddy Garcia going up against the Orioles' Miguel Gonzales. The came was tied at 1 by the top of the 5th, but an infield single followed up by a double from Mark Reynolds set the O's up for a good innings. With two successful sacrifice fly outs (something the Yankees aren't too familiar with) the Orioles were able to take a 3-1 lead. Raul Ibanez did everything himself in the bottom of the inning by just hitting a homer to cut it to 3-2. Girardi went with Boone Logan to start the 7th and for a while it seemed like a great move as he fanned the first two hitters, but then walked Omar Quintanilla and gave up a double to lefty-hitting Nick Markakis. The hit by Markakis scored Quintanilla and made Girardi go with David Phelps to face righty power-hitter J.J. Hardy. Phelps was no better as he served up a single that scored Markakis to make it 5-2 Orioles, and on the play Mark Teixeira at first base dove for the ball and ended up injuring his wrist that would force him to leave the game and sit out for the rest of the series.
The Yankees responded as they normally do, homers; solo shots from Eric Chavez and Ichiro Suzuki (his first in pinstripes) in the 7th. Still 5-4 by the bottom of the 9th, the Orioles brought out their closer Jim Johnson, who hadn't been pitching well lately. Nick Swisher led off and gave the Yankees exactly what they needed in a double to right to get on second with no outs. Ramiro Pena made his first appearance in a long time to pinch run, but he would never see home plate. Raul Ibanez struckout, Eric Chavez walked, but Ichrio made out on a fielder's choice after him. Ichiro did steal second with Pena on third to put the tying and winning runs into scoring position, but Russell Martin ended the game with an unclimatic strikeout. It was yet another one-run loss the Yanks couldn't find a way to overcome as they faced a sea of those from the A's and Boston.
It certainly looked like the team had a chip on it's shoulder by the next game as the Bombers jumped all over Orioles starter Chris Tillman for 5 runs in the bottom of the 1st after Ivan Nova quietly put them down in the top of the frame. Up 5-0 and Nova looking sharp early, the Yanks had to be thinking easy victory, but the Orioles had other plans. After getting 2 runners on, Mark Reynolds, the man who strikes out more than anyone in MLB, was down 0-2 to Nova. The last time Nova won a game was before the All-Star break, and the struggle continues as he served up a double to the free swinging Reynolds that started an O's onslaught on 7 runs, highlighted by a grand slam from Chris Davis. Nova would barely finish off the 5th before his night was done, and he was responsible for 9 earned runs on 10 hits. Chris Tillman would settle down after the tough 1st inning and 5 runs would be all the Yankees get after finally falling down 11-5 and seeing their lead in the AL East fall to 5.5 games in front of the same Orioles. If the Yankees hadn't have enough injury troubles lately, Mark Teixeira showed no structural damage in his hurt wrist, but it was determined he would sit until Friday and give it a try then. Whether its a sign or not Teixeira's wrist might be more of an issue than the team is letting on, Brian Cashman pulled a quick move before the trade deadline that sent the oft-traveled Chad Qualls to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for first baseman Casey McGehee.
In terms of some good news for a change regarding Yankee injuries, Joba Chamberlain officially rejoined the team and would make one appearance before the O's left town. Phil Hughes, along with Hiroki Kuroda, have been the Yankees two most reliable starters during the past month and this was about as close as a must-win game in early August as one could find. Same as the night before, the Yankees started the scoring early with a 2-0 lead in the first that included a solo homerun from Curtis Granderson, his 29th of the season off of lefty starter Zach Britton. Also as the night before, the Orioles scored back immediately in the top of the 2nd. Luckily for the Yankees, Hughes didn't crack like Nova did and he would hold the Orioles from there for quite a while. The anger and frustration reared it's head for the Yankees poor play lately and they went on to totally smash Orioles pitching into pieces. The Yankees put a 2-spot on the board in the 2nd and then a eye-whopping 7-spot during the next inning that made it 11-1 Yankees. In that big 3rd inning, Robinson Cano hit his 9th career grandslam. The biggest obstacle for the Yankees at that point was the rain falling from the sky which continued all game long. The weather never got too severe and Hughes was able to cross past the top of the 5th mark to make it an official game.
Joba Chamberlain was brought out to start the 7th inning and was instantly greeted to back to the majors with a homerun from J.J. Hardy. Back from 2011 Tommy John surgery and tearing his foot from his ankle playing on a trampperline with his son before the season started, the Yankee hard-thrower went 1.2 innings while giving up 2 runs and striking out nobody. His addition will prove essential with Eppley, Robertson, and Logan showing signs of fatigue lately, and the fact Brian Cashman eliminated all rumors of Mariano Rivera making a return this season. This game ended at 12-3 and Yankee fans were able to breath a sigh of relief that the four-game losing streak had come to an end.
Facing a tough road trip next week to Detroit and Toronto, the next three games against the Mariners will be pivotal for the 61-43 Yankees to pad their win column after not taking advantage of that with the O's....
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