Yankees Split For Home

Bombers go disappointing 3-3 on road trip

The old adage is win at home and play .500 on the road and your team will have a good fortune. Well, that formula usually works, but not always.

One week ago the Yankees had just finished a four-game weekend, wrap around series with the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees split that series 2-2 leaving them 1.5 games ahead of the second place Tampa Bay Rays and six games ahead of the BoSox. With a chance to put the Red Sox as many as ten games behind them in the standings the Yankees took their foot off Boston’s throat and allowed them to live to fight another day.

They hit the road for Texas and Kansas City and if you believe in win-loss records the Yankees should be returning home on the heels of a successful, winning road trip.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

The Yankees started out their roady with a two-game set against the Texas Rangers in Arlington. In the past New York has had the better of the Rangers. This time, however, Texas was having none of that. With temperatures in triple digits the Yankees and Rangers went hammer and tong for two straight nights.

On Tuesday night A.J. Burnett faced off against C.J. Wilson and it was a pitcher’s duel. Burnett gave up only three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. Wilson was nearly as dominant surrendering only two runs on five hits during a 5.1 inning stint. The difference in the game was the 10th inning appearance by Mariano Rivera who loaded the bases by surrendering two straight singles and an intentional walk. The only out recorded was made by Vladimir Guerrero who grounded out to third. Rivera then gave up a third single to David Murphy plating Michael Young for a 4-3 win.

The following night the Yankees returned the favor coming back from a 6-1 shortfall against lefty ace Cliff Lee. The Bombers scored six runs in the final four innings winning the game 7-6 on Marcus Thames tie-breaking single to score Brett Gardner.

Landing in Kansas City for a four game series against the Royals, and with the top of their rotation ready to go, the Yankees had every expectation of either sweeping or at least taking this series away from K.C.
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda.

Thursday’s contest pitted C.C. Sabathia against journeyman lefty Bruce Chen. Sabathia wasn’t sharp, but he battled. He went 8.2 innings and gave up just three runs on ten hits, striking out three and walking two. Chen wasn’t terrific either. He allowed three runs on eight hits while fanning two and walking two in five innings of work. Chen did what he needed to do and kept his team in the game.

Sabathia took a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the ninth and after getting the first out surrendered two singles before getting the second out. With two on and two out manager Joe Girardi replaced Sabathia with Dave Robertson who gave up a two run double before getting catcher Jason Kendall to strike out to end the game.

Kansas City returned the favor the following night beating Dustin Moseley and the Yankees 4-3.

On Saturday Phil Hughes went up against Sean O’Sullivan and the AWOL Yankees’ offense finally showed up. Led by Alex Rodriguez’s 3-home run night New York knocked out five home runs (Jorge Posada and Curtis Granderson hit the other two) and collected 14 hits on the evening to take the game 8-3, giving Hughes his 14th win on the season.

This afternoon’s game had Burnett facing never before seen right-handed pitcher Bryan Bullington. Bullington, who was baseball’s No. 1 draft pick eight years ago, had an 0-7 lifetime record. He was 0-2 this season losing in his last appearance against the Los Angeles Angels 3-1. Bullington threw six innings and allowed all three runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked one.

Burnett, on the other hand, was also coming off a loss, but had pitched very well against the always tough Rangers. The edge should have been to the Yankees.

Both pitchers dug in early and late, but it was Burnett who surrendered the only run of the day. In the first inning Willie Bloomquist hit a one out single to right, then stole second and later scored on a single to center by Billy Butler. After that Burnett bore down and kept the Royals from scoring another run. Burnett went the distance in a losing effort by striking out six and walking three. The three hits in the first inning was all the offense the Royals produced for the remainder of the game.

As good as Burnett was Bullington was better. He shut down one of the best lineups in baseball for eight innings. Bullington gave up only two hits while striking out five and walking one. Closer Joakim Soria pitched a perfect ninth to preserve the shutout.

The Yankees now head home for a seven game home stand against the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners; two teams who are having plenty of troubles. Both clubs are playing below .500 ball and the Yankees know they should be flying home to face them with a winning road record. Instead, they are landing in New York after splitting their last two series.

Seventeen of the next twenty-three games the Yankees play will be played in the Bronx where they have a .649 winning percentage; best in the American League. This is the time for the Yankees to take advantage of this part of the schedule and put some sustained winning streaks together. September is fast approaching and the Yankees have a brutal schedule facing the Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, the newly improved Baltimore Orioles, Red Sox and Rays. Their final seven games of the season are on the road with four in Tampa and three in Boston.

The Yankees destiny is in their own hands. Win and they go to the playoffs. Lose and face the possibility of not being able to defend their World Series championship in October.

Losing is not an option.

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